Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-23
EVENING STAR.
The VERM0NTER's WIFE;
Or, An UnprefitabIe Trip to Gold REGIONS

of' an OnPrsltable Trip to Gold Regions.
|, tnink, said Mr.. Dana, as he pushed
pack his chair from the breakfast table, and
looKeu nara at his wife, pretty little woman
WIN large, blue eyes. 81 think that should
nke 70 go to California and try my luck
| Nelly? p" .O'>N. -0' " ''"i'
MTs Dana made no immediate repIy she
appeared to be very busy turning out a Gun
OF tea, although deeper observer than her
husband would have noticed an uncommon
tremuiousness In her hands, as Mr. Dana
ceased speaking
" | think might do we'll there" the hus-
self
Are you not doing here on your farm"
the wife asked at length.
making living, perhaps, but it s only
Dy hard work. Now, if 1 should 90 to C ali
iornla, and be lucky, why, VIC could have a
great many more comforts than We arc bloSscd
with at present"
We have everything that we could wish
lor 10 make us contented, and I'm sure l
sigh for no luxuries, excepting what we can
well afford, Mrs. Dana replied
" cS, we have enough to eat, and clothes to
wear, but we can't buy lots of good furniture,
ana nave piano, like Squire Bolton Darn
IL. want to be rich as he is, and then
should be contented,' Mr.. Dana said, rising
from hls chair, and walking back aud forth in
the kitchen with energy
!" Mr.. Bolton is far from being happy, with
all his wealth." said the wife.
Well, l know that; but then who could
be contcnted with such a wife as he has ?'
She's either crazy half tho time, or else
Hush ~ cried Mrs. Dana, with areproach.
ful look; remember if sho has faults, so have
we all -
But what meant, Nelly, is that if he had
such wife as I've got, and with his wealth,
he couldn t help being happy"
And yet you want to leave wife you
Think 80 highly of, Mrs. Dana said, with a
reprOachfuI look.
But don't you sec that it is for your COM
fort and benefit in the end. You know, Nelly,
that nothing in the world wond induce me to
quit you, unless it was the hope of making a
fortune IN a short time: L wouldn't be gone
longer than year, and if liked the country,
and thought that you would be contented
there, l d send for you
The young wifo strOvo hard to retain her
oomposure, as she asked
gone"'
- will get my youngest brother to come
and 1--we here and carry it on. You shall be
lett IN full charge, Molly, with power to do
as you please"
Give mo a week to think Of :" the wife
replied; sat the end of that time IL make up
my mind whether to consent to your going or
not !"
Mr.. Dana was too we'll pleased to obtain
oven this concession, to argue any further
that day, and after bidding his wife read the
accounts In the newspaper, containing the
Ia test news from California, he started OF to
his work.
Mr. Dana owned farm Of about one hun,
mont. lie was young man, and u person Of
energy, and had, during his mi |
nOrity, saved Il small sum Of money, which he |
b I'd safely deposited in the savings bank, un-
til such time as he should wish to use it.
After he became of age, he had added to his |
capital, and when ne thought he should ike
Jane Perkins for Il wife, and proposed to her,
and was accepted, he bought the farm which |
wc find him occupying; and was doing as well |
rs any young farmer in the neighbOrhOOd. |
be had been married two years when the |
gid fever of l34S and 49 broke out, sweeping
Of thousands of our most industrious mechanics
and farmers, and leaving many hearth stones |
iosolate, and many wife to mourn an absent |
husband.
How few have returned with their anticipa- |
tiDns fulfilled Thousands who left the New /
England States, expecting to win compel |
cncy IN short time, have been glad to work |
their passage back in some slow sailing tue, /
while others, too proud TO return empty hand |
ed, have toilcd on, barely gaining livelihood, |
and now rest from tb ,ir cares and troubles by |
the banks Of some river, with nothing but u /
rude board to mark their grave.
After Mr.. Dana left his wife, she washed her |
dishes and put them away, and sat down to
read tho glowing accounts of the gold discOv-
cries The more she read, the more faSci- L
mated did she become, until she at last came Il
tV the conclusion that if she were man, she /
would be tempted to try her luck.
Twice during the forenoon did she peruse
tho paper, and each time her resolution of not /
to her husbands departure grew i
weaker, until she finally mado up her mind, /
if ho asked her consent again she would give
Mrs. Dana was woman Of considerable Il
mind Ever since she was a child she had |
been Obliged To labor and by her contact with /
the world she had acquired knowledge of
business, which did did not, however, impair
or detract from the natural modesty Of good /
heart or mind.
A week had not passed before the husband /
again alluded to the subject uppermOst in his
mind. A company was about to leave w md
sor, and many of the young men of the town /
were enrolling their names. Mr.. Dana thought |
that it would be a good chance for him, as he
would have acquaintances 10 lend a helping /
hand in case lie was taken sick. His wife /
thought the same tnlnS, abo ueHSnteu heI
husband by giving her consent to bis going.
They were not aware of the selhshness ex-
hibited i'll the gold regions, whore each man
struggled for himself, and thought 1t waste OF
time to help his feverish friend to acup OF cold
water, OF make him q mess of Cruel, to keep |
him from starving.
Mr.. Dana's arrangements were soon made
He had some money on nsnd, and with it he
determined to cross the Isthmus, in company |
with his townsmen, as he thought he could |
make enough in a weeks time, after his ar
rival, to pay his passage.
They wrote to engage steerage berths, and
received answer that the steamer would sail |
on such day, and that they must be prompt |
ly on the spot. This news caused the party |
to hurry their arrangements, and the day be- |
fore they were to start Mr.. Dana requested |
his wife to accompany him to a lawyers.
"I'm going a long journey he said land
may be gone longer than L anticipate. shall
leave you the farm, to do with it as You please
If you get tired of carrying it On sell 1t to the
best advantage; L shall make money enough |
while gone to buy larger one when re-