The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1825-06-29

young aud had not established himself
Jones saw this, but il did not check him
a day.-He had no sooner hung his sign,
and cut out days work for his boys,
than he took up his habit of assisting
other people, masked, in the manage
ment of their affairs.
In the course of few weeks he made
himself master of the most minute affairs
of every one within miles of his Ioca-
ton. There was NOT eourtship going
on, bargain in progress, job of work
Of any kind bespoke, disagreement on
foot, mis-step made, new article of
dress purchased; there was nothing, in
short, which the tongue of inquistiye-
ness and the argus eye of observation
could probe into, but Tom knew all a.
bout it, and he always SET himself I'D as
counsenor-geuUrai IN sum cases, and
dispensed his opinion without fee or re-
ward. None, to be sure, could charge
him with malicious purpose in any thing
he said or did-he was every body's
friend, and did every thing out of pure
good will; or compassion for them, but
then it will readily be. agreed, that one
who has not prudence to let those mat
tiers alone, will hardly have prudence to
handle them cautiously. He became a
kind of party 10 every cause and matter,
and as this compelled him to incline him.
self 10 one side or the other of every
case that had two sides to it, he always
was sure of .naking all enemy, and never
sure of making friend.
"There goes the Meddler." they used
to say in the street, as he passed along,
before he lived three months in the
northumberland a more despicable
epithet could scarcely be applied TO ali
individual, or one that would sooner
bring him into supreme contempt.
Like all other young men, Jones had
two objects to accomplish as soon as
practicable in the onset. The one was
to secure to himself an established char
acter and a good business--The other
to procure good wife and set himself
down in the woodland he appeared
perfectly sensible of this, for he aimed
at both objects in his laundering way.
He professed great deal of friendship
for his customers, kept his promises bet
ter than could have been expected, and
made tolerable shoes-but then he me-
elected his books and debts, and made
use of his tongue so much more than hi:
wax end, that his shop did not Turn many
unbespokeD dollars into his pocket. One
after another of bis customers either
took offence at bis meddling disposition
or became Disguised with his inquisitive
ness, and left him, while in proportion
as his acquaintance multiplied. his ex'
penses increased Three or four mug
of beer day cost him as many fippences
and few of these made dollar, anc
the profit on a pair of shoes was very
small.-Literally he went about, with al
empty purse and an open mouth, which
f uttered more words than his shop brough
bites of bread and butter per day, for
whole year, 10 put into it.
In matters of courtship poor Ton
Jones succeeded much after The sam,
manner. The girls hate meddler--i
they chance TO have spice of the med
ding disposition in their cwn compost
ton, they dislike to let husband g
shares, and ifthey had not, it is still NOR,
f intolerable. Tom never came hom
) from his excursions Of gaIlautry withou
) an old rag pinned 10 his coat, or a hem
. feather stuck 10 his hat, or his Goa
! chalked in crosses, or the evidence G
> some roguish trick having been practise
: upon him. On one occasion it was sal
: he was engaged TO young lady, but h
3 interfered in lawsuit between some on
3 of the family, and neighbor got him
: self subpened as witness in the case
! and so dissatisfied them that he was for
hidden the house at another time h
, meddled with some secret affairs of
family, where he was paying addresse;
and they set the dog on him, and fairl
: drove him off the premises. Thus eut
3 ed his love affairs, while still his invett
b rate habit hung about him to the las
a and grew daily more powerful, even
siugularity.
His latter days were filed up wit
misfortunes which bear the character
fiction rather than Of reality. He ute
ly ruined his credit in the village by a
attempt to liberate prisoner from til
county gaol, who had been locked u
e for debt, and was detected and coniac
e himself His associations being all br,
: ken up--he resorted to the woods AT
: creeks, and INDUCED his pyopensit
!. among the fish nets and traps, belongir
e to his neighbors, and was al last four
: dead in bear trap ia which he had bee
D Icaughtin some careless meddlii al .emI
f 10 set it 10 his mind.
g Every meddler is not as uufortunat
D az Tom Jones was. though there news