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

were left IN a doetul plight, and the
whole country resounded with the cry @:
" hard times"
At this propitious time Of distress did
Tom Walker set up as usurer in Boston.
His door was soon thronged with GUS
toners. Thus Tom was the universal
friend of the needy, and he acted like a
4" friend in need :" that is to say, he
exacted a good pay and good security.
In proportion to the distress of the ap-
plicant was the hardness of his terms
In this way he made money hand over
hand, became a rich and mighty man,
and exalted his cooked hat upon change.
He built himself, as usual, vast house,
out of ostentation, but left the greater
part of it unfinished, out of parsimony.
He even set up a carriage, in the full
ness of his vain glory, though he nearly
starved the poor horses which drew it.,
and as the ungreased wheels groaned
and screeched on the axlctrees, you
would have thought you heard the souls
OF the poor debtors he was squeezing.
As Tom waxed old, however, he grew
thoughtful. Having secured the good
things Of this world, he began to feel
anxisus about those Of the next. He
thought with regret on the bargain he
had made with his black friend, and set
his wits to work to cheat him out of his
conditions. He became, therefore, all
of sudden, a violent church-goer He
He prayed loudly and strcnuously, as if
heaven were to be carried by force of
lungs. In a word Toms zeal became
as notorious as his riches.
One hot afternoon in the dog days,
just as terri lie black thunder-gust was
coming up, Tom sat in his counting
house in his white linen cap and Indian
silk morning gown. He was on the
point Of foreclosing mortgage, by which
he would complete the ruin of an un-
happy land Spectator for whom be had
professed the greatest friendship. The
poor and-jobber begged him to grant a
few months indulgence. Tom had
grown testy and irritated, and refused
another day.
"My family will be ruined and
brought upon the parish" said the land
jobber.
Charity begins at home" replied
Tom. wust take care of myself
these hard times"
"You have made so much money ou
Of me-" said the speculator.
Tom lost his patience and his piety
"The devil take me-" said he, If
made farthing,"
Just then there were three louc
knocks at the street door. He stepped
out to see who was there. A blacl
man was holding black horse, which
-neighed and-stamped with impatience
tom, yo~re come for," said the
black fellow, grufily. Tom shrunk back
but too late. The black man whiskec
him like a child astride the horse, anl
away he galloped in the midst of thun
der storm. The clerks stuck their pen
behind their ears and stared after hin
from the windows. Away went Ton
Walle. dashing down the streets, hi
white cap bobbing up and down, bi
morning gown huttering in the wind
and his steed striking fire out of tn
pavemeuts at every bound. When tn
clerks turned to look for the black ma
he had disappeared.
Tom Walker never returned to fore
close the mortgage.
The good people of Boston shoe
their heads and shrugged their shoulders
They had been so accustomed to witche
and goblins and tricks of the devil in q
kinds Of shapes, from the first settlemer
of the colony, that they were not s
much horror-struck as might have bee
expected Trustees were appointed ,
take charge Of Toms effects. Their
was nothing, however, to administe
upon. On searching bis ffers, all b
bonds and mortgages were found reduce
TO ciuders. In place of gold and silver
his iron chest was filled with chips an
shavings two skeletons lay in his stahl
instead Of his half-starved horses, an
the very next day his great house too
fire and was burned to the ground
Such was the end of Tom Walker al
his ill-gotten wealth Let all gripir
money brokers lay the story well
heart. The truth is not to be doubte
The very hole under the oak trees fro
whence he dug Kidd's money is to
seen this day, and the neighbori
swamp and the old Indian fort is oft
haunted in stormy nights by a figure
horseback in morning gown and viii
cap, which is doubtless the troubl
.p;,;, af Tho usnror Tn g., al ,la eto