Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-08-15

knowledge of business, which did not,
however, impair Or detract from the nat
ural modesty of good woman's heart or
mind.
A week had not passed before the
husband again alluded to the subject up
permost in his mind. A company was
about to leave, and many of the young
men of the town were enrolling their
namts. Mr.. Dana thought it would be
good chance for him, as he would have
acquaintances to lend him helping hand,
in case he was taken sick His wife tho't
the same thing, and delighted her hus-
band by giving her consent to his 60
ing.
They were not aware of the selfshness
exhibited in the gold regions, where each
man struggled for himself and thought it
waste of time to help his feverish friend
to a cup of cold water, OF to make him a
mess of cruel TO keep him from star
wing.
Mr.. Dana's arrangements were soon
made. Ele had some money on hand,
and with it lie determined to cross the
Isthmus, in company with his townsmen,
as he could make enough in a week Is
time after his arrival to pay his passage.
They wrote to engage steerage berths,
and received an answer shat the steamer
would sail Oh a certain day, and that they
must be promptly OH the spot. Ehis
news caused the party to hurry their ar
rangements, and the day before they
were to start, Mr.. Dana requested his
wife to accompany him TO the lawyers.
I" I'm going long journey" he said,
and may be gone longer than i antici-
pate. shall leave you the farm, to do
with it as you please. If you get tired
of carrying it on, sell it to the best adj
vantage; l shall make money enough
while gone to buy a larger one when /
return. But l hardly think l shall live
on the farm when l come back. Well
get one of the grand new houses in town,
and live like Squire Bolton"
His wife thought at the time there
might be a failure in his schemes but
she was hopeful; and would not say any,
thing to dash his bright anticipations.
The day of parting came, and with ii
tears and mournful looks; but it was moi
until Dana left the house, never perhap,
to return, that the young wife felt the
loneliness of her condition.
For week or two she was low spir.
tied and sad, but as she received letters
from New York, written in alively vein
and bidding her be of good cheer, as he
certainl would rej0in her in the course
of a year, she became more composed
and reconcilea to bis absence.
We will not follow him in the crowded
steamship, nor cross the Istbmus, wher,
he narrowly escaped drowning, while as
cending the river nor will we tell of hi
arrival at San Francisco, and departure
for the mines, where he worked in tn
bed Of the river, and was quite fortunate
until attacked by the fever and ague
which roasted him at ono moment an
froze him the next.
He would lie in his tent and wish tina
the gentle hand of his wife could wip
the moisture from his brow or cover hir
with blankets when shivering with colo
= All his adventures might be written on
:, and perhaps Mr.. Dana will some da
give the world an account of his doing
in the land of gold. They will possibl
II serve as n warning to other husbands, an
= thus prevent many heart from mourn
ing for the absent.
= MIR. Duna's fever got no better, and
} last the doctor said he had better seek
= change of climate, as he might shake hin
self to death. Dana thought the san
Il thing, for it appeared to him when ii
o chills came on, that every bone in h
{ body would be wrenched apart, and whe
X the fever returned, he imagined himsc
10 in an oven+
a He considered the subject one day al
W determined to start for home. A tea
le was to leave next day for Sacramen
City, and as soon as his resolution w
5r formed, he engaged passage, and SO
q off all his clothes, except enough TO rea
u home, and found that he was the mast
'0 of capital of only five hundred dollar
after working in the mines for 70
- months. To be sure, his sickness CT
: him large sum, and bis doctors bin "
~ trightful to contemplate.
he started the next day for home. ]
: determined to live a farmer and die O,
" II the Lord spared his life. He had So