Butte record., 1856-04-05

Wen get one Of the grand new houses
in town, and live Ike 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 antici-
pations.
The day Of parting came, and with
it tears and mournful looks; but it was
not until Dana had left the house, ne
Yer perhaps to return, that the young
wife felt the loneliness Of her condl-
ton.
For a week or two she was low spir-
tied and sad, but as she received let
ters from her husband in New York,
written in a lively vein, and bidding
her to be Of good cheer, as he should
certainly rejoin her in the course Of q
year, she became more composed and
reconciled to his absence.
We viii not follow him in the crowd
cd steamship, nor across the Isthmus,
where he narrowly escaped drowning,
while ascending the river; nor will We
tell Of his arrival at San Francisco, and
departure for the mines, where he
worked in the bed of the river, and was
quite fortunate, until attacked with the
fever and ague, which roasted him out
at one moment and froze him the next.
He would lie in his tent, and wish
that the gentle hands Of his wife could
wipe the moisture from bis brow, or
cover him with blankets when SILVER
ing VISA cold. All Of his adventures
might be written out, and perhaps Mr..
Dana some day will give the world an
account Of his doings in the land Of
gold. They will, in that case, possibly
serve a warning to other husbands,
and thus prevent many a heart from
mourning for the absent.
Mr.. Dana's fever got no better, and
at last the doctor told him he had bet
ter seek a change of climate, as he
might shake himself to death. Dana
thought the same thing; for it appear
ed to him, when the chills came on,
that every bone in his body would be
wrenehcd apart, and when the fever
returned he would imagine himself to
be in an oven.
He considered the subject one day,
and determined to start for home. A
team was to leave next day for Sacra-
mento city, and as soon as his resolu-
tionwas formed, he engaged a passage,
sold off all his clothes, excepting e
nough to reach Vermont, and found
that he was master of a capital Of only
five hundred dollars after working in
the mines very industriously for four
months. 10 be sure, his sickness had
cost him q large sum and his doctors
Bill was fIightful to contemplate.
He started the next day for home.
He determined to live a farmer and die
one, if the Lord spared his life. He
had seen enough of the gold mines,
and as lie was going in the cart and
.jolted over the uneven roads, he thought
what ninny he had been, to leave a
comfortable home, and loving wife,
for the sake Of trying to accumulate a
fortune.
The jolting Of cart may have ben
Gifted him, for the fever rapidly left,
and by the time he reached San Fran
cisco, be felt like a new man. He had
a mind to turn back and try it again
but lie thought Of his wife, and nature
and love conquered. He went imme-
diately to the ofice Of the steamship
company and secured a passage home.
1t was cold clustering day in the
middle Of winter when Dana reached
Windsor. He pulled his cap over his
eyes to prevent being recognized, and
then started ON foot to bis home. He
had heard from his wife but once since
he had been absent, and he hardly da-
red to hope that she was well. He
quickened his pace, and came in sight
Of the house il which he had spent 50
many happy hours. He glanced over
his farm, and saw that everything ap-
pearedto be well cared for. The stone
walls were in good order, the barns
looked neat and well repaired, and Just
as be was thinking his wife and broth
er had done remarkably well, the train
on which he had ridden from Boston
whizzed past, directly across his farm.
He groaned in anguish at the sight
His beautiful meadow was ruined, he
thought, and it was all owing to his
wild goose chase after a fortune. His
wife could not be expected to know
how to attend to such things, and he
had no doubt but what the railroad
company Lad swindled her.
He approached the house and knock
cd tinidly at the door. It was open
cd, and there stood his wife, as hand
some as ever, but she looked at him
with surprise. He had forgotten that
he had not shaved since he left her.
He spoke and held out his hand,
then his arms. There was shrek,
and then the latter were filed. Two