Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-05-03

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| will get my youngest brother to come
and live here and carry it on. You shall be
left in full charge Nelly; with power to do as
you please
Give me week to think of it. the wife
replied-'at the end of that time I'll make up
my mind whether | can consent to your leav-
/ ing me or not
Mr.. Dana was too well pleased to obtain
even this concession, to argue any further
that day, and after bidding his wife read the
accounts in the newspapers containing the
/ latest news from California, he went off to
his work:
Mr.. Dana owned farm of about one hun
dred acres near the town Of Windsor Yer
mont. He was young man, and person
OF considerable energy, and had saved dur
ing his minority, small sum Of money which
he had safely deposited in the savings bank,
until such time as he should need it for imme-
date use
After he became of age, he had added to
his capital, and when he thought he should
like Jane Perkins for a wife, aud proposed to
her, and was accepted, he bought the farm
which he was occupying; and was doing as
well as any young farmer in the entire neigh
borhood.
He had been married two years when the
gold fever of lS4S and '49 broke out, sweep
ing off thousands of our most industrious
mechanics and farmers, and leaving many
hearth stones desolate, and many wife to
mourn an absent husband
How few have returned with their hopes
fulfilled Thousands who left the New Eng
land States expecting to win competency in
short time, have been glad to work their
passage back in some slow sailing tub, while
Others, too proud to return empty-handed,
have toiled on, barely gaining a livelihood,
and now rest from their cares and troubles by
the banks of some river, with nothing but a
rude board to mark their grave.
After Mr. Dana left his wife, she washed
her dishes and put them away, and sat down
and read the glowing accounts Of gold dis
coverles. The more she read the more facna-
ted she become, until she at last came to the
| conclusion that if she were a man she would
be tempted to try her luck
Twice during the forenoon did she peruse
the papers, and each time her resolution of
not consenting to her husbands departure
grew weaker, until she finally made up her
mind ifhe asked her consent again she would
give it,
Mrs. Dana was woman of considerable
mind. Ever since she was child had been
obliged to labor, and by her contact with the
world she had acquired knowledge of busi-
ness, which did not, however, impair or de-
tract from the natural modesty of a good wo-
mans heart or mind
A week had not passed before the husband
alluded to the subject uppermost in his mind.
A company was about to leave Windsor and
many Of the young men of the town were
enrolling their names Mr. Dana thought
/ that it would be good chance for him. as he
would have acquaintance to lend helping
/ hand in case he was taken sick His wife
thought the same thing, and delighted her
husband by giving her conset to his going
with them
! They were not aware of the selfshness ex-
hibited in the gold regions where each man
struggled for himself, and thought it waste
of time to help his feversh friend to cup of
cold water, or make him mess Of gruel to
keep him from starving.
Mr.. Danas arrangements were soon made
He had some money on hand, and with it
determined to cross the Isthmus, in company
with his townsmen, as he thought he could
make enough in a weeks time after his arri-
val to pay lis passage.
They wrote to engage steerage berths and
received answer that the steamer would sail
on such a day, and that they must be prompt
ly on the spot. The news caused the party
to hurry their arrangements, and the day be-
fore they were to start, Mr. Dana requested
bis wife to accompany him to his lawyers.
/" I'm going on long Journey he said,
and may be gone longer than | anticipate
/ | shall leave you the farm, TO do with it as
you please. Ii you get tired of carrying it
on sell it to the best advantage; shall make
money enough while gone to buy larger
one when | return But | hardly think /
shall live on farm when get back Wen
get one of the grand new houses in town,
and live like Squire Bolton
His wife thought at the time that there
might be failure in his scheme; but she was
hopeful, and would not say anything to dash
his bright hopes.
The day of parting came, and with it tears
and motrnful looks but it was not until Da-
ma left the house, never perhaps to return,
that the young wife felt the loneliness Of her
condition.
For week or two she was low-spirted
and sad but as she received letters from her
husband in New York, written in lively
vein, and bidding her to be of good cheer, as
he should surely rejoin her in the course of
year, she became more composed and recon
ciled to his absence.
We will not follow him in the crowded
steamship, nor across the Isthmus, where he