Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-02-20
Paving m Old Debt.

\ merchant very extensively engaged in
commerce located upon Long Wharf, Bar-
ton, died iuir.mta February ls, lsOj, at the
age ur s,ycuty.f,c After his death, a
package Of very c,nsiisr.bl, si,c was found
tied up and labelled "a, follows
q" Note, duo bill. aud accounts against
.undry persons down along shore. some of
them may BE- r,tby suit and severe iunnins.
but ihc people arr poor; mo'tof them have
hal G,hcrmcn's luek. Ny children may DO
a, they think best Perhaps they will think
with mc, that i, 4, be.t tJ burn this bundle
entire"
About a month after be died, his .5ns me,
together, when tho elder brother, the al.
mini'imi1r, produced the package, read the
sup.rssrirti1a, and a,kcIwhat course should
hr taken in regard % IL. Another brother,
q f.w year, younger shan the eldest, q man
or strong imrul.iye temperament, unable, at
the moment. 10 express hi. feelings by words,
Will, Dc brushed the tear, from his eyes
with one hand, by .plsmoIi, rrk Of the
other toward the fireplace, indicated his
wish to have the packet pat into the danes.
Il WIS suggested by another brother, that it
might br well frst % make a list Of the
debtors names, and OF the dates and
amounts, that they be enabled, as the in.
tended discharge was for an, 70 inform such
as might oTrpaymcnt, that their debts were
forgiven. On the following day they again
assembled. AMI the d., had boon prepared,
AMI All the notes, dac.hill' and accounts,
tho amount OF which, including interest,
amounted to thirty thousand dollars, were
committed 90 the lamct.
Il wa, about four months amer our "a.
thcr', death, continued my informant, 'in
d.. month of June, that va, sitting in my
eldest brothers c5uu,inc.ro0m, waiting ior
an opportunity to speak with him, thcio
came IN hlri.hyorcl, li,tls oli man, who
looked d. IT time and rough weather had
b,an - winlvlrl OF him for seventy years.
H. asked II my brother was not executor.
My bsotbcr replied that be was administra-
tor. ~ our father died int..!ltc.
well" said thnstnnsar, " have come
up from the Cap to pay a deb; owed the
olic'utleman."
Ny brother requested him to take a seat
being at the dc.k. The oll man sat down
and putting On hi, glasses, drew out very
ancient leather pockot-book, and began 70
count over hi, money. When he bad finish
cI, a. he sat waiting his turn, slowly twirl.
ing hi, thumbs, with his oil gray mclita-
tive eyes upon the floor, he sighed, and !
knew the money, a. the phrase runs, came
hard. aud secretly wished the old mans
name might be found on tho forgiven list.
Nv brother was soon at leisure, aud asked
him the usual questions, his name, resi-
denc,, sc. The original debt was four hun
drci and forty dollars. IL had stood = long
time, aud with the interest, amounted to be-
tween seven aud eight hundred dollars. Ny
brother went to lI. dc,k, aud after eximn-
Ing the forgiven list attcntiyely, sudden
smile Ii, up hi' countenancc, and told me
the truth at single glance. The old mans
name was there Ny brother quietly took
chair by hIs side, and conversation occur
rcd between them which shall never for
get.
"Your note is outlAwei, ;" said he, -" 1t
wa. dated twelve year, ago, payable in two
years there is no witness, and no interest
has ever been paid you are not bound to
pay this note we can never recover this
amount"
"Sir." said the old man, " wish to pay
it. IL is the only heavy debt have in the
world. tmay 5s outlawcd here, butl have
no child, and my old woman and | hope we
have made our peace with God, and wish to
do 50 with man. should like to pay it,"
And he laid his bank notes before my bro
ther. requesting him to count them over.
81 cannot take the money" said my
brother.
Tho old man became alarmed. =" have
cast simple interest for twelve years, and
counted it all over" said he. al will pay
you compound interest If You require IT,
TIE debt ought to have been paid long ago :
bot your father was very indulsent-he
knew I'd been unlucky, and told me not to
worry about it,"
Ny brother then properly set the matter
before hun, aud taking the bank bills re-
turned them to tho old mans pocket book,