Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-11-23

tern alone responded to his voice. az h,. H.,
screaming BY; orthe bull frog croalxcd dole(;,l.
~ from a neighbouring pool. At length il is
! sa'u, Just IN The brown hour of twilight whe,,
| ne owls began 10 boot, and the bats to III,
ABOUT, his attention was attracted bv the ella,
nour OF carrion crows that were lowering abuut
| a cypress tree. He looked and beheld n HIM
uie ued IN check apron and hanging i'm the
branches OF the tree, with great vulture percb.
ed hard by, as If keeping watch upon it. He
ieaPcu with JOY, for he recognized his wife,s
apron, and supposed it TO contain the household
yaluables. "
'sLetu us get hold of the property ,, said H.,
consolingly tn himself sand we will enJeovor
to do without the wemann
as ne scrambled up the tree the yulture
spread ITS wide wings, and sailed ON screa,n;nr
INTO the deep shadows of the forest. Tom seized
Tue check apron, but, wofll sight! found moth
ing but heart and liver tied up in it.
'uch' according to the most authentic old sto-
~, was al that was to be found of Toms wife.
She had probably attempted 10 deal with tho
oiack man as she had been accustomed 10
deal with her husband; but though I, female
scoiu Is considered a match for the devil
YET IN THIS instance she appears TO have had
the worst OF 1t. She must have died came how
ever, from the part that remained unconouered.
i,iueeu, IL Is said Tom noticed many prints of
cloven feet deeply stamped about the tree aud
several l,andsful of hair, that looked as If tboy
had been plucked from the coarse black sbocj,
oil the woodsman. Tom know his wift.,s PROV
ess by experience. He shrugged his shoulders
as lie looked at the signs of a fierce clan,er
clawing-"Egad," said he 10 himself. ssOld
Scratch must have had tough time of IN
Iom consoied himself for the loss of his pr,n
perty by the loss of his wife; forbe was little or
a philosopher. He even felt soo,c.binn lilo
gratitude towards the black wocs,.:.s,, ~, h.
considered had done him kindness. He sourht
therefore, TO cultivate a. further acquaintance
with nm, but for some time without success.
the Old blackiegs played shy, for whatever peo.
pie may think, he is not always to be had for
calling for: he knows how to play his cards
when pretty sure of his game
AT length, ii is said when deiav had ,yb;,ta5
TOMS eagerness TO the quick and prepared him
to agree to any thing rather than not gain the
promised treasure, he met the black man one
eveningin his usualwoodman dress with his axe
on his shoulder, sauntering along the edre of
the swamp, and huInming a tune. He affected
to receive Toms advances with great pdif;.r
ence, made brief replies, and went on humminp
his tune.
Bydegrees however, T.sn brought Inn 70 bu-
siness, and they began to harrle about tb.
terms on which the former was TO have the nj
rates treasure. There was one condition which
need not be mentioned, being generally under
stood IN all cases where the devil grants ia
yours; but there were others about which
though OF less Importance, he was inflexibI,.
obstinate. lie insisted that the money foun!
through his means should be employed in his
service: He proposed, therefore that Torn
should employ il in the black trafic that is tn
say, that he should fit out a slave ship. This.
however fom rcsoiuteiy refused; :ic was bad
enough IN all conscience, but the devil himself
could not tempt him to turn slave dealer.
Finding Tom SO squcmisb on this point, he did
not insist upon it, but proposed instead that he
should turn usurer; the devil being extremely
anxious for the increase of usurers, looking nm,
on them as his peculiar people,
10 this no objections were made. for if was
just 10 Toms TASTE
"f GU shall open brokers' shop in Boston
next moth" said the black man.
Walker.
''Yom shall lend money at two per cent
month";"
''Egad, rll charge four!n replied Tom Wal
kerr
.'You shall eStort bonds, foreclose mortgages,
drive the merchant to bansruptcy-n
''l'll drive him to the d-l,n cried Tom
Walker eagerly.
''Y on are the usurer for my money.n said the
black legs, with delight, 's1vhen will you want
the rbinoan
''Ths very night.n
SDone!" said the devil.
dome" said Tom Walker. So they shook
hands and struck bargain
few days time saw Tom Walker seated be.
hind his desk in counting house in Boston.
HIS reputation for ready rnoneyed man, who
would lend money out for good considerations
soon spread abroad.-Every body remembers
the days of Governor Belcher, when money
was particularly scarce. twas time for pa
per credit. The country had been deluged with
government bills; the famous Land Bank had
been established! there had been rage for
specializing; the people had run mad with
schemes for new settlements; for building cities
in the wilderness; land jobbers went about with
maps of grants and townships and Ederados,
lying nobody knew where, but which every
body was ready to purchase. In word, the
great specializing fever which breaks out now
and then in the country, had ragged TO an alarm
ing degree, and every body was dreaming OF
making sudden fortunes from nothing. As
usual the fever had subsidized; The dream had
gone off and the imaginary fortunes with it; the
patients were left in doleful plight, and the
whole country rcsounded with the consequent
cry Of ''hard times"
at this propitious time of public distress
did Tom Walker set up as a usirer in Boston
His door was thronged by customers.
The needy AMI the adventurous; the gambling
Spectator; the dreaming land jobber; the thrift
less tradesman; the merchant with cracked
credit; in short every one driven TO raise money
by desperate means and desperate sacrifices,
hurried to Tom Walker.
Thus Tom was the universal friend of the
needy, and he acted like ''friend in need"
that is to say, he always exactcd good pay and
good security. In proportion to tiic distress of
the applicant was the hardness of lis terms.
He accumulated bonds and mortgages: gradu
ally squeezed his customers closer and closer;