most valuable servant to his master. It was one of the chief boasts of his life, that he had gained the confidence of his employer, and never betrayed it. Being of an enterprising spirit, Mr. Capper commenced business as soon as he was out of his apprenticeship, in the neighborhood of Rosemary-lane. His old master was his only friend, and recommended him so strongly to the dealers in his line, that credit to a very large amount was given to him. In proportion as he became successful, he embarked in various speculations, but in none was so fortunate as in the funds. He at length amassed a sum sufficient to enable him to decline all business. Mr. Capper, having now lost his old master, was resolved to lead a sedentary life. This best suited his disposition; for, although he possessed many amiable qualities, yet he was the most tyrannical and overbearing man living, and never seemed so happy as when placed by the side of a churlish companion. For several days he walked about the vicinity of London, searching for lodgings, without being able to please himself. Being one day much fatigued, he called at the Horns at Kennington, took a chop, and spent the day, and asked for a bed in his usual blunt manner; when he was answered in the same churlish style by the landlord, that he could not have one. Mr. Capper was resolved to stop, if he could, all his life, to plague the growling fellow, and refused to retire. After some altercation, however, he was accomodated with a bed, and never slept out of it for twenty-five years. During that time he made no agreement for lodging or eating, but wished to be considered as a customer only for the day. For many years he talked about quitting this residence the next day. His manner of living was so methodical, that he would not drink his tea out of any other than a favorite cup. He was equally par

ticular with respect to his knives and forks, plates, &c. In winter and summer he rose at the same hour, and when the mornings were dark, he was so accustomed to the house, that he walked about the apartments without the assistance of any light. At breakfast he arranged, in a peculiar way, the paraphernalia of the tea-table, but first of all he would read the newspapers. At dinner he also observed a general rule, and invariably drank his pint of wine. His supper was uniformly a gill of rum, with sugar, lemon-peel, and porter, mixed together; the latter he saved from the pint he had at dinner. From this economical plan he never devia d. His bill for a fortnight amounted regularly to £4 18s. He called himself the Champion of Government, and his greatest glory was certainly his country and king. He joined in all subscriptions which tended to the aid of government. He was exceedingly choleric, and nothing raised his anger so soon as declaiming against the British constitution. In the parlor, he kept his favorite chair, and there he would often amuse himself with satirizing the customers, or the landlord, if he could make his jokes tell better. It was his maxim, never to join in general conversation, but to interrupt it, whenever he could say any thing ill-natured. Mr. Capper's conduct to his relations was exceedingly capricious; he never would see any of them. As they were chiefly in indigent circumstances, he had frequent applications from them to borrow money. "Are they industrious?" he would inquire; when being answered in the affirmative, he would add, "Tell them I have been ; deceived already, and never will advance a sixpence by way of loan, but I will give them the sum they want; and if ever I hear they make known the circumstance, I will cut them off with a shilling." Soon after Mr. Townsend became landlord of the

Horns, he had an opportunity of making a few good ready-money purchases, and applied to the old man for a temporary loan :-" I wish (said he) to serve you, Townsend; you seem an industrious fellow; but how is it to be done, Mr. Townsend? I have sworn never to lend, I must therefore give it thee;" which he accordingly did the following day. Mr. Townsend proved grateful for this mark of liberality, and never ceased to administer to him every mark of comfort the house would afford; and what was, perhaps, more gratifying to the old man, he indulged him in his eccentricities. Mr. Capper was elected a steward of the parlor fire; and if any persons were daring enough to put a poker in it without his permission, they stood a fair chance of feeling the weight of his cane. In summer time, a favorite diversion of his was killing flies in the parlor with his cane; but, as he was sensible of the ill opinion this would produce among the bystanders, he would with great ingenuity introduce a story about the rascality of all Frenchmen, "whom," says he, "I hate and detest, and would knock down just the same as these flies." This was the signal for attack, and presently the killed and wounded were scattered about in al quarters of the room. This truly eccentric character lived to the age of seventy-seven, in excellent health; and then died suddenly. In his boxes were found £100 in bank notes, a few guineas, a great many government securities, and a will, which the parties present proceeded to read. It was curiously worded and made on the back of a sheet of banker's checks. It was dated five years back, and the bulk of his property, which was then upwards of £30,000, he left equally among his poor relations. The two nephews were nominated executors, and were bequeathed between them £8000 in the three per cents. What has become of all the property which has

been accumlating since the will was made, does not appear. From Mr. Capper's declarations in his life time, there was reason to suppose he had made another will, as the one found did not appear to be witnessed.

SAMUEL STRETCH, THE MISER.

IN November, 1804, there died at Madeley, in Staffordshire, Mr. Samuel Stretch, aged 72, who may with justice be ranked in the catalogue of eccentric misers. He was a native of Market Drayton, in that county, and the early part of his life was spent as a private in the army, in which capacity he experienced some service, in fighting the battles of his country. For a length of time he resided in an obscure dwelling at Madeley, into which he did not for many years admit either male or female; it was indeed a dwelling of complete wretchedness. It was about fifteen years before that he purchased a load of coals, a part of which were left at the time of his death. His chief employ was to go about to the adjacent towns, carrying letters and small parcels, and doing errands for his neighbors. His person bespoke the most abject penury; he usually ap⚫peared in an old slouched hat and tattered garments, scarcely sufficient to cover his nakedness, with a ragged bag hung over his shoulder, in which he mostly carried a little parsley, or some other kind of herb, the produce of his garden: these he generally offered as a present at the different places where he had to do business; and when accepted, he took care to deal them out with a very sparing hand. This show of generosity, together with his eccentric dress and conversation, usually produced

him a tenfold return. On searching his tattered satchel after his death, it was found to contain old bones and shoe soles, pieces of paper, &c. which articles he usually collected in his peregrinations. His stock of linen consisted of two old shirts and a pair of sheets; in his hat were found several articles of silver plate, &c. His death was occasioned by a violent cold, brought on by his falling into a ditch in a state of intoxication on his return from Newcastle the Saturday preceding. By his penurious disposition he had amassed a considerable sum of money, (exclusive of a loss of £500 which he experienced a few years before) a part of which he left to purchase an additional bell for the church at Madeley, and an annual salary for it to be rung every night at nine o'clock during the summer months, and at eight during the winter; a chandelier for the church; a bell for the use of the free school; £5 per annum towards the organist's salary for that place, and a like annual amount for the Drayton organist; a further sum to be applied to the enlarging and repairing the Madeley almshouses, and clothing and educating two poor children, until of a proper age to be put apprentice; and to his relations, TWO SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE

EACH.

OLD BOOTS.

NEVER, certainly, were the nose and chin of any human being on more friendly terms than those of Old Boots. This singular individual lived at an Inn at Rippon, in Yorkshire, in the humble but useful capacity of boots; and though his singular appearance subjected him to a thousand jokes, yet poor