The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-09-03
scrll;tnrnus.
Paying an Old Debt.
An AFFECTING INCIDENT.

M AffE'llNN lSClDENI
A merchant, very extensively engaged in
commerce, and located upon the Long Wharf,
Boston, died intcstate February Is, 1905, at
the age of scventy-five After his death,
among his papers a package ofvery consider
able size was found, carefully tied up, and Ia
belGd as follows;
"NOtes, due bills, and accounts, againt sun
dry persons down along shore Some of
these may be got by suit or severe dunnng.
But the people are poor; most of them have
had ishcrmen's luck. My children will do as
they think best. Perhaps they will think
with me, that it is best to burn the package
entire"
About month after he died his sons met
together, when the elder brother, the admin
istrator produced this packet read the super
scripton, and asked what course should be
taken in regard to it, Another brother, a
few years younger than the eldest, man of
strong, impulsve temperament, unable at the
moment to express his feelings by words,
while he brushed the tears from his eyes with
one hand, by a spasmodic jerk of the other
toward the fireplace, indicated his wish to
have the packet put into the flames 1t was
suggested by another of the brothers that it
might he well first to make n list of the debt
or's names, and of the dates and amounts,
that they might he enabled, as the intended
discharge was for all, to inform such rs might
offer payment that their debts were forgiven
On the following day they again assembled,
the list had been prepared, and all the notes,
due bills, and accounts, the amount of which,
including interest, amounted to thirty thOus-
and dollars, were committed to the flames.
II was about four months after our fathers
death, continued my informant, in the month
of June, that | was sitting in my eldest
brothers counting room, waiting for an op-
portunty to speak to him, there came in n
hard favored little old man, who looked rs if
time and rough weather had been to wind
ward of him for seventy years. He asked if
my brother was not the executor. My
brother replied that he was administrator, as
our father had died intcstate.
WELL" said the stranger, 1--WE come up
from the Cape to pay debt owed the old
gentleman"
NY brother requested him to take seat,
being at the moment engaged with other per-
sons at the desk. The old man sat down, and
putting on his glasses drew out a very an
Gent leather pocket-book, and began to count
over his money.
When he had finished, as he sat waiting his
turn, slowly twrling his thumbs with his
old, gray, meditativc eyes upon the floor, he
sighed, and knew the money, as the phrase
runs, came hard, and secretly wished the old
| mans name might be found upon the forgiv-
| Ell list. My brother was soon at leisure, and
asked him the ordinary questions; his name
residence, etc. The original debt was four
hundred and forty dollars; it had stood a
long time, and, with the interest, amounted
\ to between seven and eight hundred dollars
| NV brother went to his desk, and after exam
ming the forgiven list attentivey, a sudden
| smile lighted up his countcnance, and told
me the truth at a glance. The old mans
name was there, My brother quietly took
chair by his side, and conversation occurred
between them which never shall forget.
"Your note is outlawed," said he; lit was
dated twelve years ago, payable in two years; ;
/ there is no witness, and no interest has ever
| been paid you are not bound to pay this
note we can never recover the amount"
"Sir," said the old man, 81 wish to pay it,.
! II is the only heavy debt | have in the world.
| Il NAV be outawed here, but | have no child,
and my old woman and hope we have made
our peace with God, and wish to do'so with
man I should like to pay it"
And he laid his bank-notes before my
brother, requesting him to count them over.
81 cannot take this money" said my broth
er.
The old man became alarmed.
~ have cast the simple interest for twelve
wears, ana Il lllle over, Sttlu nc. i VIII puy
You compound interest if you require it,
The debt ought to have been paid long ago
but your father sir, was very indulgcnt-he
knew I'd been unucky, and told me not to
worry about it,"
| NV brother then set the whole matter
plainly before him, and taking the bank bills
returned them to the old mans pocket-book
telling him that, although our father left nc
formal WILL he had recommended to his chill
dren to destroy certain notes, due bills, and
other evidences ofdebt, and release those who
might be legally bound to pay them.
For n moment the worthy old man appear
ed to be stupeied After he had collected
himself, and wiped the tears from his eyes
he said "From the time | heard of YOU
fathers death, have raked and scraped, ant
pinched and spared, to get the money togeth
| cr for the payment of this debt. About ter
days ago, l had made up the sum within
twenty dollars. My wife knew how mucl
the payment of this debt lay on my spirit
and advised me to sell COW and make W
the difference, and get the heavy burden OF
my mind. did so; and now, what will m,
old woman say? | must get back to thu
Cape, and tell her this good news. Shell
5 probably repeat the very words she uset
when she put her hands on my shoulders, a
> we parted-'I have never seen the rightcOu
forsaken, or his seed begging their bread
Giving each of lis hearty shake of TIL
i, hand and blessing upon our old father
memory, he went on his way rejoicing.
After very short silence, taking his pen
l ~ -, 4 l,;,oo ooot u'rhara aaid NV broth