Litchfield enquirer., 1856-03-13
HErRY v. HYATT, Editor ana Publisher.

mind Ever since she was { child, she had
 been obliged to labor, and by her contact with the world she had acquired q knowledge of bu-
 siness, which did not howevrr, iniure or dctract from the natural modes of good w0man's heart or mind
 A week had not passed, before the husband again alluded to the subject urpermost in his mind. A company was about to leave Wind sor, and many of the young men of the town 1 were enrolling their names. Mr. Dana thought l that it would be good chance for him, as he would have acqnaintanccs to lend him help ! ing hand in case he was taken sick His wife
 thought the same thing, and delighted her hus-
 band by giving her consent to his going. ,, They were not aware of the sclfshncss ex- hibited in the gold regions where each man struggled for himself, and thought it waste of time to help his feycrish friend to cup of cold water, or make him mess of gruel to keep him from starving.
 Mir. Dana's arrangements were soon made. He had some money on hand and with it he determined to cross the Isthmus, in com pany with his townsmen as he thought he could make enough in weeks time, after his arrival, to pay his passage.
 They wrote to engage stccrage berths, and received answer, that the steamer would sail on such day, and that they must be promptly on the spot. This news caused the party to hurry their arrangements, and the day before they were to start, Mir. Dana requested his wife to accompany him to a lawyers.
 am going on long journey" he said, and may be gone longer than anticipate. shall leave yon the farm, to do with it as you please If you get tired of carrying it on. sell it to the best advantage shall make money enongh while gone, to buy larger one when l return. hardly think shall live on a farm when come back. We'll get one of the grand new houses in town, and live like Squire Bol- ton"
 His wife thought at the time that there might be failure in his schemes but she was hopeful, and would not say anything to dash his bright antic;pat;ons. The day of parting came, and with it tears and mournful looks l; but it was not until Dana had left the house, perhaps never to return, that the young wife felt the loneliness of her condition.
 For week or twoshe was low spirited and sad, but as she received letters from her hus- band in New York, written in lively vein, ! and bidding her be ofgood cheer, as he should certainly rejoin her in the course of a year, she became more composed and rcconced to his absence
 We will not follow him in the crowded steam | ship, nor cross the lsthmus, where he narrowly escaped drowning, while ascending the river nor will we tell of his arrival at San Francisco, ! and departure for the mine, where he worked in the bed of the rivor, and was quite fortunate, until attacked with the fever and ague. which l roasted him Ut one moment, and irozc him the next.
 He would lie in his tent and wish that the gentle hands of his wife could wipe the mo;s- ture from his brow, or cover him with the blankets, when shivering with cold All of his adventures might be written out, and perhaps count of his doings in the land of gold They ! will possibly, serve as warning to other hus- bands, and thus prevent many heart from mourning for the abscut one.
 Mir. Dana's fever got no better and at last the doctor told him he had better seek a change of climate. as he might shake himself to death.
 Dana thought the same thing, for it appeared
 to him when the chills came on him, that every
 bone in bis body would be wrenched apart. and
 when the fever returned, he imagined himself in
 an oven.
 He considered the subject one day, and he
 determined to start for home. A team was to leave the next day for Sacramento City, and as
 soon as his resolution was formed, he engaged
 a passage, sod off all his clothes, excepting
 enough to reach Vermont in, and found that
 he was the master of only five hundred dollars.
 after working in the mines for four months.- l To be sure, his sickness had cost him large
 sum, and his doctors kill was frightful to con.
 template. He started the next day for home
 He determined to live farmer. and to die one, if the Lord spared his life. He had seen
 enough of the gold mitBs, and as he was going l in the cart, and ioltcd over the uneven roads
 he thought what n:nay he had been, to leave comfortable home, and loving wife, for the I purpose of trying to accumulate fortune
 The jo.ting of the cart may have benefited him, for the fever rapidly left him, and hy th, l time he reached San Francisco, he felt Ike . new man. He had mind to turn back anG try 1t again, but he thought of his vile, and m ture and love conqucrred He went immediate l ly to the office of the steamship, and secured .
 passage for home.
 I It was cold, clustering day, in the middle Q I Winter, when Dana reached Windsor Hi pulled his cap over his eyes, to prevent being recognized, and then started on foot to his home
 He had heard from his wife hut once since Il, had been absent, and he had hardly dared ts ] hope that she was we'll He quitkencd hi [ paec, and came within sight of the honse il which hc had spent So many happy hours. II, glanced over his farm and saw that everything t| had been well cared for The stone walls wcr ], in good order. tho barns looked neat and rel s