The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1870-02-15
FEBRUARY Is. 1870

bis desire to have the paper pat into
the flames. Il vas suggested by M
other oi our number, that j, nigh, be
wei 70 make list u our debtors
names, and Of tho dates and accounts,
that we nigh, be enabled, as TIE IN.
tended discharge was for all, to inform
such as might offer payment that their
debts were forgiven, On the following
day We again assembled, the liss had
been prepared, and all the notes, due
bills, and accounts, whose amount, in
GLIDING interest exceeded thirty-two
thousand dollars, were committed TO
the flames.
II was about four months after our
fathers death, in the month Of jane,
that, as was sitting in my eldest
brothers counting room, waiting for an
opportunity to speak 10 him, there
came in bard-fayored, little old man,
who looked rs il time aud rough wealth
or had been to the windward of him for
seventy years. He asked il my broth
was not the executor. He replied that
be was administrator, as our father
died intestate "Well, said the strang-
er, Il have come up from the Cape to
pay debt / owed the old gentleman"
My brother requested him to be seat
ed, being at the same moment engag-
cd.
The old man sat down, and putting
on his glasses, drew out very ancient
wallet When be had thus done-and
there was quite parcel of notes--as
be sat waiting his turn, slowly twisting
his thumbs, and bis old gray medita-
tive eyes fixed upon the floor, he sigh
ed and | well supposed the money, as
the phrase runs, came hard, and Sc
cretly wished the old man $ name might
be found upon the forgiven list. Ny
brother was soon at leisure, and asked
him the common question-his name
etc. The original debt was four hun
dred and forty dollars it had stood a
long time, and with interest, amounted
to eight hundred dollars. My brother
went to his table, and after examining
the forgiven list attentively, sudden
smile lighted up bis countenance, and
told me the truth at glance--ths old
mans name was there My brother
| quietly took chair at his side, and q
conversation ensued between them.
"Your note is outlawed it was dat
ed twelve years ago, payable in two
years +; there is no witness, and no in
terest has ever been paid ; you are not
bound to pay this note we cannot re-
cover the amount"
"Sir," said the old man, Il wish to
pay it. II is the only heavy debt l
have in the world. / should like to
pay it, and he laid the bank notes be-
fore the administrator, and requested
him to count them over.
Il cannot take this money" was the
ply
The old man became confused. 81
have cast simple interest for twelve
years and little over" said he i"
will pay compound interest, if you say
80, That debt ought to have been paid
long ago, but your father. sir, was very
indulgent he knew | had been unfor-
tunate, and told me not to worry about
it."
My brother thea set the whole mat
ter plainly before him, aud taking the
bills, returned them TO the old man,
telling him, that although our father
left no formal WILL be had recommend
ed to his children to destroy certain
notes, due bills, and other evidences OF
debt, and release those who might be
LOCALLY bound to pay them. For mo,
ment the worthy old man seemed TO be
stupefed. After he had collected him.
self, and wiped away few tears from
his eyes, he stated that from the time
be bad heard Of our fathers death, be
Lad raked and scraped, and pinched
and spared, to get the money to pay
this debt. about ten days ago, said
he, 81 had made up the sum within
twenty dollars, My wife knew how
much the payment Of this debt lay up
on my spirits, and advised me to sell a
COW, and make up the difference, and
get tho heavy burden off my mind.
did 50, and now, what will my old wo.
man say / must get home TO the
Cape, and tell her this good news. She
will probably say over the very words
she said when she put her hands on
my shoulder as we parted IL have
never seen the righteous iorsaken, moi
his seed begging bread >" With 9
hearty shake Of the hand, and bless
ing upon our fathers memory, he went
upon his way rejoicing.
After a short silence, seizing his pen
ell and casting few figures, There T
exclaimed my brother, "your part o
the sum would be 80 much contrve /
plan to convey TO me your share Of th'
pleasure derived from this operation