Volcano weekly ledger., 1857-04-11


ters occupied high place in his warm
heart. On receiving letters from home, and
that was not seldom, his large black eyes
would dilate with pleasure as he perused
their affectonate pages Often have / sat
and scanned his features, when with his dark
glossy hair thrown back from his intellectual
forehead, | could see the veins swell and his
manly chest heave with emotion, as he thought
Of the dear ones who waited so impatiently
for his return
The spring came, and with it bright hope
to both of us. Sparing with our funds, to
the neglect of many comforts, in order that
we might the sooner obey the mandats of
friends, to "come home" soon; we had ac-
cumulated quite handsome sum; which was
left for safety in the hands of our employer.
The gains of the summer we hoped would
enable us to face our relatives with reliance.
| knew that Percival was the more anxious
one to embark on the homeward voyage, for
he had confded to me secret that there
was one, not related to him by blood, upon
whom he doated with all the fervor Of first
love. and who returned his affections with
true womans warmth and earnestness Her
miniature he wore next his heart and when
he showed it to me, / wondered not at his
preference; for her dimpled cheek, gracefully
curved lips arching brows, auburn hair and
expressive eyes, told plainly of the love
illness within. Her letters to him, were no
nanlbgpamJy, sentimental nothngs; but over
flowed with genuine richness of thought and
showed a cultivated mind ! will not say
that | envied him the treasure he possessed
in her love, for then L, but no matter, |
will not burden you with my hopes or fears,
or perhaps, my disappointments, but follow
in the tortuous path of young Leonard.
Fall was at hand, and Percvai and myself
had already fixed on the day that was to
bear US from the shores Of the golden land to
that bourne where stood happiness in her fes-
tai robes beckoning us to her bowers.
For what mortal flows the stream of life
in one unbroken current of pleasure? Ger
tainly not for myself nor those with whom
| have been connected.
One morning on going to the house where we
were engaged to our surprise, we saw as we
approached that the doors had not yet been
opened. The keys were always carried by
the treasurer of the establishment who here
tofore had been prompt in opening the house
ready for business before our arrival. We
waited for some time and he came not Our
employer at length arrived, and seeing the
state of affairs, went at once to the rooms of
the treasurer, but to his astonishment he had
not been there the night before and no tiGings
of him could be gained. Obtaining a me-
chanic the doors were forced open, when, from
the appearance Of things, the thought burst
upon our employer that the treasurer had alb
seconded, and such was the case; carrying
with him all the available funds of the house.
Suffice it to say that we lost the entire amount
due us, leaving us with scarcely hundred
dollars each,
Here at once were all our bright hopes of
soon realizing our fondest wishes dashed to
the ground and the airy castles, steadily
erected with their beautiful courts, and CRATE
full balconies and towering domes, fell, at
this stroke of misfortune, in ruins, never again
to resume their harmonious proportions.
To 90 home then, was impossible What
were we to do After vainly endeavoring
to obtain remunerative employment, we de
termined to leave the city before our means
were exhausted, and try the mines, where so
many had amassed their fortunes.
Circumstances directed us to the vicinity
of Volcano where certainly we had but lit
tie reason to complain of our success, when
compared to that of the majority of our neigh
bors In the spring of '55, when the water
failed us, we had each about four hundred
dollars. With this we could have reached
our homes in the east but the idea of re-
turning empty handed was revolving to the
pride of us both.
For few days we fingered around our old
camp, 10th to leave our claim, and unsettled
in resolve.
One evening, Leonard alone strolled into
one of the many gambling saloons in the