The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-03-25

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O good woman's $ 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 Windsor, and ma
ny of the young men of the town
were enrolling their names. Mr.. Da.
ma thought it would be good chance
for him, as he would have acquaint
ances to lend helping hand, in case
he wat 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 gold regions,
where each man struggled for him
self, and thought it waste of time to
help his feverish friend to a cup 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 it he determined to
cross the Isthmus, in company with
his townsmen, as thought he could
make enough in weeks time, after
his arrival, to pay his passage.
They wrote to engage steerage
berths, and received an answer that
the steamer would sail on such day,
and that they must bc promptly on
the spot. The news caused the par
ty to hurry their arrangements, and
the day before they were to start Mr..
Dana requested his wife to accompa-
ny him to a lawyers.
II am going long Journey he
said, "and may be gone longer than
anticipate | shall leave you the
farm to do with it as you plesse. If
you get tired of carrying It on, sell it
to the best advantage. | shall make
money enough wlgi4c am gone u
buy a larger one when | return. But
/ hardly think l shall live on a farm
when | come back. Wei gel one oi
the grand new houses in town, and
live like Squire Bolton"
His wife thought at the time that
there might he failure in his scheme;
but she was hopeful, and would not
say anything to dash his anticipations.
The day of parting came, and with
it tears and mourntul looks; but i,
was not until Dana had left the house,
never perhaps to return, that the
young wife 1elt the loneliness OF the
condition.
or week or two she was low
spirited anil sad, but as she received
letters from her husband in New York,
written in lively vein, and bidding
her be OF good cheer, as he should
certainly rejoin her in the course of a
year, she became more composed and
reconcilcd to his absence.
We will not follow him in the
crowded steamship, nor cross 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
aguc, which roasted him at one mo-
ment, and iroze him the next.
He would lie in his tent, and wish
that the gentle hand of his wife could
wipe the moisture from his brow, OF
cover him with blankets when shiv-
ering with cold. All of his adven.
lures might he written out, and per.
haps Mr.. Dana will, some day, give
the world an account of his doings il
the land Of gold. They will possibly
serve rs warning to other husbands
and thus prevent many heart fron
mourning for the absent
Mr.. Dana's fever got no better, an,
at last the doctor told him he hat
better seek a change Of climate, rs h
might shake himself to death. Dan
thought the same thing, for it ap
peared TO him when the chills cam
on, that every bone in his body wo',
be wrenched apart, and when the le
yer returned, he imagined himself i
an oven.
He considered the subject, on
day, and determined to start 70
/ home. a team was to leave mex
/ day for Sacramento city, and as 500
as his resolution was formed, he en-
gagged q passage, sold Off al hi
clothes, excepting enough to reac
Vermont, and found that he was mas
ter of capital Of only five hundre
dollars, after working IN the mine
for four months. To be sure, hi
sickness had cost him large sun
and his doctors bill was fightful I
contemplate.
He started the next day for homo
Hc determined to live farmer an
die one, if the Lord spared his life
He had seen enough ofthe gold mines
AMI as he was going in the cart, an
Ijolted over the uneven roads, lie tho
what ninny he had been, to leave
comfortable home and q loving wifi,
for the sake Of accumulatiug a TO
tune.
The jolting Of the cart may hay
benefited him, for the fever rapid
left him, and by the time he reache
San Francisco he felt like differcl
man. He had a mind to turn bac
and try it again, but he thought Of h
wife, and nature and love conquerc'
He went Immediately to the Office
the steamship company, and secure
passage for home.
1t was cold clustering day in h
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