The Fernlands estate had been the family property of the N----s since
the conquest for aught I know. The present representative, after having
sent his sons out into the world, as all Scotchmen do, to fight their
way, (one of whom by the by was accumulating a snug fortune in India)
got involved in some commercial speculation, for which he was wholly
unfitted, being anything but a business man. He was a worthy
unsuspecting fellow, but at last saw his way clearer, and as he thought
got out, though a very heavy loser. In consequence of this scrape he
wrote to his son in India, to say, that unless he could remit him a
large sum, which he named, it would be impossible to keep his ground
at Fernlands.

Very soon afterwards his late partner, who was a good sort of fellow
too, failed, and N---- was paralyzed on receiving a letter from the
attorney to the assignees to say, that not having regularly gazetted his
retirement from the concern, he had rendered himself legally liable to
the creditors of the late firm of ---- and Co., and unless N---- paid
the balance which remained due after the assets of the bankrupt's estate
had been ascertained, that immediate steps would be resorted to, to
compel him. The matter soon got abroad, and all N----'s other creditors
also pressed forward to crush him--well, to make a disagreeable story
short, the end is as I have previously related. Poor N---- is to be
ruined to pay another man's debts, after a vast deal to do with law and
lawyers, and much heat on both sides.

I had taken great interest in the matter from the first, and it was with
deep feelings of sorrow that I saw this excellent family likely to be
driven from the home of their forefathers, by the merciless and often
unjust hand of the law. N---- was, I believe, generally liked, and no