The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-03-25
A SHREWD WIFE.
Or, An Unprof able Trip to ths Gold
Regions.
By WILLIAM II. THoMEs.

pushed back his chair from the break
fast table, and looked hard at his
wife, apretty little woman, with large
blue eyes, IL think that I should like
10 go to California and try my luck
Darn it all, everybody is going about
here. Do you think you could spare
ne for year, Nelly9"
Mrs. Dana made no Immediate re.
ply. She appeared to be very busy
turning out cup of tea, although a
keener observer than her husband
would have noticed an uncommon
tremulousness in her hands, as Mr..
Dana ceased speaking.
II think 1 might do well there"
the husband continued, as tho speak
ing to himself.
"Are you not doing well here on
your farm?" the wife asked, ut length.
I'm making living, perhaps; but
it's only by haId work. Now if l
should go to California, and be lucky,
why, we could have great many
more comforts than we are blest with
Mt present"
We have everything that we could
wish for to make us contented, and
I'm sure / sigh for no Injuries, ex.
cepting what we can well afford"
Mrs. Dana replied.
"Yes, we have enough to eat and
clothes to wear, but we can't buy lots
of good furniture, and have a piano,
Ike Squire Bolton. Darn it, | want
to be as rich as he is, and then l
should be contented," said Mr.. Dana,
rising from his chair, and walking
back and forth in the kitchen with
energy.
MIR. Bolton is far from being hap
py, with all OF his wealth." said the
wife.
"Well, I know that; but then who
could be contented with such Il wife
as he has? She's either crazy half
the time, or else----"
"Hushw cried Mrs. Dana, with n
reproachful look; remember, If has
faults, so have we ALL"
But what meant, Nelly, is that if
he had such wife rs I've got. and
with his wealth, he couldn't help be-
ing happy"
"And vet you want to leave wife
you think so highly Of" Mrs. Dana
said, with n reproachful look.
"But don't you see that it is for
your comfort and benefit in the end ?
You know, Nelly, that nothing in the
world would induce me to q nit YOU,
unless it was the hope Of making u
fortune in short time. ] wouldn't
he gone longer than year, and if /
liked the country and if | liked the
country, and thought you would he
contented there, I'd send for you"
The young wife strove hard to re
tain her composure, as she asked:
"And what will you do with the
farm while gomez
II will get my youngest brother to
come and live here, and carry it on.
You shall he left IN full charge, Mel
ly, with power to do rs you please y
Give me week to think of it,"
the wife replied lat the end of that
time I'll make up my mind whether
to consent to your going or not"
Mr.. Dana was too well pleased to
obtain even this concession, to argue
any further that day, and after bid
ding his wife read the accounts in the
newspaper, containing the latest news
from California, he started of to his
work.
Mr.. Dana owned farm of about
one hundred acres, near the town o
Windsor, Vermont. He was a young
man, and person Of considerable en-
ergy, and had, during his minority
saved sum Of money, which he hac
safely deposited in the saving bank
until such time as he should wan
| to use it.
After he became Of age, he had adj
ded to his capital, and when he tho
he should like Jane Perkins for {
wife, and proposed for her, and wa
accepted, he bought the farm whicl
we find him occupying, and was do
ing as well as any young farmer il
the neighborhood.
He had been married two year
when the gold fever OF lS4S-49 brok
out, sweeping thousands Of our mos
industrious mechanics and farmers
and leaving many a hearthstone des
olate, and many wife to mourn 70
her absent husband.
. How few have returned with thei
anticipations realized ? Thousand
who have left the New England State
expecting to win competency in
short time, have been too glad Il
work their passage back in some sloy
sailing tub, while others, too prou'
to return empty-handcd, have toile'
ON, barely gaining livelihood, an
now rest from their cares and trout
les by the bank of some river, wit
nothing but a rude board to mar
their grave.
After Mr.. Dana left his wife, sh
washed her dishes and put them away
and sat down to read the glowing &c
counts of the gold discoveries. Th
more she read, the more fascinate
did she become, until she at last cam
; to the conclusion that if she was
man she would be tempted to go an
TRY her luck.
Twice during the forenoon did 81
Iperuse the paper, and each time h'
resolution Of not consenting to h,