True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-04
TIGHT TIMES.

been in town for week. He may be
seen on Change every day. He is over
on the Pier along Quay street, up Broad
way, stalks up State street, looks in at the
banks, and lounges in the hotels. He
bores our merchants, and seats himself CO.
zilyip lawyers offices. He is everywhere.
A great disturber of the public quiet, a
pcstilent fellow is this same TIGHT TIMES.
Every body talks about him, every body
looks out for him, every body hates him,
and a great many hard words and no little
profanc epithets are bestowed upon him.
Every body would avoid him if they could,
every body would hiss him from Change,
hoot him off the Pier, chase him from
Quay street, hustle him out of Broadway,
kick him out of the banks, throw him out
of the stores, out of the hotels, but they
can't. Tight Tunes is bore. A burr,
he will stick. Hints are thrown away on
him, abuse lavished in vain, kicks, cuffs,
profanity are all thrown away on him.
He is impervious to them all.
An impudent fellow is Tight Times.
Ask for discount, and he looks over your
shoulder, winks to the cashier, and your
note is thrown out. Ask loan of the
usurers at one per cent. month, he looks
over your securities and marks two and a
half Present bill to your debtor, Tight
Times shrugs his shoulders, rolls up his
eyes, and you must call again. A wife
asks for fashionable brocade, daughter
for new bonneG he puts his caveat, and
the brocade and bonnet are postponed.
A great dcprcciator of stocks is Tight
Times He steps in among the brokers,
and down goes Central to par, to ninety
FIVE, ninety, eighty-fve. He plays the
dcnce with AIichga Central, with Michi.
can Southern, with Hudson River, with
New York and Erie. He goes along the
railroads in process of construction, and
the Irishmcn throw down their shovels and
walk away. He puts bis mark upon rail
road bonds, and they find no purchasers
are hissod out of market, become obsolete
absolutely dead.
A great exploder of bubbles is Tight
Times. He looks into the affairs of golt
companies, and they fly to pieces, into kit
ting banks, and they stop payment, int
rickety insurance companies, and they van
ish away. He walks around corner lots
draws line across photographic cities, ant
they disappear. He leaves his foot-prin
among mines, and the rich metal become
dross; he breathes upon the cunninges
schemes of speculation, and they burst lik
torpedo.
A hard master for the poor, q cruel en-
emy to the laboring masses is Tight Times
He takes the mechanic from his bench, th,
laborer from his work, the hod-carrier from
his ladder; he runs up the price of provis
ions and he runs down the wages of labor
he runs up the price of fuel, and he run
down the ability purchase it at any price
he makes little children hungry and cr,
for food, cold and cry for fire and clothing
he makes poor women sad, makes mother
weep, discourages the hearts of fathers
carries care and anxiety into families, ant
sits crouching desolation in the corne
and on the hcarthstones of the poor.
hard master to the Poor is Tight Times.
A curious follow is Tight Times, full O
idiosynaries and crotchcts; a cosmopolite
a wondcrcr too. Where be comes from
nobody knows, and where he goes nobod
knows; ; he flashes along the TELEGRAPH
T wires, he takes free passage in the cars
he seats himsolfin the stages, or goes alon
the turnpike on foot; he is gentleman o.
Wall street to-day, and back settler o.
the borders Of civilization tomorrow W
hear Of him in London, in Paris, in 81