Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-06-24

fraudulent affair; but there was
asimilarity in 1.-THE circumstances.
Don't look SO downhearted,
young ladies. What will be
must be, and it is useless to cry
about what can't be helped
AS l was about to say, a man
died in Tennessee, leaving a wild
ow and one daughter. The wild
ow, was about to administer up
on his estate, when man who
was unknown came forward, and
presented a mortgage similar to
this, and for exactly the same a.
mount. 1t was examined by
lawyers who were familiar with
the Signature Of the deceased,
and pronounced correct. AL
though there was something
strange about the affair, they
could find no flaw in the instru-
ment. 1t was particularly puz-
zling to one of them, who
thought that he had transacted
all the law business of the de-
ceased. He got hold Of the
mortgage and brought it to me
when l was in Nashville. |
happened to have in my possess
sion a very powerful magnify
ing-glass that had been presen-
ted TO me-the most powerful
single lens l have ever seen.-
With this I examined the mort
gage, and soon discovered that
forty had been raised from
-four There was no mistake
about it. I conId easily see the
marks Of chemical erasurc, and
the difference in pen and ink,
between the raised and the rest
Of the instrument. How the
rascal got into the Registers
Office, l don't know; but the
record there had been altered in
the same manner. lie ran away.
and it was not considered worth
while to follow him. Strange
circumstance, wasn't it, Mr..
Campbell" ~
Mr.. Campbell was fdgetting
uneasily in his chair, and made
no reply.
Here is the glass" continued
the old gentleman, taking it
from his pocket, "and you can
see for yourself how well it mag
nifes. Now, as Hook at this
Torty'-why, bless me, the same
signs are visible that I saw in
my Tennessee mortgage! l
think you viii be obliged to
drop this, Mr.. Campbell. MIr.
Tennessee mans name was Al
exander Bell, and be has added
a Camp to it since he came to
Missouri.
Campbell, his face red as
flame, reached out his hand for
the document.
II believe | will keep this,
Mr.. Campbell, for fear Of acci-
dents. What, do you think
you could take it by force? Here
is something that shoots five
times. Going, are you? Very
well, I don't think you will be
.molested, if you will leave this
part Of the country and never
return to it. 1t is barely posi-
bic that the estate Of Philip
Merwin may really owe you
four thousand dollars. If so, |
advise you not to try to collect
the debt, as such an attempt
would land you in the peniten-
tiary. Goodnight, Mr. Camp
bell, and farewell"
"What is it? What does this
mean?" asked Clara, as Mr..
Pierce, rubbing his hands and
smiling, hustled about to fill his
pipe.
care you so dull, my child?
Why, the fellow is swindler,
and has been found out. l !
guessed as much when | first
heard Of the affair, and was sure
of it when you told me his name.
You will soon be able to pay me
my 5000, and then we will
straighten up matters. Thank
you, Mary, you are very kind to
give me a light"
'Don't you mean to punish
him?" asked Mary.
cit would hardly pay. We
could put him in the penitentia-
ry, but you might lose four thou
sand dollars by the job. BY
trying for forty thousand he has
lost the four that may have
been Justly his due. He will be
far from here by morning, [ have
no doubt, and good riddanee to
him. Ali this is comfortable.
[ know that I feel better, and |
hope that you do"
The girls were sure that a
great weight had been lifted
from their minds and hearts,