Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-03-25
From the Trenton IN. J. Emporium.
TOM TOMORROW.

Every town and village has its eccen-
trio genius; and fat, greasy, jack-of.all-
trades sorl oil fellow by the surname of
Kersey, but who passed altogether by
the .fite appellaton of Tom To morrow,
used TO attract no inconsiderabe share
Of attention in Aylesbury, in consequence
OF the singularilies of which his charac-
ter was compounded. His nickname
furnished at once complete eptome of
the man and his history. He meter look
ed as though he belonged to the genera
ton OF to day--tor he was always sleepy,
and lazy, and good for nothing in the day
time, and as regularly awaked from his
lethargy in the evening, and was noisy
and industrious at nighttime seemed
TO have gotten at least twelve hours
start OF him. And although always trav-
eillng with some apparent sincerity after
the old man OF the scythe, he could NOT,
for the soul Of him, get a single step
the advantage all his lite long.
lis father left him an old house in the
village when he died, which answered
most Of the purposes OF dwelling, and
he married a wife who was considerably
more industrious and regular 10 her ha-
bits than himself. To these fortunate
circumstances, in all probability, it was
owing that he lived something more
than thirty FIVE years-and, in spite of
the prophecies that be would starve to
death---lhe threats that he Should starve,
and the not uncommon asseyeration that
he ought to starve, kept tie flesh we'll
about his bones, and had hearty dinner
the very day he died with b;oken neck,
The fruit of fall through The floor of his
chamber, which he had been going TO
mend every tomorrow for better than
year.
In all Toms practice in the world,
whether the discharge OF the duties he
owed to others, or the performance of
those his own welfare demanded, were
considered, from planting his potato
patch to paying his debts, it was all
"To-morrow, aye, tomorrow"
And not all the arguments in the world
not all the lessons ct experience not ali
the Turing OF money, nor ell the threat
enngs OF poverty, could, Tor moment,
convince him that it was Necessary OF
possible to attend to business to-day
or that it was unwisc or dangerous to
put every thing off until tomorrow
And when every morning sun reminded
him OF the promises be had made the
past day, aud Of the approach Of sue time
in which he had promised their fultilment,
instead OF fegrettlng his lost hours, he
would hum over merry tone, listen
with mute and unresisting dociilty to a
long lecture from his good dame, and
thank his stars that tomorrow was still
before him, and that he could still re-
new all The long catalogue OF ais proml-
SEES.
He always insisted that he had never
lost any thing by this unfortunate habi,
OF his; and proved it to demonslra-
lion, for he SAID he had not any thing to
lose, ergo, &c. bu, the argument was at
least, rather specious than solid for he
once had tolerabe lot Of potatoes
growing, ard he pn; OFT stopping hole
in bis fence iii to-morrow and tomor-
row, and The neighbours pigs al last got
through and destroyed the crop. Often
little Jobs were offered him, for which
forthcoming; but that accused TO NOR
row, oversee The patience OF his friends /;
and every now and then the pay ment OF
some rIHing bill was put off and put
of, until the constable rapi his kptickles
with four or five shllIines cost. He Jared,
perhaps, in this last matter, however,
better than nine in ten OF the multiludcs
of Tom To-morrows in the world; for
his credit was about as slim as his purse.
In two things, and in Two things only.
he let slip his rule OF procrssiination-
he ate IRIS dinner, and drank his mug Of
ale, whenever he could get il, to-day
and SO it commonly happens with his
kindred. The rule would not work out
so badly if those who deter working I'LL
Tomorrow, would also deter eating and
drinking to The same convenient season.
But j, was universally admilted by his
friends that Tom did not really intend
any dishonesty to himself or others BY
his conduct. From original Incidence
Of mind and body, he acquired the habit
OF postponing all exertion for the present,
really and sincere!ypurposing to go ear
nestly to work the next day. How he
succeeded in cheating himself for SO
many years in This way, know not; but
probably the fact was, that tomorrow
never came, and he therefore in his old
mode of reasoning, concluded he never
broke his resolutions. Certain it is, that
he never found out this truth, that he
4 IL.