Herald Of The United States

WILKESBARRE, MAY 8.

If the winter has not been severer than any preceding one for a long course of years it has at least marked its way by as many melancholy circumstances. We some time ago mentioned the death of the unfortunate Merritt, at Wyalusing, and to-day we have learned the fate of another citizen, who perished by the cold.

In the beginning of January last, Mr. John Smith of Sugar-creek, took his rifle and started into the woods on an excursion after deer. As it was often the case when his pursuit led him far from home that he took shelter at the house of some acquaintance, his family were not alarmed at his absence through the night. The next day passed and the day following, and the anxious wife had wearied her eyes in vain, in watching the pathway for the return of her partner, on the fourth, she extended the alarm for Mr. Smith through the neighbourhood, and a number of men went out in pursuit of him. After following his track in various directions, for many miles, they at length, towards evening came to the spot where the wretched wanderer expired. It appeared that Mr. Smith had attempted to kindle a fire in an old log, but in blowing the spark, cold hunger and fatigue overpowered him, and he sunk back upon the snow, and without a struggle or exertion closed his eyes forever. The day before Mr. Smith went out, he sold his dog to a man who lived about twenty miles from him, and Mr. Rutty (the purchaser) had led him home. But the faithful animal was found upon the breast of his old master, watching with all the solicitude of love, the moment when he should awake. He had scratched around him and upon his master's breast, undoubtedly to awaken him; but when he found it in vain, coiled himself over his heart, and there had nearly expired. Faithful creature! thy fidelity and attachment, shame the boasted virtues of man.—The manner in which the dog found his master is a question difficult to resolve. He was in the wilderness, ten miles from Mr. Rutty's and on tracing his track for some distance, it appeared that he came in a direct course to the spot from the house of his new master, and it could not be discovered that he had been at all on the track of Mr. Smith. The deceased was a man much and deservedly esteemed by his acquaintance;—he has left a wife and seven children to mourn their loss and his untimely fate.