some talebearer to the libeler, who said, "Oh, I suppose he thinks I shall
some time or other be in his debt; but I will take good care of that." It
happens, however, that a man in business can not always choose who shall
be his creditors. The pamphleteer became a bankrupt, and the brothers held
an acceptance of his which had been indorsed to them by the drawer, who
had also become a bankrupt.

2. The wantonly libeled men had thus become creditors of the libeler! They
now had it in their power to make him repent of his audacity. He could not
obtain his certificate without their signature, and without it he could
not enter into business again. He had obtained the number of signatures
required by the bankrupt law except one. It seemed folly to hope that the
firm of "the brothers" would supply the deficiency. What! they who had
cruelly been made the laughingstock of the public, forget the wrong and
favor the wrongdoer? He despaired. But the claims of a wife and children
forced him at last to make the application. Humbled by misery, he
presented himself at the countinghouse of the wronged.

3. Mr. William Grant was there alone, and his first words to the
delinquent were, "Shut the door, sir!" sternly uttered. The door was shut,
and the libeler stood trembling before the libeled. He told his tale and
produced his certificate, which was instantly clutched by the injured
merchant. "You wrote a pamphlet against us once!" exclaimed Mr. Grant. The
suppliant expected to see his parchment thrown into the fire. But this was
not its destination. Mr. Grant took a pen, and writing something upon the
document, handed it back to the bankrupt. He, poor wretch, expected to see
"rogue, scoundrel, libeler," inscribed; but there was, in fair round
characters, the signature of the firm.

4. "We make it a rule," said Mr. Grant, "never to refuse signing the