The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-08-04
TOM BELL.
And the Princess Susannah Carolina
| Matilda.
BY WILLIAM DUNLAP.

governing America upon herself
and, with the tenderness of q kinC
mother, not only sent governors t.
rule over us and judges to preside il
onr courts, but criminals by ship
loads from her jails and dungeons t.
people ''his majesty's plaI tations,
many distinguished persoi ages ar
rived upon our shore bearin marks
either of hereditary notriety such al
ribands, stars, garters and titles, de
noting that their progenitors haC
been grooms of the stable or grooms
of the stole of majesty; or bearing
more immediate testimony aboH
them of actions personally per-
formed marks bestowed in conse
quence of their individual deeds. A
worthy of the latter description was
Tom Bell. Tom brought none o.
those dazzling stigmata first-men.
toned from his native island, yet he
bore others which proved that he
had figured s. some of the courts o.
England, if not at st. James.
AS Tom sat near the bar of the
principal inn at Williamsbourgh
(the bar was well known to him be-
fore he left home,) as he sat with q
mint-julip before him, heavy one
horse chaise was driven to the door
by a negro q lady alighted from il
and asked for private apartment.
Several trunks encumbered the We
hicle, which Mungo, after the land
lord of the Kings Arms had an
swcred the first question Affirmative
| ly, was ordered to bring in and carry
up stairs to No. 3. The lady saw
this performed, gave the black some
mone-', and followed her property,
attended by the landlady.
The moment Tom Bell cast eyes on
the traveller he seemed agitated. He
stood little out of the light of the
window. lie pulled his wig partly
over his face. Everybody wore
wigs in the good old times, for all
appeared TO have the fate of Absalom
before their eyes. The crown of
every mans head was as regularly
shaved as the chin used to be a few
years ago, in modern days.
Tom hitched his wig not only well
over his ears, but somewhat over
one check. lie looked earnestly at
the lady, who, when she threw back
her green silk calash, discovered an
animated countcnance, brilliant
black eyes, a pug nose, fine teeth
glossy, brown hair, combcd over a
high Ioll or cushion, surmounting a
prominent forehead, which was over
topped by gauzc cap, withsprcading
wings with no ordinary dimensions.
Her body-drcss was that of the
times: a silk gown well flounced,
and extended by q hoop.
After the lady had followed her
trunks Tom walked the bar-room i'll
mcditating mood, sometimes with a |
frown, at others smiling; and he was
heard to say-'Is possible ?"
Before we proceed with our story |
we will let the reader into n portion |
of Mr.. Bells biography. Tom was
n regular bred vagabOnd. Educated |
i'm London, and acquainted with the |
vices of that city in that day, he had |
although better taught than the |
vulgar rogues, and possessed of more |
int5llect) sunk to the practice and |
profession of pickpocket. lie had !
stood in the pillory, hugged the |
whipping-post, been branded, crop |
ped of one ear, and finally transport /
cd to ''his majesty's plantations" lie |
was bought by petty trader of
Burlington, New Jersey, a Scotchman |
by birth, who had been a- peddler. |
In new country, Tom, for a time, |
seemed determined to lead a new |
life. He confessed his former pee
caddloes to his maSter-prOfcssed re-
pentanCe-was Obeaicnt-and, by his |
intelligence, industry, sobriety, and |
attention to the business entrusted to |
him, soon gained the shop-keeper's |
confidence.
AS Mr.. McCarty knew that the vO-
cation of peddler was profitable by |
his own former experience, and had |
wares in his store that he was willing !
to exchange for Jersey bills, which |
"to counterfeit" as was declared on
the face of each, doomed the artist to |
death, he, after this long probation,
formed q scheme by which his "con-
vict servant, Tom, should be hOnored
by carrying the pack, and encouraged
by share of profit; ito co. as Mr..
McCarty said, coward paying for
part of the ten years servitude" TO
which honest Tom had been SEN
fenced before he commenced his
travels.
Accordingly Mr.. McCarty's pacl-
was bulked on Mr.. Bells shoulders
and Tom, having a good deal of the
Autolychus about him, "an open ear,
a quick eye, and n nimblc hand"
could amusC the country lasses with a
ballad or tempt them with riband,
brooch or glove, "to keep his pack
from fasting" In short, he was
most excellent travelling merchant.
and carried off more wares from Mr..
McCarty's store than all the bellies of
Burlington.
But, alas. as Robinson CrOusoc
says, "what's bred in the bone will
never be out of the flesh" Tom
contrived to appropriate to himself
more than his due share of the
profits, and finally decamped with n
I'm pack and full pockets. Although
he travelled with pack, he had the
skiII TO rhange his appearance, man
ners and language, that notwith-
standino NJ, M,'Carty's advertisements,
Tom found lis way unmolested,
with broad bro rue and red wig,
to WilIiamsbourgh and had seen an
inmate of the Kings Arms two days
before the arrival of tie lady III the
green calash.
Patrick O'Connor (for by that
name Tom found it convenient, at
this time, to be called) took up his
pack, as if nothing unusual had oc-
Cured, and wended his way, as was
his wont. to offer his wares TO the
ladies of Williamsbourgh. But i'm
mediatelv returning. he passed I'M
observed up stairs, and knocked at
the door Of number .hrce. There
was no answer. lie knocked again,
and the door was opened by The lady
herself; but held half closed, as If to
bar admittance.
Sure your ladyship may be want
ing some laces :"
Nothing good man"
"As beautiful ribdnds As ever suit
cd your delicate complexion"
81 want nothing.
"And long may yer bidyShip be III
that happy condition but these pins
for holding yer iligant hair over that
fashionable roll"
"You are impertinemt, fellow
The lady was about shutting the
door in the peddler,s face, when,
changing his manner, he said i'll low
/ tone
'sMiss Sarah Wilson, | know you.
Her sharp, black eyes were fixed
/ for a moment on his face ;she opened
Tho 1nnr oud Roll entered The lady