Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-03-04

ior good consideration, sDon spread
abroad Everybody remembers the days
of Governor Belcher, when money was
SO particularly scarce. II was lime for
paper credit. The country had been del.
ugcd with government bills banks had
been established; the people had run
mad with schemes for new settlements,
for building cities in the wilderness; land
jobbers went about with maps of grants,
and townships, and Ell Doradoes, lying
nobody knew where, but which everybo.
dy was ready to purchase. In a word,
the great specializing fever which breaks
out now and then in the country, had
ragged to an alarming degree, and every
body was dreaming Of sudden fortunes
for nothing.
As usual the fever had subsidized; the
dream had gone off, imaginary fortunes
with it; the patients were left in doubt
full plight, and the whole country resound.
ed with the cry of hard times
At this particular state of distress did
Tom Walker set up as usurer in Bos
ton. His door was soon thronged with
customers. The needy and the adventu.
rous, the gambling speculator, the land,
jobbeI, thriltless tradesman, the mer-
chant with cracked credit; in shor.. ev-
ry one driven to raise money by desper-
ale sacrifices, hurried to Tom Walker.
Thus Tom was the universal friend of
the needy, and he acted like friend in
need ) that S to say, he exacted good
pay and good security. In proportion
TO the distress of the applicant was the
boldness of his terms. lie accumulated
bonds and mortgages, gradually squeezing
his customers closely, and sent them al
length as dry as sponge from his doors
In this way he made money hand over
hand, became q rich and mighty man,
and exalted his cooked hat upon change.
He built himself, as usual vast ,use,
out of ostentation, hut left greater part
unfinished ont of rnrsimnnu He co,
up o carriage in the fulness of his vain
glory, though he nearly starved the poor
horses which drew it: as the ungreased
wheels groaned and screeched on the
axletrees, you wonld 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
anxious about those of the next.
He thought with regret on the bargain
he had male with his black friend, and
set his wits to work TO cheat him oul of
his condition. He became, therefore, oil
of a sudden a violent church>goer. He
prayed loudly and streuuously, as if heav-
en- were 10 be carried by force Of lungs.
indeed. one might always tell when he
had sinned mos. during the week, by the
cIamor of his Sunday devo'ions. The
quiet Christians who had been modestly
and steadiv travelling Zonward, were
stru k with self reproach at seeing them
sIvts SO suddenly y on'slripped in lheirca.
rcer by THIS new y made convert. Ihm
was as rigid in religious as in money
matters; he was a Stern supervisor, cen.
surer of his neighbors, and seemed 10
think every sin entered ~ tn their ac.
cuuut became credit On his page. lie
even talked of the "Xpndiencv Of reviv~
ing he porsecn,on Of The Quakers and
! Anabap'isls. In a word, Tom zeal be-
came his rIc es.
Still, in spi Of his stree uous attention
te forms, Tom had lurking dread that
the devil, after all. would have his due.
Thai he might not be taken unawares,
therefore, it is said that he always carried
a Bible in his pocket. He also had
great folio Bible in his counting house
desk, and he would lay his green spec.a>
cles on the book to mark the place while
he turned round to drive some usurous
bargain.
Some say that Tom grew little crack
brained in his older days, and that fancy>
ing his end approaching, he had his horse
new shod, saddled and brided, and buried
feet uppermost. because that at the last
day the world would be turned upside
down, in which case he should find his
horse ready for mounting, and he was de-
termined at the worst 10 give his old
friend a run for it. This, however, is
mere old wfe's fable. If he did not
really take such precaution it was total
ly superfuous, at least SO says the au-
thentic old Legend, which closes Ills story
in tho following manner: .a.E
One hot afternoon in the dog days, a
terrible black thundergust came up. Tom
sat in his counting house, in his white
linen-cap and India silk morning gown.
He was on the point of foreclosing mort
gage, by which he would complete the
ruin of an unhappy Speculation, for whom
he had professed the friendship.
The poor lane -jobber begged him to
grant him q few months indulgence.
Tom had grown testy and irr,ated, and
refused another day.
my family will be ruined and bought
on The parish, said the land johber.
Charity begins at home" }" replied Tom.
VI must take good care Of myself these
hard times