Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-07


sent 20 your going OF not"
| Nv, Dana wns too well pleased 70 OBJ
| taln even this concession 10 think o
arguing any farther, and after bidding
| biz wife 10 read tho accounts In the
newspapers containing the latest news
ffom California, he started OF 70 hi
work. I
Mr.. Dana owned iArn OF about one
hundred acres. near the town Of Wind
ser. Vermont. ilo was a young man.
and person Of considerable energy
and had, during bis minority. saved 4
small sum OF money which no had aaIo.
" deposited In the Havinga nank. un.
III such atImo A. he should want 70 use
Il. Aitor he became or ago, no had
sdded 60 HE capital, and when he
thought no should like Nelly Perkins
for wife, and proposed 10 her, and was
aceeptod, he bought tho farm wo find
him occupying, and was doing AZ we'll as
any young farmer In tho nelghborhood.
| lie had heon married about two years
when the gold fever Of 1852 broke
out, taking of thousands Of our most
industrious mechanics and farmers,
and leaving many q hearthstono desolate
and many wife 10 mourn an absent
husband.
After mr. Dana had Loft hIs wlfo, she
washed her dIshos and put them away,
and then sat down TO read the glowing
accounts Of the gold discoveries. The
more she read, the moro fascinated did
ase become, until at last sho camo TO
tho conclusion that II she were man,
abe would be tempted to 90 and try her
luck. Twice during the forenoon, did
she peruse the paper, and each time her
resolution of not consentlng to her hus-
bands departue grew weaker, until she
finally made up her mind, # no asked
hor consent again, she would gIveit.
| Mrs. Dana was woman OF con sido-
rnble mind. Ever since she was a child
sho has been obliged to labor, and by
her contact with the world she had &C
CURED knowledge OF business, which
did not, however, impair or dctract from
the natural modesty Of a good woman's
heart or mind.
A week had rot passed before the
husband again alluded to the subject
uppermost in his mind. A company
vas about leaving Windsor, and many
OF the young men Of the town were en-.
rolling their names. Mr.. Dana thought
that 1t would be a good time for him, as
he would have acquaintances to lend
him helping hand in case he was taken
sick. His wife thought the same thing
and delighted her husband by giving
her consent to his going.
| They were not aware of the selfish
ness exhibited In the mines, where each
man struggled for himself and thought
Il waste of timo TO help his feverish
friend to glass Of cold water, or make
him a mess Of Cruel to keep him from
starving.
Mr.. Dana's arrangements were soon
made. He had some money on hand,
and with IL he determined to cross the
Isthmus, in company with his townsmen
ss he thought he could make enough af-
ter his arrival, in week, to pay his pas
sage. They wrote 10 engage steerage
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 up
their arrangements, and on the day be-
fore they were to start, Mr.. Dans re.
buested his wife to accompany him to q
lawyer.
"We are going on long journey"
he said, "and may be gone longer than
! anticipate. l shall leave you on the
farm, to do with il just as you please
IL you get tired OF carrying II on, sell Il
to the best advantage; l shall make
money enough while gone, to buy a lar.
ger one when return. | hardly thinl
l shall live on farm when come back
Wen get grand new house in the towr
and live like Squire Bolton"
His wife thought at the time tha
there might be some failure in hi:
plans, but she was hopeful, and woult
not say anything to dash his bright an
ticlpations. The day of parting came
and with it tears and mournful looks
but 1t was not until Dana had left the
house, perhaps never to returns that the
young wife felt the loneliness of hel
conditica. For week or two she was
low-spirited and sad, but as she received
letters from her husband in New York
written in lively vein, and bidding hel
be. Of cheer, as he should certainly re-
join her in the course Of the year, she
became more composed and reconcilet
to his absence.
/ We will not follow him in the crowd
1 ed steamship, nor across the Isthmus
where he narrowly escaped drowning
while ascending the river; nor will W.
| tell of his arrival at San Francisco, ant
departure for the mines, where he wa
quite fortunate, until attacked by th'
i fever and ague which roasted him il
one moment, and froze him the next
He would lie in his tent, and wish tha
the gentle hands Of his wife might wip
the moisture from his brow, or cove
| him with the blankets when shiverins
with cold. All of his adventures nigh
be written out, and perhaps Mr.. Dan
| will, some day, give an account of hi
doings in the land of gold. They vii
possibly serve as a warning to othe
husbands. and perhaps he may thus pre-
vent many heart from mourning 70
| the absent one.
Mr.. Dana's ferver got no better, an
at last the doctor told him he had BET
ter seek a change of climate, as b
might shake himself to death. Dan
thought the same thing, for it SCENE
to him when the chills cana on, that ev
cry bone in his body would be wrench
ed apart, and when the fever again re
turned to him he could imagine himsel
In an oven.
II He considered the subject one day
and determined to start for home.
team was to leave next day for Sacrs
mento city, and as soon as his resolr
ton was formed he engaged a passage
sold off his clothes, except enough I
reach Vermont, and found he was ma.
ter Of only fve hundred doll 1rs, afte
working in The mines four m .onths.-
! To be sure, his Doctors bill had cot
him large sum, and was fri. yhtful I
contemplate.
He started the next day for home
He determined to live farmer and di
one, IL the Lord spared his life. He hs
seen enough Of the gold mines, and I
ne was going in cart, and being jolts
over the uneaven roads, he thought VIII