The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-02-03
From Ackerman's "Forget NE Not"
THE TEMPTING MOMENT

table parents, who were, to use the sonif
, cant expression of a certain sect, "tolerably
well to do in the world" A small market.
town in Kent, if not the place of his birth
) was the theatre of his achievements.
In the Uranium of Gilbert Ghrimes, the
organ of appropriation was very early and
prominently developed. His infancy even
was fruitful in evidences of this fact. Among
his brothers and sisters he was constantly
effecting transfers of property, chiefly in
vested IN sugar-plums and gingerbread
from the elder by stratagem, and from the
younger by force. His genius continued
to unfold itself as he grew into boyhood /;
and, accordingly, we find him, at the earlv
age OF seven, the ringleader of conspiracy
for tho abstraction Of CERTAIN apples norfl
the al fTeSco bazaar oc female fruit-mer
chant, who, having been ground into for
getfulness by an itinerant professor of the
organ, afforded to the juvenile depredators
their opportunity, and to the world an ex-
ample of the disastrous consequences of
taking Morpheus as a sleeping partner in
the concerns of trade.
in which feats of similar kind had involved
him, his parents determined on sending him
to boarding school in a remote country !:
[
to foster the talents it was designed to dis
courage. He early distinguished himself
by sallying forth from the window of his
dormitory, one moonlight night, with his
! pillowcase as succedaneum for a sack.
and returned loaded with the spoils of
neighboring garden. This notable foray
was followed by complaints from the pro-
prletor, for the spelling of his garden, and
from the schoolmistress for the spelling of
the pillowcase. He was mulcted Of six
weeks pocket-money to indemnify the one,
and soundly logged for the satisfaction of
| the other. The flogging was, of course, set
down to the fortune of war, for which there
was no remedy but patience and beef brine.
Not so the mulcture for a second and I'M
discovered attack upon the apple orchard,
reduced the cost of his former booty fifty
per cent.
As he could not be kept at school all his
! life, 1t became necessary for his friends to
| determine on his future path in the world.
Il was, therefore, at last resolved, that, in
order to secure him against a premature
acquaintance with the practice of the law,
| ne should devote few years to the study
of the theory; and he was accordingly ar
ticled to Nicholas Nightshade, pettifog-
! gng attorney in his native town.
Nicholas had slidden l will not say risen,
WeaRn f y RE2GtSs AND %
no respectable member of the profession
would pollute his hands. He was of rather
! frugal habits; wine he never tasted; it had,
indeed, been too generous a liquor for him,
/ in zinc veritaS. Porter was his nectar !;
but, though he quaffed it freely, it never
muddled his brain, the narcotic and dele
FERROUS ingredients of his rotations appear
ing to have been absorbed by his heart, for
it was poisoned to its very core.
| Gilbert Ghrimes's friends, who were a
worldly and far-casting set, in placing him
with such a man, had speculated upon his
discovering, in his new profession, field
for legalzed depreciation so extensive, as
to leave him but little inducement for ex-
ploring any other. But they calculated not
upon the force of genius for, before the
term of his probation had expired, he elop-
ed with his masters only daughter; and il
was, doubtless, in the hurry and confusion
attendant upon their flight, that he happen
ed to pack up in his portmanteau a few
more of the alchemised rags of Thread
needle-street than, in strictness, belonged
to him. Nightshade could have we'll spared
his daughter; hut the loss of his money
touched him, and he vowed revenge. The
newspaper which announced the marriage
of Gilbert Ghrimes contained an advertise
ment offering a reward for his apprehension.
i Gilbert, WHO had no notion of so much
money passing out of the family, quietly
surrendered himself before his father-in-
law, the following morning at breakfast
time, and claimed the reward. This piece
f of assurance would have astounded any
other than Nightshade, who was wholesale
dealer in the article.
"Ghrimes," said he, "you are a william p
81 know it," was the reply; "you hav.
kept your news until it is somewhat stale.'
Give me back the money you heye pur
Joined from me-" rejoined Nightsnade.
> 81 may scarcely do that" answered
r Ghrimes, "seeing that a portion of it il
' already spent, and, if you withdraw you
4 countenance, shall nave the greater nee,
S of the remainder. But why this fruitles
f anger: The evil, ifsuch it be, is done, ant
past remedy: there" he added, fiingins
down certificate of his marriage, 9TH,
: moose is tied as tightly as you can DESIRE"
e "Not quite" said the other, land, there
: fore, with the hangman for priest, we vii
draw it somewhat Closer"
. "What hang man in his honey
!. moon?"
: 81 would gibbet thee at the very altar
b thou measurless knave!" said Nightshade.
f "Nay," replied Ghrimes, that wer
O poor requital Cor the forbearance of one VIII
: has SO long had the power of elevating yo
e to the distinction which your kindness pro
: poses for him. Remember the forged deed !!
n 81 am not likely toforget it" said Night
: shade; "but who, think you, will now be
4 lieve Won on vonr oath i''
r Doubtless" was Ghrimes's answer, "i
r were worse than folly to do SO, hut the dee,
r itself were good evidence, methinks."
: "And that is safe in yonder iron chest,
n said the other, exultingly.
d "Are you well advised of that ?" was tn
: rejonder.
NinhtshnAn nlnrnnnh Cor tho frrA linz