Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-18
How the Devil "Foreclosed" on Tom.
Walker.



As Tom waxed old, however, he
grew thoughtful. Having secured
the good things of this world, he be.
gan TO feel anxious about the next
He thought with regret on the bar
gain he had made with his black
friend, and put his wits to work to
cheat him out of his conditions. He
became, therefore, all of sudden, a
violent church-goer. He prayed
loudly and strenuously, as if heaven
were to be carried by force of lungs
Indeed, one might always tell when
he had sinned most during the week
by the clamor of his Sunday devo-
tions ! The quiet Christians who
have been modcstly and quietly
travelling Zionward were struck with
self-reproach at seeing themselves so
suddenly outstripped in their career
by this new-made convert. Tom
was as rigid in religion as in money
matters; he was stern supervisor
and censurer of his neighbors, and
seemed TO think every sin entered up
to their account became q credit on
his page. He even talked of the ex-
pedlency of reviving the prosecutions
OF the Quakers and the Auabaptists.
In a word, Toms zeal became as his
riches.
Still, in spite of his strenuous at
tention to forms, Tom had lurking
dread that the devil after all would
have his due. That he might not be
taken unawares, therefore, it is said
he always carried a small Bible in
his pocket. He also had great folio
Bible in his contingencies desk,
and would frequently be found read
ing when people called on business !;
on such occasions he would lay his
green spectacles on the boo k to mark
the place, while he turned around TO
drive some usurious bargain.
Some say Tom grew little crack
Drained in his older days, and that,
fancying his end approaching, he
had his horse new shod, saddled and
bridled, and buried with bis feet up
permost, because that, at the last
day, the world would be turned up
side down, in which case be would
find his horse ready for mounting,
aud he was determined at the worst
to give his friend run for it. This,
however, is probably an old wife's
fable. If he really did take that
precaution, it was totally superhuous
at least, so says the authentic old
legend, which closes his story in the
following manner:
One hot afternoon in the dog days,
just as a terrible black thundergust
came up, Tom sat in his counting
house in his white linen cap and In
dia silk morning gown. He was on
the point OF foreclosing mortgage,
by which he would complete the
ruin of an unhappy speculator for
whome he protested the greatest
friendship. The poor land>jobber
begged him to grant 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" cried
Tom 81 must take care of myself
these bard times"
"You have made so much money
out of me-" said the Spectator.
Tom lost his patience and his
piety. "The devil take me-" said
be, "if / have made a farthIng."
Just then there were three loud
knocks at the street door.
He stepped out to see who was
there. A black man with black
horse, which neighed and stamped
with impotence.
"Tom, you are come for said the
black man, gruffiy. Tom shrank
back, but too late. He had left his
little Bible at the bottom Of his coat
pocket, and his big Bible on the desk
buried under the mortgage he was
about to foreclose-never was q poor
sinner taken more unawares. The
black man whisked him like o child
astride the horse, and away he gal
loped in the mist of thunderstorm.
The clerks stuck their pens behind
their ears and stared after him from
the windows. Away went Tom
Walker dashing down the streets, his
white cap bobbing up and down, his
morning gown fuLtering in the wind,
and his steed striking fire out of the
pavements at every bound. When
the clerks turned TO look, the black
man had disappeared.
Tom Walker never returned to
foreclose the mortgage. A country
man who lived near the swamp, re-
ported that in the height Of the thun-
der gust he had heard q great clatter-
ing of hoofs and bowling along the
road, and that when he ran to the
window he just caught sight of fig
ure such as | have described, ON a
horse that galloped like mad across
the fields, over the hills, and down
into the black hemlOck swamDs to-
ward the old Indian fort, and that
shortly after a thunderbolt fell in
that direction. which seemed to set
the whole forest in a blaze.
The good people of Boston shook
their heads and shrugged their
shoulders. They had been 50 accus-
toned to witches and COLLINS, and
tricks Of the devil in all kinds of
shapes, from the first settlement OF
the colony, that they were not SO
much horror-struck rs might have
been expected. Trustees were ap-
pointed to take legal charge OF
Toms effects. There was nothing,
however, to administer upon. %
searching his Golfers, all his bonds
and mortgages were found reduced to
cinders. In place of gold and silver
his iron chest was filled with chips
and shavings; two skeletons lay IN
his stable instead of his half starved
horses, and the very next day bis
great house took fire and burned to
the ground.