Had the good old man died ten years earlier, what a heritage would have been mine! but in his later years he was not so saving as it behooves a good man to be, and indulged in them on minor occasions; consequently, but two dozen remained when I succeeded to the charge twenty years ago.

I, too, was not sufficiently chary of them to begin with, and all but six bottles were drunk in the first ten years.
Since then I have been as stingy as a miser, and but two bottles have been opened." "I hope, father, that you have laid in a similar supply for whomsoever may come after you." "Surely I have, my son.

Fifteen years ago I had a hogshead of the finest vintage in the neighborhood bricked up in my cellar.

I had an inscription placed on the wall by which, should I be taken suddenly, my successor may know of the store that awaits him.

At present you would not find the inscription did you search for it; for when those troubles began I filled up the letters in the stone with mortar, and gave the wall two or three coats of whitewash.