Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-09-10
PAYING AN OLD DEBT.


A merchant very extensively en-
gagged in commerce, and located OF
Long Wharf, Boston, died intestate
; Feb. 18th, 1903, at the age ofseven
Ity-five. After bis death. a packag'
of very considerable size was folnt
carefully tied up and labeled as fol
lows:
"Notes, due-bills, and accounts
against sundry persons down along
the shore. Some of them may be
got by suit or severe dunning. But
the people are poor; most of them
have had fisherman luck. My chill
dren will do as they think best. Per-
haps they will think with me,that it is
best TO burn this package entire"
About a month after be died, the
sons met together, when the eldest
brother, the administrator, produced
the packet, and read the superscrip-
ton. and asked what course should
be taken in regard to it. Another
brother, a few years younger than the
eldest, man of strong, impulslve
temperament, unable to that moment
to express his feelings by words while
be brushed away the tears from bis
eyes with one ha nd, by a spasmodlc
Jerk of the other toward the fireplace,
indicated his wish to have the packet
put into the flames. 1t was suggest
ed by another brother that it might
be we'll first make list of the names
and of the dates ami amounts, that
they be enabled, as the intended dis
charge was for all, to inform such
as might offer payment that their
debts were forgiven. On the follow
ing day they again assembled, and
the list had been prepared, and all the
notes, due-bills, and accounts which,
including interest, amounted to thirty
thousand dollars-were committed to
the flames.
1t was about four months after our
fathers death, continued our inform
ant, in the month of June, that was
sitting in my eldest brothers office,
wa iting for an opportunity to speak
to him, when there came in hard
favored little old man, who looked as
if time and rough weather had been to
windward of him for seventy years
He asked my brother if he was not
the executor. My brother replied
that he was the administrator, as our
father died intestate.
"Well," said the stranger, II have
come up from the Cape to pay debt
| owed the old gentleman"
NV brother requested him to take
a seat, he being at the desk. The
old man sat down and putting on his
glasses, drew out very iancient-look-
ing pocket-book and began to count
over his money.
When he had finished, as he sat
waiting his turn, slowly twirling bis
thumbs, with bis old gray. meditatlve
eyes upon the floor, he sighed, and !
knew the money, as the phrase runs,
came hard, and secretly wished that
the old man S name might be found
on the forgiving list. My brother
| was soon at leisure. and asked the
usual questions-his name, residence
etc. The original debt was for four
hundred and forty dollars. 1t had
stood a long time, and, with the inter
est, amounted to between seven ano
eight hundred dollars My brother
went to his desk, and, after examining
the forgiven list attentively, sud-
den smile lit up his countenance, ano
told me truth at single glance
The old mans name was there! My
brother quietly took a char by h's
side and a conversation ensued be-
tween them which / never shall for
get.
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