LESSON XLIIL THE FORGIVEN DEBT. 1. THE old merchants who transacted a business on the Long Wharf, in Boston, when I was a boy, are nearly all dead. Among them was one whom I recollect often to have heard spoken of in terms of the highest praise for his great kindness and generosity. As he was for many years largely engaged in the fishing business, his name was familiar to all the hardy fishermen of Cape Cod. This noble merchant died in a good old age, and, as he left no will, his eldest son was appointed to settle the estate, and divide the property among the heirs. 2. After the death of the old merchant, a package of very considerable size was found among his papers, carefully tied up, and labeled as follows: "Notes, due-bills, and accounts against sundry persons down along shore. Some of these may be got by suit, or severe dunning. But the people are poor; most of them have had ‘fishermen's luck.' My children will do as they think best. Perhaps they will think, with me, that it is best to burn this packet entire." 3. "About a month," said my informant, "after our father died, the sons met together, and, after some general remarks, our eldest brother, the administrator, produced this package, of whose existence we were already informed, read the superscription, and asked what course should be taken in regard to it. e 4. "Another brother, a few years younger than the eldest, a man of strong, impulsivef temperament, unable at the moment to express his feelings by words, while he brushed the tears from his eyes with one hand, by a sudden movement of the other toward the fire-place, indicated his desire to have the paper put into the flames. 5. "It was suggestedh by another of our number, that it might be well first to make a list of the debtors' names, and of the dates, and accounts, that we might be enabled, as the intended discharge was for all, to inform such as might offer payment that their debts were forgiven. On the following day we again assembled; the list had been prepared, and all the notes, due-bills, and accounts, whose amount, including interest, exceeded thirty-two thousand dollars, were committed to the flames. 6. "It was about four months after our father's death, in the month of June, that, as I was sitting in my eldest brother's counting-room, waiting for an opportunity to speak to him, there came in a hard-favored,' little old man, who looked as if time and rough weather had been to the windward of him for seventy years. He 7. “He asked if my brother was not the executor. replied that he was administrator, as our father died intestate. 'Well,' said the stranger, 'I have come up from the Cape to pay a debt I owed the old gentleman.' My brother requested him to be seated, being at the moment engaged. 8. "The old man sat down, and, putting on his glasses, drew out a very ancient leather wallet, and began to count his money. When he had done--and there was quite a parcel of notes-as he sat, waiting his turn, slowly twisting his thumbs, with his old, gray, meditative eyes upon the floor, he sighed; and I knew the money, as the phrase runs, came hard; and I secretly wished the old man's name might be found upon the forgiven list. 9. "My brother was soon at leisure,m and asked him the common questions, his name, etc. The original debt was four hundred and forty dollars: it had stood a long time, and, with the interest, amounted to a sum between seven and eight hundred dollars. My brother went to his desk, and after examining the forgiven list attentively, a sudden smile lighted up his countenance, and told me the truth at a glance—the old man's name was there! 10. "My brother quietly took a chair by his side, and a conversation ensued" between them, which I shall never forget. 'Your note is outlawed,' said my brother; 'it 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 not recover the amount.' 11. "Sir,' said the old man, 'I wish to pay it. It is the only heavy debt I have in the world. It may be outlawed here; but I have no child, and my old woman and I hope we have made our peace with God, and wish to do so with man. I should like to pay it;' and he laid the bank-notes before my brother, and requested him to count them over. 12. "I can not take this money,' said my brother. "The old man became alarmed. 'I have cast simple interest for twelve years and a little over,' said he. 'I will pay you compound interest if you say so. That debt ought to have been paid long ago; but your father, sir, was very indulgent: he knew I had been unfortunate, and told me not to worry about it.' 13. "My brother then set the whole matter plainly before him, and, taking the bills, returned them to the old man, telling him that, although our father left no formal will, he had recommended to his children to destroy certain notes, due-bills, and other evidences of debt, and release those who might be legally bound to pay them. 14. "For a moment the worthy old man seemed to be stupefied. After he had collected himself, and wiped a few tears from his eyes, he stated that, from the time he had heard of our father's death, he had raked and scraped, and pinched and spared, to get the money together for the payment of this debt. 'About ten days ago,' said he, 'I had made up the sum within twenty dollars. My wife knew how much the payment of this debt lay upon my spirits, and advised me to sell a cow, and make up the difference, and get the heavy burden off my spirits. I did so-and now what will my wife say? 15. "I must get home to the Cape, and tell her this good news. She'll probably say over the very words she said when she put her hands on my shoulder as we parted—“ I have never seen the righteous man forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." After a hearty shake of the hand, and a blessing upon our father's memory, he went upon his way rejoicing. 16. "After a short silence, seizing his pencil and making a few figures-'There,' exclaimed my brother, 'your part of the amount would be so much. Contrive a plan to convey to me your share of the pleasure derived from this operation, and the money is at your service.'" Such is the simple tale, which I have told as it was told to me. Boston Transcript. TRANS-ACT-ED, carried on; managed. C SUN'-DRY, several; various. d AD-MIN-IS-TRA'-TOR, a man appointed to settle the estate of one who dies without a will. e SU-PER-SCRIP-TION, the writing on the outside. IM-PUL-SIVE, quick; earnest; active. DEBT'-ORS, those who owe debts. HÄRD-FA -VORED, having coarse features. * EX-EC-U-TOR, a man appointed by one who makes a will to settle his estate. IN-TES'-TĀTE, without having made a will. in LEIS-URE, free from business. " EN-SUED', followed; took place. • OUT'-LAWED, not legally collectible. [The generous merchant. The package of old notes, etc. Its consideration by the brothers. What was done with it. The call from a debtor. Describe the scene which The conclusion. followed. This touching story of the forgiven debt, similar, in its moral, to the two preceding lessons, shows the beauty of kindness and generosity in matters of business, and is well calculated to cultivate generous and kind feelings in those who read it.] THE WORLD IS WHAT WE MAKE IT. 1. Он, call not this a vale of tears, A world of gloom and sorrow; One half the grief that o'er us comes, From self we often borrow. The earth is beautiful and good: How long will man mistake it? The folly is within ourselves; The world is what we make it, 2. If truth, and love, and gentle words, 2. Heavily upon my heart, And earthly thoughts no peace impart ;a Earthly hopes all hollowness Earthly joys deceitfulness Earthly praise, a tinsel gain-- Wearily, wearily, From worldly wastes, so drearily From trouble, toil, and vanity, To thee I turn, to thee I fly, Book of Life. N. Y. Independent. |