The Washington critic., 1886-02-08

for you" said the school mistress, as
she began asserting the papers.
Annie Lyster was the teacher Of the
village school in Oldfeld, delightful
Connecticut hill.town, and had become
so great favorite with the eccentric,
kind-hearted doctor that IL was now the
regular thing for her TO spend her
Saturdays and Sundays at his home--a
place. The doctor had given up active
practice and enjoyed life of leisure at
his quaint country mansion, indulging
his antiquarian and literary tastes.
The bright young school-mistress was
ready assistant, delighting to be of
service to her kindly host. She found
this morning, in the miscellaneous lot
of letters and documents, rich mine.
There was page of John Randolph's $
plain and precise hand, carefully
punctuated, part of an article which he
had published in the National Intelli-
gencer then some ancient copies of
deeds, of small value as autographs /;
anon a note in the dainty hand of Ed
ward Everett, accepting an invitation
TO dine there was letter from Ed.
ward Stanley TO Henry A. Wise. asking
advice about deed. This she had to
read to the doctor, who looked up from
his manuscript simply to say: Good
auto-index It," and resumed his quill.
She took up sheet, glanced at it, her
eyes widened and she gave an excla-
nation of surprise.
The doctor resignedly laid down his
pen. Found gem p he asked
mot exactly but isn't IL strange
Here's letter addressed to Colonel
Holmes of ROCKFORD. lie was the
father of Mr.. Holmes, who holds the
fatal mortgage"
"Eh y calculated the doctor, and
then, after moments reflection, he
said mot so strange, after all. You
see, there is, or rather was, a doctor up
there whom knew years ago, and Is
dead now, believc-Dr. Merrill; per-
haps you remember him. We kept up
u desultory sort of correspondence. He
knew my passion for old furniture and
few years ago he sent me an old Sec
rotary which he picked up somewhere.
There were some old papers in ii,
which | must have put in that bundle
of odds and ends"
She handed him slip of paper
which he glanced at and then studied
attentively.
miss Lyster," said he in business
tone. She was all attention. when
did your father die?''
-Four years ago, sir, In August"
"Iou said your mother thought that
mortgage had been paid"
THAT is what we supposed, but he
was never very communicative to us
upon business affairs"
well, | believe 1t was paid. Did
you read this paper carefully. OF
course you did not This is a receipt
from Israel Holmes-thats your Col.
onel Holmes / suppose-to Abram
Lyster for the sum Of $500, signed
August 4, 1S-. What could it have
been for except that mortgage? This
is important news, my dear. II your
tyranical money lender were aware of
the existence of this little slip of paper
he would not be so fierce. Now let
him go ahead"
81 cannot think that he knows of it..
His father died soon after mine, and in
some way"
In some mysterious way" inter
rupted the doctor, "the most import.
ant acknowledgment of the receipt of
$500 was overlooked; in some mys-
terious way, with other papers in
Colonel Holmes desk, 1t got showed
into an old secretary, fate sentit to me,
fate sent you here, and what is meant
by 1t all is that wrong is to be righted,
as it generally is in the long run"
Miss Lyster was too astonished to
speak. The doctor wrote long letter
to John Redwood, whom he believed
he could trust with the affair, and not
without reason, for few days after q
reply came stating that Holmes was
amazed, indeed, at the production of
the receipt, but after examination could
not dispute its genuineness, and had
very honorably released the mortgage,
restoring the interest paid for four
years. 1t can be imagined that when
Annie Lyster went home she was re
ceived as little less than a heroine. Her
mother was brighter than she had been
for years. Even Jane, the "help," +"
could not forbear hugging Miss Annie,
and when honest John fleetwood came
over in the evening, "jest to look in
and say how-de.do," as he bashfully
excused his call, he stayed till the un-
seemly hour Of II o'clock. Ii is to be
presumed that his bashfulness was de-
lightfully dissipated. The next Christ
mas there was wedding. The genial
old doctors absence was atoncd for in
part by his presents-an autograph al
the bottom of a very ornamental check,
and miniature bronze knight in
armour to guard it.