Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-07-03

. II know that you nave som
|, good news for u.s." she said. ~ cal
I see it in your face" ..,
"Not bad, my child. I hope ant
, trust that it is very good. A goot
. name, but bad man, said, ant
that is true. think l see my way
cut of this dithculty, and the mon
ey l lent you is safe. But y0r
mustn't interfere with me, young la
dies, or be surprised at anything ]
may say or do, or object to it. You
must trust me, and let me work in
my own way"
After supper, when Abner Pierce
had enjoyed another comforta
BILE smoke, and had conversed with
the girls concerning their mother as
he had known her in her youth-a
subject upon which he grew quite
eloquent-Alex'r Campbell came in,
bringing the deed and the mortgage,
both of which he handed to Mr..
Pierce for examination.
81 have made inquiries concern.
ing the property" said the old gen.
tlemsn, "and am satisfied that it is
not worth more than the amount of
the mortgage, and it would proba-
bly, bring much less if sold at fore
closure. Your offer is a liberal one
but l must first look at the mort
gage. This appears 10 be correct"
he continued, when he had examin-
ed the instrument. sit is properly
acknowledged, and the signature is
undoubtedly that of Philip Merwin.
| suppose the young ladies will have
to go to the county seat to execute
the deed" ...
The girls countenances fell at
this sudden surrender on the part
of their champion. .......
'!This reminds me-" said the old
lawyer, picking up the mortgage
again, of an occurance that fell I'M
der my observation IN Tennessee.
Not that the two cases are alike, as
the Tennessee case was uudoubted
ly fraudulent affair; but there
was a similarity in the circumstan.
ces. 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 disd in Tennes
see, leaving a widow and one daugh.
ter. The widow was about to ad.
minister upon his estate, when a
man who was unknown came for.
ward, and presented a mortgage
similar to this, and for exactly the
same amount. 1t was examined by
lawyers who were familiar with the
signature of the deceased, and pro.
correct. Although there
was something strange about the af.
fair, they could find no flaw in the
1t was particularly
to one of them, who thought
that he had transacted all the law
business of the deceased. He got
hold of the mortgage and brought
it to me when 1 was in Nashville.
l happened to have in my posses.
sion very powerful magnifying
glass that had been presented to
most powerful single lens
have ever seen. With this | OK
amined the mortgage, and soon dis
covered that forty had been raised
from four There was no mistake
about it. l could easily see the
marks of chemical erasure, and the
difference, in pen and ink, between
the raised and the rest of the ill.,
strument. How the rascal got into
the REGISTERS office, I don't know;
Dut the record there had been alter
I'd in the same manner. He ran
away, and it was not considered
wcrth while to follow him. Strage
circumstance, wasn't it, Mr.. Camp
)eli I"
Mr.. Campbell was fidgeting un. ,
'asily in his chair, and made no re- {
'ly. ...
"Here is the glass; continued q
he old gentleman, taking it from ,
lis pocket, "and you can see for $
'Ourself how we'll it magniies. a
yow as look at this tOrty'-why, !,
less me the same signs are visi. |,
lie that 1 saw in my Tennessee $
mortgage I think you will be t
bliged to drop this, Mr.. Campbell. II
iy Tennessee mans name was .
Bell, and he has added y
Camp to it since he came TO e
Iissouri." ... r .... G
Campbell his face as red as fame, :
pached out his hand for the dOcu- !
,ant n