Year: 1873

ago, was walking up the main street
OF stanton, town with which | was
entirely macquainted, never having
visited it before. l knew of but two
persons living in the town, and of the
personal appearance of one of these
had no recollection, not having seen
him for twelve or fifteen years. The
other l did not remember ever having
met My presence in the place was
caused by peculiar circumstances.


My father, a country clergyman,
dying when was but eighteen, left me
the village home in which was born.
remained there with my mother and
sisters, only leaving when it became
necessary for me to attend medical
lectures in n distant city. was but
twenty-five when ! graduated, and with
an extensive country acquaintance |
hoped and expected to soon build up n
thriving practice.


In less than n year after had put up
my little tin plate upon the front gate
did very foolish thing. | indorsed
n note for an old schoolfellow, who was
starting in the drygoods business, in
our village. T1e note was for three
thousand dollars, payable in nine
months, and was held by man who re-
sided at distant place, l knew not
where.


This person, Samuel Bingham, had
accepted my Endorsement on the
strength of letter / had written and
given to Claxton (my school-friend). in
which | stated my property was worth
five thousand dollars. Bingham stated
that he had known my father when he
N hn hnl &C
and that he also knew me, and so was
satisfied with the Endorsement.


When ClaXton returned from his sue
cessful negotiation, and told me that
Bingham (who supposed was farmer
remembered me, | was surprised but
as my father used to have great many
visitors, 1t was no wonder that | did
not recollect them all.


But three months after that Claxton
had an opportunity of buying for cash
some auction goods at extraordinary
low rates. He borrowed one thousand
dollars, on another note at three months,
with my Endorsement!


Before one month had elapsed, Clax-
ton was entirely broken up by the
rascality of a much older man, whom lie
had taken III as his partner and when
the thousand-dollar note fell due,
could not pay it, and my place was sold.
1t brought under the hammer fifteen
hundred dollars That beautiful old
house, with its lawn its gardens and
meadow-worth, as / had often been
assured, five thousand dollars. now
solo ior just enough to pay this wretch
ed note, to take my poor mother and
sister to the home Of maternal aunt in
the city, and to enable me to take board
in distant village, and there to en-
deavor In an humble manner, to build |
mp a practice. | might have staid
among our friends, but subsequent ec-
currences made this unpleasant even to
think Of


Bingham, hearing of the failure and
the sale, came to our village, one day
while I was in the city, and finding
that, when his bill came due, there
would be absolutely nothing for him,
fell into a tremendous rage, which was |
visited principally upon me. 1 was a
scouhlrel and a cheat to indorse anoth- |
er note, and one, too, which cut out
his and to all the representations of |
my friends that 1 had thought my
property fully equal to the payment of |
V,
gave not the slightest credence.


When returned, he had left but |
heard all this story, and soon found |
that many persons believed that | had
treated Bingham very badly and that,
if he carried out his threat of making
me pay for this at some future day, he
would be but serving me exactly right
SO L set mp my sign in the village of
$, and / now had been practicing
for nearly six years. My sister was
married, and my mother was living
with her, in the city.


As a matter of course, L had not lived
so long rs this without falling in love,
and if you had seen Annie Tango, you
would not have been surprised at the
fact. Her father, the squire of the vii
lage, had long been my friend, but
| proposed for her hand, eighteen
months before the time at which com
mence my story, he had told me plain
ly that although l had good practice,
and had, what was for a physician of
my age, a very fair balance in bank, he
could never consent to his daughters
marriage to man who did not own
house to which to take her. Accord
lngly, being very much in love, and not
OF the most patient disposition, l bought {
a mouse and lot in the village-a foolish
piece of business +; for, during the two
months that | had owned it, / had been
IN continual fear that Bingham would
near Of 1t, and make his threatened I
oeScent upon me. !
Claxton, who was now in business in
tAe west, and with whom l kept up a
correspondence, had urged me not to
mink of paying Bingham, as he would
be fully able to settle the debt himself !
IN a reasonable time and as this was
entirely just, l had given myself no
lurther thought about the matter, until
had bought my house, and then l
thought great deal more about it than ,
was pleasant.


Now, however, it wanted but one t
month of being six years from the time /
the note had fallen due, and then, by
the laws of my State, the debt would
be outlawed, and / would be safe. In &
Two months we were to be married, and
IN one month | was safel And this I
safety meant great deal for, if Bing- {
nam should come down upon my real '
estate, and also bring all the obloquy t
upon me which such action would GER q
talniy occasion, my career at s. was i
at an end, and my marriage would be
very indefinitely postponed, to say the G
least.
Two days before this early winter day 9
OF which write, / had received letter a
from my fathers brother. William. II t
haan I'll