46 TOM’S EXPERIENCE 
year or two. And you say Samuels paid $3,000 for 
the place. Where does he live?” ) 
“T don’t know. Mr. Hawley, who bid it in for 
him, lives in Ohio, and I suppose Samuels does, but 
I don’t know.” 
‘Did Hawley pay the sheriff the full $3,000?” 
“ Yes, of course.” 
“Tt is a pity, a great pity.” he said, “that you 
should lose such a place as this just as you were fair- 
ly started on it.” : 
‘ Don’t, Sam, don’t,” I exclaimed ; “I know that, 
and have said it to myself a thousand times. But it 
does no good. It don’t correct my foolish—worse 
than foolish—blunder. It will never get me this 
farm back. That is gone beyond hope of redemp- 
tion.” 
A SURPRISE. 
Mr. Bright sat thinking for some minutes, then 
took from his side pocket a large brown envelope, 
and handing it to me, said : 
“Tom, there are some papers in there I want you 
to look over and tell me if they are genuine.” 
I opened the envelope, laid the papers on the ta- 
ble, and commenced the examination. There were 
my mortgage and three notes to Grimsley, afterwards 
assigned to Bragdon ; the sheriff's receipt to Hawley 
for $3,000, and his deed to Samuel Bright of this 
farm! For some moments I doubted my senses. 
Was this a dream, or had my troubles driven me 
stark crazy ? 
