The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-03-15

GAS for me, spoke up another. " talk
but one view of matters like this. If
think / will do better by renewing, an
ready to do 50; if, by winding up tn,
party now, / can do better, / 60 TO
winding up. have confidence in Carl
toms integrity. believe he means well
But can he get through ? That is th'
question"
:" believe he can," said Mr.. High
land.
"And l doubt it," returned Mr.
Elder.
The efforts of Elder to efface the i'm
preston the words of Mr.. Highland haC
made proved in vain. 1t was agreed
that the debtor should receive the ex
| tension that he asked. When Informed
Carlton could not hide his emotions
| though he strove hard to do so. His
grateful acknowledgment touched more
| til one heart that had been cold as ice
| towards him a short time before. How
different were his feelings when he met
his family that evening, and silently
| thanked Heaven that the cloud which
had lowered over. and threatened .tC
break in desolating tempest, had passed
from the sky.
Long before the arrival of the time
for which an extension had been gran
ted, Mr.. Carlton was able to pay of
everything, and to look in the face
without unpleasant emotions, every maj
he met.
Strange things happen in real life
Mr.. Elder was shipper, and extensively
engaged in trade. For series of year
everything went on prosperously will
him. His ventures always found gooC
market, and his consignments safe anC
energetic factors. All this he attributed
to his own business acumen.
81 never made bad Shipments" he
would sometimes say. Il never consign
to doubtful agents."
A man like Mr.. Elder is rarely per.
mitted to 60 through life without 8
practical conviction that he is in the
hands of One who governs all events. II
is rarely that such one does not become
painfully conscious, in the end, that
human prudence is nothing.
The first thing that occurred to check
the confident spirit of Mr.. Elder was the
loss of ship and cargo under circum
stances that gave the underwriters fail
plea for not paying the risk. He sued
and was cast. The loss was twenty-five
thousand dollars.
A few weeks after, news came that a
shipment to the South American coast
had resulted in a loss. From that time
everything seemed to 60 wrong. His
adventures found glutted market, and
his return cargoes depression of prices.
If he held on to thing in the hopes of
better rates, prices would 60 down, until,
in desperate mood he would sell then
they would 60 up steadily. The time
was when he could confine 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 bewildering precincts
of the stock market, lured by the hope
of splendid results. Here he stood upon
ground that soon crumbled beneath his
feet. A loss of twenty or thirty thous-
and dollars cured him of his folly, and
he turned with a sigh to his counting
room to digest, with care and prudent
forethought, some safe operation in his
regular business.
The true balance of his mind was lost.
He could not consider with calmness 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..
Carlton, which should regard the debtor
as we'll 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, OPP
pressed with the sad conviction that be-
fore the day closed his fair fame would
be tarpished. As he walked along,
Mr.. Carlton came to his side with a
cheerful salutation. Mr.. Carlton was
now a large creditor, instead of debtor
On that very day bills in his favor had
matured to the amount of five thousan
dollars, and these Elder could not pay.
The recollection of this made it almo
impossible for hiEl to reply to the pleas
ant observations of his companion.
Viyidly, ss if it had occurred yesterday,
came up before his mind the circum-
stances that had transpirt d a few years
previously. He remembered how eagerly
he bad sought, from the merest selfish
motives, to break down Mr.. Carlton, and
throw him helplessly upon the world,
o. j how near he was To accomplishing
the merchants fatal overthrow. Such
re rtcollections drove from his mind the
hope that tor a moment had presented
itself of enlisting Mr.. Carlton's good
feelings, and securing him as friend in
the trial through which he was about to
pass. Seveal times during the week he
was on the point OF breaking the matter
to Mr.. Carlton, but either his heart
remark to which he was compelled 10
reply. At length they separated with.
out any allusion by Mr.. Elder to the
subject on which he was so. desirous OF
speaking.
He had not the courage to utter the
first word. But this was only postpon
ing for a brief period the evil day
Several remittances were anxiously
looked for that morning. He broke the
sealing, letter after letter, with trembling
anxiety. Alas the mail brought hin
no aid. His last hope was gone. Nothing
now remained for him but 10 turn hi
face bravely to the threatening storm
and bear up against its fury.
For a while he debated the question
as to what course was best for him tn pur
sue. At one time he thought of givip,
no information of his condition until tn,
notary's protest should startle them from
their ignorance, Then it seemed to hin
best to give notice of his condition. HI
prepared notes to all, but to Mr.. Carltol
first. His heart failed him when he al
tempted to write his name. Vividly, a
if il had occurred but the day previous
came before his mind all the circum
stances attendant upon that gentleman
appeal to his Creditors. His cheel
burned when he remembered the posi-
tion he had assumed in that affair. But
even though such were his feelings, whel
he came to dispatch the notes he ba,
prepared, he could only find courage {,
send THE one TO Mr.. Carlton. The otbe
creditors whose bills had matured tha
day, be thought he would 90 and see
| n II A IL.