The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-10-06
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his departrS &adstAr stated tkat
his prospects were f~attering; and that
St. Paul would be his headquarters,
but his operations would e3tend whefe4
evef ,he found encouragement, AS
theitihe forffis return approached, d
letter was received by his family,
stating that a trading enterprise back
fromFthe coast, nES9hicho he had inl.
vested largely, was interrupted by
wars among the native tribes, and
that his return would on this account
be delayed possibly a few months,
but babe his wife keep in good spirits,
as he felt certain everything would
terminate successfully. Along ipz
terval of nearly tfveS months elapsed
before he was heard from again, when;
. letter was received dated at a place
some distance down the African coast
called Fatida, and forwarded by way
Of st. Paul de Loando. This letter
was veryhnsatisfact6ry and seemed
to have been written while Gumare
was laboring under Eextreme depres-
sion of spirits. It could only be gath
cred from the letter that he had lost
in his last venture, and vas then
struggling for life against one Of the
malignant fevers that afhict foreign
ers on hat pestiferous coast, and that
il he recovered he would try to get
either to Cape Town, Eouth Africa,
or Australian bat that in no case
would heuaomH back impoverished
and a physical Wrock to be q burden
to his family and friends. This let
ter was, ofconrse, a source of grief
to those who were fondly and anxioas-
ly looking for hts return home, and
their sorrow Was still fed by months
that came and passed. without tidmgs
from the son, husband and father.
Fourteenmonths elapsed before he
was heard from9again. A letter was:
received dated at Cape Town. It
simply stated, With-regard to the past,
that he had suffered IN body and
mind more than he cared about at
tempting to- describe; but that his
powerful constitution had brought him
through the ordeal, and that having
reached Cape Town he had obtained
employment which he hoped IN q
short time, barring more bad luck, en-
able him to proceed to Australia, and
and promised to be-with his family
again 80 soon as he could return with
out begging his way This letter was
full Of encouraging words, and re-
vived hope in thehearts ofShis loved
and waiting ones here. Letters con-
tinued to come now as regularly as
could be expected, considering his re-
mioteness and incidents for carriage
While employed at hard labor at Cape
Town his fortune took5a favorable
turn. He wastaken into partnership
by a gentleman of means, in a mer-
ehandizing adventure into the interior,
thus diverting him from his projected
pilgrimage to Australia The last
letter received from him was nearly a
year ago.. He had been moderately
successful, and was on the eve of set.
ting out with a stock of goods for the
hewly-discovered gold fields in South
Africa, and whether successful or not
in the results, he would return home il
he had sufficient left to bring him.
The long period of silence that follow
ed this last letter renewed the appre.
henslons for his safety in the minds o
his family, and they had about settled
on the sad conclusion that he haG
persisted in the wilds ofthat harbarou.
country. i'G5i"-f tr siistlaU'i <@a .
On Friday last, as the Gumare fam
lily were at their MONDAY meal at home
in WILLIAMSBURG, a stranger sudden
lily opened the door, and entered with
out any previous announcement A:
he advanced toward the little grouI
isittmgat the table with arms extend
ed, an expression of 10y lighted up hi
weather beaten and rugged scounte
nance. AT first the bewildered wo
men failed to recognize him, but, 9;
they the-psx@omert rushed teWbzI
hiniAa essfaey of dslight,A Patte'
spread over his cheek, and before the,
could reach him he suddenly changed
dis course toward'a sofa, - which
he sank a dead man, wit havin!
uttered a single word SIM Dis unex
pected entranee, we lead he pain
full scene that followed to seader'
imagination. He had died3ust4lfth
fullness Of his joy, and before one wore
of affection or explanation had passes
his ai6s{ i ieouM besdiffcut to0c6n
ceive Of q more melancholy denou
ment 70 his eventful history. An ex
animation BY physicians pronounce(
his death the result of heart disease
but supelindaced BY excessive q