Smyrna times., 1871-07-05
MISceIIU 70 e o us.
The Devil and Tom Walker.

Everybody has heard, and great many
make use of the expression, the Devil and
Tom Walker" and yet we presume very few
know who Tom Walker was, or what relation
between him and the devil justifes this fire.
quent association of their names. AS the |
most authentic account Of who Tom Walker !
was, we give the following interesting story by |
the best writer America has ever produced
Washington Irving
A STORY OF THE LAST CENTURY.
AS Tom waxed old, however, he grew
thoughtful. Having secured the good things
of this world, he began to feel anxious about
the next He thought with regret on the bar
gain he had plade with his black friend, and
put his wits to work to cheat him out of his
conditions lie became, therefore, all Of
sudden, a violent church gOer. He prayed
loudly and sttcnuOusly, 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
= devotion. The quiet Christians who had
a been modestly and quietly travelling Zionward
r were struck with reproach at seeing themselves
so suddenly Outstripped in their career by this
new-made convert. Tom was as rigid in re-
/. ligion as in money matters; he was a stern su
pervlSor and censurer of his neighbOrs, and
seemed to think every sin entered up to their
account became credit on his page lie even
2 cution Of the Quakers and Anabaptists.
Still in spite of his strenuous attention to
= forms, Tom had a lurking dread that the de-
viii after all, would have his due. That he
might not be taken unawares, therefore, it is
said he always carried Bible in his pocket.
lie also had great folio Bible in hiscounting-
house desk, and would frequently be found
X. reading when people called on business; or
such occasions he would lay his green specta
cles on the book to mark the place, while ht
turned around to drive some usurious bargain
Some say Tom grew a little crack Drained il
re- his older days, and that, fancying his end ap
@ preaching, he had his horse newly sbod, sad
:, died and buried with his feet uppermost be
5U cause that, at the last day, the world would b
'u' turned upside down, in which case he was de
. termined at worst to give his friend run fo
L. it. This, however, is probably a mere oil
wfe's fable. If he really did take that pre-
caution 1t was totally superfuouS-at least e
says the authentic old legend, which closes hi
- story in the following manner
I One hot afternoon in the dog days, Just as
terrible black thunder-gust came up Tom sa
in his counting house in his white linen ca
H. and Indian silk morning gown. He was o
as the point of toreclosing mortgage by whic
he would complete the ruin of an unhapp
~ specuator for whom he had expressed th
IL greatest friendship Ths poor and-iobb,
begged him to grant few months indulgence
Tom had grown testy and irritated, and refu
ed.
"My family will be ruined and brougl
, upon the parish. " said the land -jobber
ara " Charity begins at home" replied Tor
/ must take care of myself these hard times
hne You have made SO much money out
me. said he, " have not made farthing
Just then there were three loud knocks
the street door. He stepped out to see wi
was there. A black man with black hOrs
which stamped and neighed with impatienc
em. Tom, you are come for" said the bla
fellow gruffy. Tom shrunk back, but t
late. He had left his little Bible at the bC
tom of his coat pocket, and his big Bible
esb. the desk, buried under the mortgage he W
about to foreclose-never was a poor sim
taken more unaware. The black man whisk
him, like child, astride the horse and aw
he galloped in the midst of thunder storm.
Such was the end of Tom Walker and
ill-gotten wealth.
sive The story has resolved into a proverb, a
light is the origin Of the popular saying prevalC
throughout Now England, the Devil a
Tom Walker"