Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-03-13


matters must now engage our attention.
Do you know old Mr.. Danvers?
"No, not personally"
"Then come with me, and l will in.
troduce you forthwith
"But, for what purpose, Jones?"
"To get an explanation of question he
asked me yesterday. We were talking
about you, and he asked me how it hap
pened that you are poor, when your father
was rich up to the hour of his fatal de-
parture for England. We were Interrupt
ted before 1 could question him; but his
enquiry is suggestive, and it is strange il
never occurred to you. There is some
mystery about the matter which believe
he can be instrumental in clearing up
Will you go?"
"Most willingly. You have aroused my
curiosity, and l would loose no time in
Satisfying it. The enquiry, however, has
often presented itself to me, and should
have applied to Mr.. Orme for information,
but for the unlucky occurrence which put
an end to our intercourse"
Thus eonversing, they soon reached the
residence of Mr.. Danvers, to whom Win
ters was introduced, and by whom he was
received in the kindest manner, and ON
making known his business, Mr.. Danvers
thus addressed him:
"My young friend, will freely tell you
all I know of your fathers history, pre-
suming that you are ignorant of an i'm
portant portion of it. He came to this
vicinity when you were an infant, and set
tied upon the lands now jointly held by
young George Durand, and Mr.. Orme. He
was an industrious and intelligent Eng
lish gentleman, and highly prosperous
planter When you were about ten years
old-as you may remember-your mother
died, and so severely did your father feel
his loss, that he resolved to quit scene
which hourly reminded him of his mis-
fortune. Accordingly, he sold his landed
estate to Durand, together with forty ne
gsoes, and his personal property Of every
description, for one hundred and twenty
thousand dollars, on credit of one, two
and three years, retaining lien upon the
land. To the three notes, of forty thou
sand each, signed my name as security,
and witnessed the title bond
Having thus disposed of his property,
he determined to revisit England, and no his
return, purchase an estate higher up the
river; and placing you-as you can re-
member-under the care of Durand, he
set sail, and nothing has since been heard
of him, except that the vessel on which he
took passage, was lost-no one escaping.
With whom he left the notes to which I
was security l can not say, and made No
enquiries, being informed by Durand, as
each fell due, that it was duly paid In
the meantime, Mr.. Orme purchased
thousand acres of the land, and the large
body on which his dwelling stands. He
came into the neighborhood about three
years after your fathers fatal departure,
and about one year subsequent to his arri-
val, Durnd died, and Mr.. Orme was ap-
pointed his administrator, and your guar
dian, as we'll as young Durand's. But am
retailing what you already know, and will
only add that the little property, now in
your possession, was bequeathed you by
your fathers overseer. .......
at was in view of these facts that l
asked Mr.. Jones why you are poor, when
your father was known to be rich. Who
was his agent? To whom did Durand pay
the hundred and twenty thousand dollars?"
What account he gave Mr.. Orme, of the
transaction, l do not know, but there is a
mystery about the whole affair, which you
ought to try to unravel. Find out the
agent-if any-to whom the money was
paid, the property is still bound for it,
and is worth more than double the amount.
In order to ascertain these facts, go to the
Clerks Office, and see if there be anything
but the little bond on record. If there
was duly appointed agent and the money
was paid, he certainly executed deed to
the property; and if there be meme, call
on Mr. Orme, and if he can give no salts
faction, there is something wrong, and
you should, at once, have recourse to the
law" g
"But will not suit involve you, sir, as
security?" Asked Winters.
81 think not, because l can prove that
| lurand told me- the nntns ,rnrn mid Of