Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-03-15
Whole No. 240.

""o a oAhAii"iity al thC Nii iiNuiholdh
, ces. Don't look so downhearted
young ladies'. What will be mus
be, and it is useless to cry abou
what can't be helped. AS I wa
about to say, a man died in Ten
nessee, leaving a widow and one
daughter. The widow was about
to administer upon his estate, wher
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
signiturc of the deceased, and pro-
nounced correct. Although there
was something strange about the
affair, they could find no flaw in
the instrument. 1t was particular
ly puzzling to one of them, who
thought he had transacted all the
law business of the deceased. lie
got hold of the mortgage and
brought it to me when l was in
Nashville. l happened to have in
my possesson a very powerful mag
nifying-glass that had been pre-
sented to me-the most powerful
single lens l had ever seen. With
this I examined, the mortgage, and
soon discovered that forty had
been raised from -four There was
no mistake about it. could easily
see the marks Of the chemical era
sure, 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 records
there had been altered in the same
manner. lie ran away, and it was
not considered worth while to fol-
low him. Strange circumstance
wasn't it, Mr.. Campbell p
Mr.. Campbell was fldgeting in
his chair, and made no reply.
"Here is the glass" continued the
old gentleman, taking it from his
pocket; "you can see for yourself
how well it magnifies. Now as ]
look at this 'forty,-why bless me,
the same signs are visible that l
saw in the Tennessee mortgage
] think you will be obliged to drop
this, Mr.. Campbell. Ny Tennessee
mans name was Alexander Bell,
and he has added a Camp to it
since he came to Missouri.
Campbell, his face red as flame,
reached out his hand for the docu-
ment.
81 believe I will keep this, Mr..
Campbell, for fear of accident
What, do you really think you
could take it by force! Here is
something that shoots five times.
Going, are your Very well, / don't
think you will be molested, if you
will leave this part Of the country
and never return to it. 1t is pos
sible that the estate of Philip Mer-
win may really owe you $4,000.
If so, advise you not to try to
collect the debt, as such an attempt
would land you in the penitcntiary.
Goodnight, Mr.. Campbell, and
farewell
"What is it9 What does this
mean :" asked Clara, as Mr.. Pierce,
rubbing his hands and smiling,
hustled to fill his pipe.
care you so dull, my child p
Why, the fellow is a swindler, and
he has been found ont. / 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 mo my 5000, and
then we will straighten up matters.
Thank you, Mary, you are very
kind to give me light"
"Don't you mean to punish him 7"
asked Mary.
lit would hardly pay. We could
place him in the penitentiary,
but you might lose $4,000 by the
job. BY trying for $4,000 he has
lost $4,000 that may have been
Justly his due. He will be far from
here by morning, l have no doubt,
and good riddance to him. All!
this is comfortable. / know that
I feel better, and hope that you
do"
The girls were sure that o great
weight had been lifted from their
minds and hearts. Alexander
Camnhall ,,g;xe Rall daoo,nnad and |