HO, FOR CALIFORNIA.



some apprehensions regarding Mr. Brandon's ability to
weather the storm, but he could not be aware of his
financial crash, as it had only become known on the
street within the last twenty-four hours. Mr. Brandon
deemed it proper, therefore, before closing with the
offer, to acquaint his brother-in-law with his circum-
stances, that he might fully understand the disadvantage
under which he would be placed by the new partner-
ship.
  The letter was written and duly posted, and our
friends rather anxiously awaited the answer. It came
in the gratifying form of a draft for 1,000 to defray
"his necessary expenses," and an urgent entreaty to
start without delay.
  The advice was acted upon, and within two weeks of
the reception of the second letter, Mr. Brandon and his
wife were on board the steamer at New York, with
their state-rooms engaged for California. They had but
one child, Elwood, whom they had placed at a private
school where he was to prepare himself for college, in
company with his cousin, Howard Lawrence, who had
been sent from California by his father and had entered
the school at the same time.
  Mr. Brandon learned that Mr. Lawrence was a brother
indeed. The position in which the two men were placed
proved so favorable to the former that in a few years he
found himself almost as wealthy as in his palmiest days,
when his name was such a power in Wall Street. He
had come to like the young and growing State of Cali-
fornia, and ere he had been there two years both him-



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