The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-05-05

his confidence but as this was an un-
easy secret, he willingly shared it with
her. All her avarice was awakened
the mention of hidden gold, and urged
her husband to comply with the black
mans terms, and secure what would
make them happy for life.
However Tom felt disposed to sell
himself to the devil, he was determined
not to do so to oblige his wife so he
fatty refused, out Of the mere spirit OF
contradiction. Many and bitter were
the quarrels they had on the subject,
but the more she talked the,mor reso-
lutte Tom was not to be damned to
please her At length she was deter
mined to drive the bargain on her own
account, and if she succeeded, to keep
all the gain to herself.
The next evening she set off for
the swamp, and her apron heavily
laden. Tom waited and waited for her,
but in vain midnight came, but she
did not make her appearance morning,
noon, night returned, but still she did
not come. Tom grew uneasy for her
safety, especially as he found that she
had carried off in her apron the silver
teapot, spoon, and every other portable
article of value Another night elapsed,
another morning, but no wife. In a
word, she was never heard Of more
What was her real fate nobody
knows, in consequence of SO many pre-
tending to know. 1t is one of those
facts that have been confounded by a
variety of historians Some asserted
that she had lost her way among the
tangled maze> of the swamp, and sunk
into some pit or slough others, more
uncharitable, hinted that she had eloped
with the household booty, and made off
to sone other province, while others
asserted that the tempter had decoyed
her into that dismal quagmire, on the
top of which her hat was found lying
In confirmation of this, it was said that
a great black man, with an axe on his
shoulder, was seen that very evening
coming out of the swamp, carrying a
bundle tied in a check apron, with an
air of surly triumph.
The most current and probable story,
however, observes that Tom Walker
grew so anxious about the fate Of his
wife and property, that he set out at
length to seek them both at the Indian
fort. During long summers after
noon he searched about the gloomy
place, but no wife was to be seen. He
called her by name repeatedly, but she
was nowhere to be heard The bittern
alone responded to his voice, as he flew
screaming by, or the bull-frog croaked
mournfully from neighboring pool. At
length, it is said, just in the brown of
twilight, when the owls began to hoot
and the bats to fly about, his attention
was attracted by the clamor of carrion
crows that were lowering about a cypress
tree. lie looked, and bchcld bundle !
tied up in check apron, and hanging
in the branches of a tree, with great
vulture perched hard by, as if keeping
watch upon 1t. He leaped with joy, for
he recognized his witc's apron, and sup
posed it contained the household valua-
bles.
"Let us get hold of the property
said he, consolngly to himself, land
we will endeayor to do without the
womany9
As he scrambled up the tree, the
vuture spread its wide wings, and sailed
off screaming into the deep shadows of
the forest. Tom seized the check apron,
but, wotul sight found nothing but
heart and liver tied up in it,
Such, according to the most authentic
old story, was all that was to be found
OF TOMS wife. She had probably at
to deal with the black man as
she was accustomed to deal with her
husband but tho Oh female scold is
generally considered match for the
devil, yet in this instance she appears to
have had the worst OF it. She must
have died game, however, from that part
that remained unconquered Indeed, it
is said that Tom noticed many prints of
cloven feet deeply stamped upon the
tree, and several handsfull Of hair, that