Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-04-10

o'IcCtloi Hau WIS ucT poverty
! Now this is removed and | need
feel no hesitation. | don't believe
she will refuse me. A husband with
fifty thousand dollars is too great
catch to be given up.
Accordingly within two days af.
ter his arrival at home, he dispatch
ed the following letter to Isabel:
"DEAR ISABEL:
l hope the former relations sub.
sisting between us will permit me
to address you in this manner.
When, some months since, we
agreed to seperate l did not know
my own heart, nor how much yOu
were endearcd to me. l fancied
that there was an uncOngcniality,
but confess it was a delusiOn.
have since found that | did not
know myself. You will not, l hope,
think that your change of circum-
stances had anything to do With in.
tluencing me. Fortunately | have
enough to make it quite Indifferent
to me whether my wife has or has
not any property. My chief desire
is to find one whom | can esteem
and love. Let me hope to receive d
favorable answer, and that the old
relations subsisting between us may
be renewed.
Yours affectionatcly,
GEROLD RHODES.
p. S.-There is il vacancy in my
store, and l shall be happy to re-
ceive your brother Charlie in my
employ"
The amazement of Isabel on re-
cSiving this letter can scarcely be
conceived. She did not for a mo.
ment think Of accepting the propos,
al which it contained. She had
once lost confidence in Gerald
Rhodes, and with her confidence
and respect had vanished her love.
Was it possible that he had so
changed as this letter would seem
to imply ! Was it possible, that af-
ter all, he had been cured of his
meanness which she supposed in
herent She did not know, but
even if her love had remained the
change was too great and too sud
den for her to credit without suspi.
cion. Besides she had met another
young man in every respect supe.
rior to Gerald Rhodes, except in
wealth, for OF this he had little, and
she felt that she had never truly
loved until she met him. On the
next day after his own letter had
been sent Gerald Rhodes received
the following:
"MR. GERALD RHODES:
Sir-I acknowledge the receipt of
vour note of yesterday, in which
you express desires to revive the re-
lations existing between us before
my fathers decease. Since that
time my feelings have entirely
changed toward you, and / am led
to doubt whether they were ever of
such a character as to Justify mat
rinOny. | may add that / have
piighted my faith to another, and
the marriage will take place at an
early day. You will see, therefore,
that am obliged to answer you in
the negative. Nevertheless court.
eSy requires me to thank you for
the preference you have indicated.
ISABEL GORDON.
p. S.-My brother is already in
an excellent place."
"Confounded coolw muttered
Gerald Rhodes, discounted when he
read this note. $50 she's otherwise
provided for and there's no chance
for me to get possession of the land
in this way. Imust resort to some
thing else"
1t was not long before he devised
plan. 1t was this. He
would propose to buy the land,
which he could undoubtedly do for
a small sum, as Mrs. Gordon could
not be acquainted with it's value, 4
Thus he would get it without the
ncunbrance of a wife. 1t would
not be prudent, however, for him to
transact the business in person,
since they would be likely to sus- s
Dect him of some design in the af- .
air, especially when they remem-
Dered his renewed proposal. He
accordingly placed the matter in (
he hands of a lawyer, with these t
Instructions: t
"You are to offer one thousand h
lollars in the first place. If not ac- a
'epted, gradually increase your Of k
er. I authorize you to go as high
IS ten thousand, and will place the il
money in your hands. If they agree {
lraw up the papers at once" d
The next day Mrs. Gordon receiv- p
d call from Erasmus Quill, at p
orney at law.
~ am informed, madam" he said, d
that YOU have a lot of Western Il