Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1856-12-13

rus
verses in 5..sll,ess, was sitting in his
counting rodoi, with a troubled look on
his face, wl4n The mercantile friend be-
fore-mentiohtd came IN. Ills counte-
nance was pale and disturbed ~
eve are fuircd! ruinedl" said he,
with much aaitation.
Mr.. Winslos ssartcd to his feet.
Speak IL exclaimed. What new
disaster is Albert . sweep over me?"
"The houseIof Toledo d CO., in Rio,
has suspended
Mr.. Winslow ssr,ek his hands toge-
thcr, and s,.as ~ fo TIC chair from
which he had asis
"Then it is 50 he murmurcl
"All over!''
y 'lt IS all overwisil me, 7" said the other
" A longer strus gle would be fruitless.
But for this ! might have weathered The
storm. Twenty thousand dollars Of drafts
drawn against ny last shipment are back
protested, and Willie presented to-mor-
row. | cannot lift them. So ends this
matter. So closes a business life Of nearly
forty years, in commercial dishonor and
personal ruin!''
"Are you certain that they have failed?'
asked Mr.. Winslow. with something like
hope in his tone cf voice.
ut is too true,' was answered. "The
Celeste arrived This morning, and her
letter-bag was delivered at the post-office
half an hour ago. Have you received
nothing by her?'
Il was not aware of her arrival. But
| will send Immediately for my letters
Too true was the information commu-
nicated by the friend. The large com
mission-house of Toledo & Co. had failed.
and protested drafts had been returned
to very heavy amount. Mr.. Winslow
was among the ferers, and to am ex-
tent that was equivalent to ruin; because
it threw back upon him the necessity of
lifting over fifteen thousand dollars of
protested paper, when his line of pay
ments was already fully up to his utmost
ability. -
K. .' - fFs
seemed to go against ale. Winslow. AT
the beginning Of that period, q son, whom
be had set up in business, failed, involy-.
ing him in a heavy loss. Then, one dis
aster after another followed, until he found
himself in imminent danger Of failure.
From this time he turned his mind to
the consideration of his affairs with more
earnestness than ever, and made every
transaction with a degree Of prudence
and foresight that seemed to guarantee
success in whatever he attempted A
deficient supply of flour caused him to,
venture large shipment to Rio. The
sale was at a handsomely remunerative
profit, but the failure Of his consignees,
before the payment Of his drafts for the
proceeds, entirely prostrated him.
So hopeless did the merchant consider
his case. that he did not even make an
effort to get temporary aid in his extrem-
ity.
When the friend of Mr.. Winslow came
with the information that the house of
Toledo & Go, had failed, the latter was
searching about in his mind for the means
Of lifting about five thousand dollars
worth of paper, which fell due on that
day He had two thousand dollars In
bank: the balance qf the sum would have
to be raised by borrswing. He had partly
fixed upon the resources from which this
was TO come, when tie news Of his i'll
fortune arrived.
Yes, it was ruin. Mr.. Winslow saw
that in moment, and his hands fell
powcrless by his side. He made no fur
ther effort to lift his notes, but, after his
mind had little recovered from its first
shock, he left his ssord and retired to his
I
home, to seek in its qhiet the calmncss
and fortitude, of whicHhe stood SO great
" in need. In this hbme were his wife
and two daughters, who all their lives
had enjoyed the nyexternal comforts
and elegancies that w4lth can procure.
The heart of the fatheI ached as his eyes
rested upon his childrn, and he thought
Of the sad reyerses thtt awaited them.
On entering his DWELLING, Mr.. Wins
ow sought the partnlr Of his life. and
to heE without reserve,
the painful intelligence of his approach
ing failure.
Is it indeed so hop@ess?' she asked,
tears filing her eyes.
q ,.ss...a..s ~, ~