The Arkansas banner., 1849-12-11
From Huas's Merchants MAgaaine The CsasideFaie Merchant; or, Paying al
 Old Debt.

Vld Debt.
 There is q neral in the following anecdOte which
 e consider too instructive to be lost to the readers el the Merchants' Magazine. It was originally pablshed. we believe, in the Boston Transcript - We give it as we find it n the Honse Journal of N P. Willis and General George P. Morris. We have reason to believe that inc story may be taken by oar readers as substantially irus:
 A merchant, very extensively engaged in com merce, and located upon the Long Wharf, died February IS. 1906, at the age of seventy i've iR- tsstate Hs eldest administered upon the estate This old gentleman used Peasantly to say that for many years, he had led . very large number of the Catholics ou the shores of tAe Mediterranean during Lent referred his very extensivs connexion with ths fishing busiAeas ln hb day he was certainly well known; and, to the present time, is well re- Ensmberad by Sme ot the Aetd eaes dosea aioRo shore," from the Gurnet's Nose to Race Point Among his papers, psekaGs of very considerable size vas found after his death carefully tied up and abeIlrd follows: due bills and accounts against sundry persons down along shore. Some of these may be got by snt or severe dunning Bat the people are poor; most of them have had fisher msn's luck My children will do as they thiak beet. Perhaps they will think with me, that 1t Is best 10 burn this package entire"
 "About month"; said my informant. "after our father died, the togsther, and, after some general remarks, our elder brother. the adminstra- tor. produced thts package, of whose existence we were already apprzed. read the representation, and asked what course should be taken in regard to il, Another brother, few years younger than the eldest. man of strong impusiye temperament, unable at the moment to express his feelings by words, while he brushed the tears from his eyes with one hand. by sPasmodc jerk of the other toward the Fireplace, indicated his wih to have the package put iuto the flames. IL suggested by another of cur number. that h might be well, 6rst to make list Ot the debtors names, and of the dates, and eA..k- .mt.at
 discharge was for all, to inform such might offer payment. that their debts were forgiven. On the following day, we again asssmbled-ths list had been prepared-and all the notes, due bills. and sc. counts, whose amount, including interest, amoua- ted ts thirty two thousand dollars, were committed to the flames
 alt was about four months after our fathers death, contlnued my informant, "in the month of JaHe that, as was sitting ia my eldest brothers counsing-room, waiting for opportunity to speak with him, there came in a hard favored little old man, who looked as if time and rough weather had been to windwatd of him for seventy years. He asked if my brother not the executor. lie re- piled, that he was administrator, as our father died intessate "Weli,,' said the stranger, "I'vs come up from the Cape 10 pay debt owed the old gem tleman." My brothor." continued my informant. requested him to take seat, being at the moment engaged with other persons at the desk.
 ne old man sat down. and putting on his glas- sss. drew out very ancient leather pocket book. and began to count over his money When he had dsRe-and there was quite parcel of bank notes az as sat, waiting hts turn, slowly twisting hts thumbs, with his old gray meditative eyes upon the floor, he sighed; and l knew the money, as the phrase runs, ca~as hard and secretly wished the old Inans name might be found upon the forgiven list. My brother was soon at leisure, and asked him the common questions--his name, etc. The original debt was four hundred and forty dolars-it had stood long time, and, with the interest amounted to sum between seven and eight hundred dollars. My brother went 10 his desk, and, after examining the forgiven list attentivey, sudden smile lighted uP his eountensnce, and told me the truth at glsnce-the old mans name was there. M ' brother quietly took chair by his side, and a conversation onsued between them. which never shall forget. "Yoar note is outiawed, said my brother, "it was dated twelve years ago, payable in two years there is no witness. and no interest has been paid; yea arc not bound to pay this note; we cannot re- csves the amount" "Str," said the old man, "l wish to pay it. It is the only heavy debt have in the world It may be ouiIawed here, but have no child, and my old woman and hope we have made our peace with God, and wish to do so with man. should like to pay it, and he laid his bank notes before my brother, requesting him to count them over "i cannot take this money said my brother. The olo man became alarmed. ''I have cast simple interest Tor twelve years and little oyer said tbe old man. "i will pay you compound interest, if you say so. The debt ought to have been paid long ago, but your father. sir. was very indalnent--he kasw I'd been uniucky, and told me not to worry abJst It''
 4 My brother then set the whole matter plainly before him. and, taking the bank bills, returned them to the old mans pocket book, telling him that although our father left no formal will, hs had re- commended to his children to destroy certain notes due-bs, and other evidences of debt, and release those who might be legally bound to pay them. For moment the worthy old man appeared to be slupihed. After he had collected himself and wiped few tears from his eyes, he stated that, from the time he had heard of our fathers death. he had raked and scraped. and pinched and spared 10 get the Ei"aey together, for the payment of this debt "Aboat ten days ago., said he. Il had made up the sum within twenty collars. My wife knew how much the paymen, of this aebt lay upon my spirits and advised me to sell a COW, and make up the diff. ference and get the heavy burden of my spirits ! did so-and now what will my old woman sayf must get olck 10 the Cape and tell her this good news SheH probably say the very words she sa'd wnea she put her hand on my shoulder as we psrted-l Asee seeeT ts righteous man tersaksn o' An seed beg9iag bread. After hearty shake of the hand, and a blessing upon our old father's memory, he went on his way rejoicing
 "After a short silenee-,akins hs pencil and making ast-"rhere," said my brother. "your part os the amoun, would have beeH So much-con. u'e pan to convey to me your share of the pressure denVsd from this operation, and the money Is at your service"
 Such is the simple tale which I have told aa it ~as told to me.