What does Tom do and say when his wife disappears in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

"The Devil and Tom Walker" reflects Washington Irving's, fascination with German folklore from which he gleaned several motifs that he wove around the Captain Kidd legend, making his tale uniquely American. In fact, this story is an indictment against American economics and policies.

Again as in "Rip van Winkle," Irving employs a termagant as the wife of the protagonist, whose voice is overheard by passers-by as she engages in "wordy warfare with her husband," and even blows to his face. So, when Old Scratch informs Tom of a fortune hidden by Captain Kidd, Tom is not inclined to tell his wife about the proposition of "the black man." However, because he is convinced that all he has heard and seen is not an illusion after hearing his wife's announcement that Absalom Crowninshield, the rich buccaneer has died, Tom, whose propensity is toward secretiveness with his wife, instead decides, instead to inform her of his recent experience. 

At length she determined to drive the bargain on her own account, and if she succeeded, to keep all the gain to herself....She was many hours absent. When she came back, she was reserved and sullen in her replies.

Tom's wife tells hims that she could not get Old Scratch to come to terms, so she must return with "a propitiatory offering" which she does not disclose. On the next evening she "set off again for the swamp," but she fails to return. Finally, after several days, Tom grows "anxious about the fate of his wife" and his property, so he ventures out to the Indian fort to find both her and the devil. 

As night begins to fall, Tom's attention is draw to a tree where "carrion crows" are clamoring. Looking up, he spots a bundle tied in a checkered apron. Tom is encouraged by its sight. believing that it contains the valuables from their home. Quickly Tom climbs the tree, retrieves the bundle, and discovers his wife's heart and liver inside. Thinking his wife has tried her usual techniques with Old Scratch and knowing that usually "a female scold is generally considered a match for the Evil" Tom finds evidence of a struggle around the base of the tree. 

He shrugged his shoulders and he looked at the signs of a fierce clapperclawing. "Egad," said he to himself. "Old Scratch must have had a tough time of it!"

With ironic humor, Irving writes that Tom consoles himself over the loss of his valuables with the loss of his wife; for, he is relieved to know she is gone. Moreover, he is somewhat grateful to the "black woodsman who had done him a kindness."

What was Tom's reaction to his wife's death in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

The Devil and Tom Walker is the kind of story that has a great moral lesson to it. The devil wants to make a deal with Tom Walker, but Tom isn't so sure. He goes home to talk it over with his wife. His wife is even more greedy than Tom is, and wants him to make the deal immediately. When Tom doesn't go and make the deal, Mrs. Walker decides to go and make the deal herself. When she doesn't return home, Tom goes to look for her.

When he finds her apron, Tom is overjoyed. He believes that his personal property will be found in the apron, but all he finds is his wife's heart and liver. We see Tom become sad, however we soon learn that the sadness is for the loss of his property and not the loss of his wife. He thinks that she put up a great fight and thinks the devil had a hard time getting her. He feels sorry for the devil having to deal with her. Tom is happy that his wife is gone and he doesn't have to deal with her anymore. He feels gratitude to the devil that he got rid of his wife for him, and this convinces him to make a deal with the devil.

The whole story deals with the realities of greed and people who care about money and their possessions more than they do people. It makes you think about what is really important in life.

What was Tom's reaction to his wife's death in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker" speaks to the age old story of a person desiring something so much that he or she will "sell" his or her soul to the Devil. In the story, Tom initially refuses to accept the Devil's offer. After his wife hears about the treasure, she decides to go and make a deal with the Devil. Unfortunately, the Devil wants nothing to do with Tom's wife. Although readers never find out what actually happens to Tom's wife, the scene shows a very violent exchange. 

As Tom finds the scene of the interaction between the Devil and his wife, he "leaped with joy." Finding her abandoned apron, which should have contained many valuable items, Tom becomes saddened when he finds the apron empty of anything valuable. Only containing a heart and liver, Tom responds to his wife's death by simply stating that the Devil was most assuredly challenged by his wife. While saddened by the loss of the property, Tom finds that he would gladly give up the items since they disappeared with his wife. Tom is glad his wife is gone. 

How should we interpret Tom's response to his wife's death in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

The reader is never meant to be sympathetic to Tom OR his wife. In the second paragraph, Washington Irving tells us that Tom's  wife was,

"....fierce of temper, loud of tongue, and strong of arm.......his face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words."

They are both described as meager and cheap. She took the household valuables to negotiate with the dark stranger. When she didn't return, the story tells us

"....Tom Walker grew so anxious about the fate of his wife AND HIS PROPERTY that he set out at length to seek them BOTH...." (paragraph 32)

When he finds the body of his wife hanging from a tree with a vulture nearby, he,

"....leaped for joy, for he recognized his wife's apron and supposed it to contain the household valuables" (paragraph 32)

"Let us get hold of the property,' said he, consolingly to himself, and we will endeavour to do without the woman." (paragraph 33)

The reader should not be surprised by this reaction. Tom and his wife have never gotten along, have had loud conflicts, and obviously have dealt separately concerning their property.  The storyteller tells us that all that was found in the apron was a heart and a liver.  Evidently she had tried to treat and argue with the "black man" the same as she did with her husband.  Wrong choice on her part.

Tom was not that upset, however.  In fact, he felt,

"....something like gratitude towards the black woodsman, who he considered had done him a kindness." (paragraph 36)

Personally, I was not surprised at Tom's reaction.  His wife was not a loving person.  She was not even the least bit loveable. Throughout the whole story, he was concerned about his property and the only thing he really mourns is the loss of his property, but at least he doesn't have to share it with her anymore. You will notice that he never remarries because that would mean sharing his wealth. He doesn't have to share his wealth with her,he doesn't have to deal with her abuse, and he doesn't have to worry about her giving away his property.  It just fits his personality.