The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-04-22

irresistible" by one of our modern ball
room bellies; but there were, blended
with the features of that handsome face,
the unmistakable traces of stern, naughty
pride, which, however, graeieur it might
appear to the aristocratic perceptions Of
the pleasure seeking labor-despising,
and (pardon me) good-fof-nothing no
bility Of this, our nation of sovereigns,
sent anything but thrill of pleasure to
the hearts of the poor and deienceless
who had the ill-fortunc to be placed
within his gripping clutches. In manners,
he was extremely affable and polite to
those whom he considered his superiors
in wealth or worldly honor while
towards his interiors he deported himself
with coudescending familiarity or over
bearing insolence, as circumstances
seemed to require, or iuclinations
prompted. ar. er.
In his own little province, he was
supreme lord and sovereign; his word
was law, and fool-hardy indeed was he
who dared to dispute it. Not that his
word was infallible; oh, no. Persons
who, like him, occupy important stations
in life, and have much business devolv-
ing upon them, are apt through forget
fulness to be sometimes inconsistent, and
Gripe was not an exception. He would
hire man at a stipulated price, and
when payday came he would have the
bill with all the items, pro and con,
punctually jotted down, and the exact
sum of money counted out if the labor
er paused to look over the bill before
receipting it, he would very likely find
that Gripe had forgotten what he hired
him for, and estimated his wages at a
lower rate. If he ventured to point
out the mistake Gripe would inform him
that I" his books were always right, that
he knew what he hired him for, that
there was the money, and he might take
it and begone, or get his pay as best he
could" What could the poor man do
but submit for those who have to toll
necessarily to obtain their daily bread
rarely have the time or the money to
Iexpend on lIwsuits. And then, too.
Gripe had such capital way of concil-
iating folks favor at such times as
these He would forget man out of
fifty or hundred dollars of his honest
earnings, and when he settled up give
him an extra barrel Of -four or keg of
molasses, or new dress and shawl for
his wife, or half dozen pairs of shoes
for his merry, clothes-tearing, shoe
wearing little ones. In this way he
eased the pains of his own conscience,
if such an article he ever possessed
added materially to the contents of his
purse, and fattered himself that he was
earning quite reputation for liberality
and benevolence. Gripe had, as we
have before intimatcd, seen and felt the
evil effects of neglect of business, and
how well he profted by his past expe-
rience was now shown in the alertness
and assiduity with which he attended to
his affairs and interests. Among the
other good things which Gripe establish
ed for the accommodation of his work.
men and his own benefit, was the before
mention ed store which was always we'll
stocked with dry goods and groceries.
These were furnished to his help, not at
The lowest, but the very highest rates,
md It was always Gripe's way to make
IN addition to bis prices to pay for the
trouble of charging yet, though the
charging cost him so much trouble, none |,
If his customers could prevail on him to &
leal upon the cash system. Il
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