Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-12-27
Gales at1o Skeffkes.
fII DEvIL AND TON WALKIs-
By WAsHuGroN IRvTNG.


lContlnue0 from 1oeo0ay
He now looked around, and found mCst
Of the tall treooMArked with the name o.
some great man Of the colony. and all
more or less scored BY the axe. The one
on which be had been seated, and which
had evidently Just been hewn down. bort
the name of Crowninshield; and he rec.
objected a mighty rich man of that name
who made a vulgar display of wealth
which it WAS whispered he had acquired
by bucaneering. :,
He's Just ready for burningr' said
the black man, with . growl of triumph.
"You see am likely to have good stock
of frewood for winter"
"But what right have you" said Tom,
ito cut down Deacon Peabody's timber =
1.-The right of q prior claim" said the
other. .sThis woodland belonged to me
long before one OF your white-faced race
put foot upon the SOIL"
"And pray. who are you, if / may be
10 bold p" said Tom.
..Oh, / go by various names. | am the
wild huntsman in some countries; the
black miner in others. In this neighbor-
hood am known by the name OF the
black woodsman. am he to whom the
red man consecrated this spot. and in
honor of whom they now and then roasted
q white man, by way OF sweet-smelllng
sacrifice. Since the red men have been
exterminated by you white savages.
amuse myself by presiding at the perse.
cutions Of Quakers and Anabaptists; l
am the great patron and prompter Of slave
dealers, and the grandmother of the Sa-
lem witches"
1.-The up-shot of all which is. that, If
mistake not" said Tom, sturdily, ''you
are he commonly called Old Scratch"
The same, at your service :" replied
the black man. with a half-civil nod.
Such was the opening of this interview,
according to the old story; though it has
almost too familiar an air to be credited.
One would think that to meet with such q
singular parsonage, in this wild, lonely
place, would have shaken any mans
nerves; but Tom was hardminded tel
low, not easily daunted, and he had lived
90 long with termagant wife. that he
did not even fear the devil.
1t is said after the commencement they
had q long and earnest conversation TO-
gether. and as Tom returned homeward.
The black man told him Of great sums
of mony buried by Kidd the pirate, under
the morass. All these we're under his
command, and protected by his power,
50 that none could find them but such as
propitiated his favor. These he offered
TO place within Tom Walkers reach. hav-
ing conceived an especial kindness for him
but they were to be had on certain condl-
tons.
What these conditions were may be
surmised, though Tom never disclosed
them publicly. They must have been
very hard, for he required time to think
of them, and he was not man to stick at
tribes when money was in view.
When they had reached the edge of the
swamp. the stranger paused.
what proof have that all you have
been telling me il truep ?" said Tom.
There's my signature" said the black
man. pressing his finger on Toms FORE
head. So saying, he turned on among
the thickets of tie swamp, and seemed as
Tom said. to 20 down. down. down. into
the earth. until nothing but his head and
shoulders could be seen, and so on, until
he totally disappeared.
When Tom reached home, he found the
black print of finger burnt. as it were
into his forehead, which nothing could
obliterSte.
The FIRST news his wife had to tell hin
was the sudden death of Abasalom Crown
inshield. the rich buccaneer. It was an
nounced in the papers with he usual -four
ish, that "A great man had fallen in Is
real"
Tom recollected the tree which his blacl
friend had just hewn down, and which wa.
ready for burning. ''Let the freeboote
roast" said Tom, 'who cares"' He nov
felt convinced that all he had heard ant
seen was no illusion.
He was not prone to let his wife into hi.
confidence; but as this was an uneasy
secret, he willingly shared it with her. Al
her avarice was awakened at the mention
of hidden gold. and she urged her hus
band to comply with the black man.
terms. and secure what would make then
wealthy for life. However Tom Nigh
have felt disposed to sell himself to tn
Devil, he was determined not to do so t,
oblige his wife; SO he fatty refused, GU
of the mere spirit of contradiction. Man,
and bitter were the quarrels they had OIL
the subject: but the more she talked, the
more resolute was Tom not to be damned
to please her.
At length she determined to drive tn,
bargain on her own account, and if sh,
succeeded. to keep all the gain to herself
Being of the same fearless temper as he
husband. she set off for the old Indian for
toward the close of summers day. Sh
was many hours absent. When she cam
back. she was reserved and sullen in he
replies. She spoke something of a blacl
man, whom she had met about twilight
hewing at the root of tall tree. He wa
sulky, however. and would not come Il
terms; she was to 90 again with
propitiatory offering. but what it was sh
forbore to say.
The next morning she set of agai
for the swamp. with her apron heavil
laden. Tom waited and waited for her
but in vain; midnight came, but sh
did not make her appearance; morning
neon. night returned. but still she did NO
come. Tom now grew uneasy for he
safety. especially as he found she had cal
ried of in her apron the silver teapot an
spoons, and every portable article Of value
Another night elapsed, another morning
came; but NO wife. In . word, Oh,
was never heard of more.
What was her real fate nobodys knows
in consequence of 20 many pretending 3
know. II is one Of those facts which hav
become coniounded by variety of histc
rians. Some asserted that she lost he