Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-06-19
From Ballou's Pictorial.
A SUDDEN CONVERSION.
by sYLvANus COM LIZ

Ato AtieItSi " III uOl Only De IN It's.
but also IN the peculiar soul touch it deyelopes.
In one of the MOTT hern towns Of Vermont lived
young man whom j shall call Daniel Bryan.
he was lawyer BY Profession, and one OF the
most intellectual ren in that section of the
country. No cRe possessed the confidence of
his friends more than he did, and no one was
better calculated to secure the good will ard
friendship of all with whom he came in contract.
business poured in upon him, and he failed not
to give the utmost satisfaction.
AT the age OF twenty-seven, Bryan took to
himself wife from among the most favored ones
OF the country. Mary FELTON, experienced a
strange pride when ahe gave her hand to the
young lawyer, and if none envied her, many at
least prayed that they might be as fortunate.
But ere long cloud came over the scenes
Conviviality ran high among the members of the
bar, and young Bryan possessed one of those
peculiar temperaments- which at length give the
whole body and soul up to the demon of appetite.
For three years he followed the social custom OF
the times without neglecting much of his bust
ness, but finally he sank TO the lowest pit OF de-
graduation. When at the age of five and thirty,
he had become confirmed drunkard. He now
neglected his clients altogether, for he could not
remain sober long enough at any one time to
carry any case through court. The only bust
ness he had now upon his hands was the eollcc-
ting of some few small debts.
On the evening of his thirty fifth birthday he
Joined the Washngtonians, and once more his
bright genius shone out upon the world.-But
it could not last long; and amid the examples
| OF those who were his constant companions he
went back to ms cups, and down lie sank, as
rapidly as he had risen. In one short year from
that time he was a miserable degraded thing
| People who had left notes and accounts with
him to collect called at his house, and upon en-
curing of his wife where he was, she would tell
them he was away.--Poor woman they could
not bear to dispute her, and they would go til ;ir
flouoh fhaxy full we'll that tho
mains of Daniel Bryan were PROSTATE upon his
| bedroom floor. -er-- ~.
One day Mr.. Vnson called to SEQ him
Finson had left notes and accounts to the amour.
of several thousand dollars with Bryan to col
! lect, and he was anxious about them.-His poor
wife answered him as usual--that her husband
had gone away.
my dear MADAME returned Mr.. Vinson, II
know your misfortune, and i appreciate your
! feelings, but must see your husband can
see him for even one minute, l can learn all
wish to know
| Mary Bryan spoke not word, but with tear
| full eye she turned away, and Mr.. Finson fol
lowed her. He found Byram in back room,
stretched Mt full length upon the floor, with a
| jug of Medtord rum by his side With much
effort Vinson aroused the poor man to state of
! semi-consciousness, and asked If he had done
anything about the notes and accounts he had
| left with him.
YES returned tho lawyer, in weak hus
| ky, hiccoughing voice. 1--WE had the money
for you over month. I've deducted my per
centage and you'a find the rest in that trunk.
! Mary's got the keyS
Mis- bryan was called in, the KEY was pro-
duced, and hir Vinson found mis- money-four
thousand and some odd hundreds of dollars
all right and safe.
! In his worst moments Bryan never used for
himself a single penny he held in trust.-Hund-
reds there were who labored hard to reclaim the
I FeYafln Int
went by, and he sank lower ard lower-yet his
wife left him not. Her brother young law
ger, named Moses FELTON,, often urged her to for
sake her husband, at the same time Offering her
q comfortable home beneath his own roof, but
she would not listen.
AT length all hope was given up. Week after
week would the fallen man lie drunk on the
floor, and not day OF real sobriety marked his
course doubt if such another case was ever
known. lie was too low for conviviallty, for
those with whom he would have associated
would not drink with him. All alone, in lis
own office and chamber, he drank the aecursed
poison, and even in his very life seemed the off
spring ofthe jug.
In early spring Moses FELTON, had a call to go
to Ohio. Before he set out he visited his sister.
! He offered to take her with him bat she would
not go,
"But-why stay here, urged the brother
"You are all faded ainaY, and disease IS upon
! =
''Hush, Moses. Spo.i. not So" answered The
wife, keeping back .Ae tears. Il will not leave
him now But Y vii. soon leave me; he can-
not last mucl longer
AT that moment Daniel Bryan entered the
apartment. Even Moses Felton, was startled bv
his appearance. He looked like wanderer
from the tomb. He had his hat on and his Jug
was in his hand
"Ah-Moses-how are ye!" he gasped for he
could not speak plainly
! The visitor looked at him few moments in
silence. Then, as his features assumed u cold
stern expression, lie said in a calm, but strong
ly emphasized tone
i 'Daniel Bryan, have been your next best
friend but one. My sister is an angel--but mated
with q demon. / have loved you, Daniel, as
never loved man before, for you were noble, gem
erous and kind but hate you now, for you
are devil incarnate. Look at thar woman
She is my sister-thc only sister God ever gave
me. | wish her to live with ne, bur she will
not while you live; yet when You die she will
come to me. Thus do pray God will soon give
{ her Joys to my keeping. Now, Daniel, l do sim
ccrerely pray that the first intelligence that
reaches me from my native place, after | shall
have reacheE my new home.-may be-that-
you-dre-dead!"
Bryan gazod upon the speaker some moments
without speaking.
| Moses at length he said, "you are not in
earnest"
las true as heaven, Daniel, am. When
know that You dead | shall be happy, and
: not until then-so go on. Fill your Jug; and -
'Stop, stop, Moses. | can reform"
You cannot. 1t is beyond your power
t You have had inducements enough-enough TO
| have reformed half the sinners in creation-and
5 yet you are now lower than ever before, Co.
S and die sir, as soon as you can, for the moment
: that sees you thus shall set mourners free"
: Bryam's eyes flashed, and he drew himse
r proudly up.
r &C., said he, with tinge of that old power
full sarcasm that had often electrified jury, ego
s to Ohio, and I'll send you news. Go, sir, ant
}, watch the post
n With these words, Daniel Bryan hurled tn,
jug into the FIRE place. and while yet its thou
sand pieces were lying over the fleor-he strod'
> from the house. Mary sank faintine to tie floor
# Moses bore her to the bed, and then having
:, called in a neighbor, he hurried away
e for the stage was waiting.
: For month Daniel Bryan hovered owe
: the brink OF the grave, but he did not die.
lone gill of brandy viii save you" said tn
II Doctor, who saw that the abrupt removal OF al
stimulants from q system that had for Ion!
4 years subsisted almost on nothing else was near
n ly sure to prove fatal. "You can surely take
/, gill and not take any morel"
n "Ay," gasped the poor man, "take gill, an
IS break my oath Z Moses FELTON, shall never lear
e that brandy or rum killed me If the want G
II it can kill me, then let me die But | won
IT die! I'll live till Moses FELTON, shall eat hi