Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-09-16

BRAI
winding up. I have confidence in Oar
toms integrity. I believe he NEAR
we'll. But can he get through 2 that
the question 2"
I" ! believe he can," sl., -. Higl
, land.
"And doubt it" returned Elder.
The efforts OF Elder to efiace the in
preston the words of Mr.. Highland ha
made, proved in vain. It was agree
that the debtor should receive the 81
tension he asked. When informed @
this decision, Carlton could not hid
his emotions, though he strove hard +
do 81. His grateful acknowledgment
for the favor granted, touched NOR
than one heart that had been cold as ic
toward him q short time before. Hoy
different were his feelings when he !mA
his family. thAt tiat the cloud which
had lowered over and threatened t.
break in desolating tempest had passet
from the sky.
, Long before the arrival of the tim,
for which an extension had been granted
Mr.. Carlton was able to pay of every
thing, and to look in the face without
unpleasant emotions every man he met
Strange things happen in real life
Mr.. Elder was shipper and extensively
engaged in trade. For series OF yeart
everything went on prosperously with
him. His ventures always found 9
good market, and his consignments safe
and energetic factors. All this he at
tributed to his own business acumen.
"I never make bad shipments" he
would sometimes say. ~ never con.
sign to doubtful agents"
A man like Mr.. Elder is rarely per-
mitted to 60 through life without a
practical conviction that he is in the
hand of One who governs all events. It
is rarely that such one does not be-
come painfully conscious in the end
that human prudence is as nothing.
The first thin that occurred to check
the confident spirit of Mr.. Elder was
the loss OF ship and cargo under cir
cumstances that gave the underwriters a
fair plea for not paying the risk. He
sued and was cast. The lost was twen-
ty-five thousand dollars.
A few weeks after, news came that q
shipment to the South American coast
had resulted in loss. From that time
everything seemed to go wrong. His
adventures found glutted market, and
his return cargoes depression of
prices. If he held on to thing in the
hope of better rates. prices would go
down, until, in desperate mood, he
would sell; then they would go up
steadily. The time was when he could
contine himself strictly to legitimate
trade. But mania for speculation now
took hold of him and urged him on to
ruin. He even ventured into the be-
wildering precincts of the stock mar
ket, lured by the hope of splendid re-
suits. Here he stood upon ground that
soon crumb;ed beneath his feet. A loss
of twenty or thirty thousand dollars
cured him of this folly, and he turned
with sigh to his counting-room, to di-
gest with care and prudent forethought,
some safe operation in his regular bust.
ness.
But the true balance of his mind was
lost. He could not consider with calm
ness the business in hand. A false move
was the consequence. Loss instead of
profit was the unfortunate result.
Seven years from the day Mr.. Elder
opposed an arrangement with Mr.. Carl
ton, which should regard the debtor as
well as the creditor, he himself found it
impossible to provide for all his heavy
payments. For some time he had kept
his head above water by making sacri-
fees, but the end of this came.
After sleepless night the merchant
started one morning for his store, op-
pressed with the sad conviction that be-
fore the day closed his fair fame would
be tarnished. As he walked along Mr..
Carlton came to his side with cheerful
Mr.. O. was now large cred
itor instead of debtor. On that very
day, bills in his favor had matured to
the amount of five thousand dollars, and
these Elder could not pay. The recol-
lection of this made it almost impossible
for him to reply to the pleasant obser-
vations of his companion. Vividly, as
II it had occurred yesterday, came up
before his mind the circumstance that
had transpired few years previously.
He remembered how eagerly he had
sought, from the merest selfish mo.
lives, 10 break down Mr.. Carlton and
throw him helpless upon the world, and
low near he was to accomplishing the
merchants total overthrow. Such rec
elections drove from his mind the
lope that for moment had presented
tself of enlisting Mr.. Cartoons good
ceilings and securing him as friend
n the trial through which he was about
o pass.
Several times during the walk he was
N the point of breaking the matter to
Ir. @, but either his heart failed him
II his companion made some remark to
which he was compelled to reply. At
ength they separated without any allu-
ion by Mr.. Elder to the subject on
which he was SO desirous of speaking.
de had not the courage to utter the
irst word.
But this was only postponing for
cry brief period the evil day. Several
were anxiously looked for
hat morning. He broke the sealing,
etter after letter, with trembling
nxiety. Alas the mail brought him
o aid. His last hope was gone. Moth.
,g now remained for him but to turn
is face bravely to the threatening
torn and bear up against its fury.
For while he debated the question p,
8 to what course was best for him to
ursue. At one time he thought of Civ ,,
,g no information of his condition, .
ntil the notary's protest should startle ,
1em from their ignorance. Then he /.
1ought it would be best to notify the
older of paper due on that day that it :
ould not be taken up. Then it seemed
, him best to give notice of his con-
ition. He prepared brief notes to all,
ut Mr.. Carlton first. His heart failed
inn when he attempted to write his
anne. Vividly, as if it had occurred {
ut the day previous, came up before I
is mind all the circumstances attend ,
1T upon that gentleman's appeal to his {
editors. His cheek burned when he a
the position he had assumed 9
that affair.
But, even though such were his i
elings, when he came to dispatch the