Nebraska advertiser., 1857-09-24
& 1FHe Narrative.
A Sudden C9HFeFsiOn.

j q
mont lived a young man, Daniel Bry-
an, lawyer by profession. No one
possessed the confidence of his friends |
more than he did, and no one was bet
ter calculated to secure the good win !
ndfriendship of all with whom he came
in contact. Business poured in upon
him, and he failed not to give the ut
most satisfaction.
At the age of twenty7seEen, Bryan
took to himself a wife from among the
most favored ones of the country
Mary FELTON, experienced strange
pride when she gave her hand to the
young lawyer, and if none enVied her,
many at least prayed that=they might
be equally fortunate.
But ere long a cloud came over the
scene. CouEiFiality ran high among
the members of the bar, and Bryan
possessed one of those peculiar tenn
peraments which at length gave the
whole body and soul up to demon
For three years he followed the social
custom of the times without neglecting
much of his business, but finally he
sunk into the lowest pit of degradation.
! When at the age of five and thirty, he
had become a confirmed drunkard.- -
! He now neglected his clients altogeth-
er, for he could not remain sober long
enough at any time to carry any case
through court. The only business he
now had on his hands was the collec-
! ton of some debts.
On the evening of his thirty-ffth
birth day he joined the Washington
e ans, and once more his bright genius
shone out upon the world. But it could
notlast long enough amid the examples
of those who were his constant COM
; panions; he sank as rapidly as he had
risen. In one short year from that
time he was a miserably. degraded
, thing. People who-had left notes and
= accounts with him to collect called at
; his house, and upon inquiring of his
, wife where he could be found, she
would tell them he was away. Poor
woman, they could not bear to dispute
VIII her, ana they knew full well tnaI
the remains of Daniel Bryan were
: PROSTATE upon his bedroom floor.
One day Mr.. Vinson went to see
] him. Vinson had left notes and ac-
counts to the amount of several thous-
d and dollars with Bryan to collect, and
# he was anxious about them. His poor
!. wife answered him as usual-that hel
&c husband had gone away.
a my dear madam" returned Mr.
Vinson, II know your misfortune, and
i I appreciate your feelings, but I must
e, see your husband. If can see him fOl
one minute can learn all I wish tC
= know"
Mary Bryan spoke not a word, but
: with fearful eye turned away and Mr.
- Vinsen followed her. He found Bry.
an in a back room, stretched at full
] length upon the floor with jug O
MedfOrd rum by his side. With mucl
effort Yinson aroused the poor inebri
-. ate to a state Of semi-consciousness
4 and asked him if he had done anything
about the notes and accounts which h'
had left with him.
} eyes, answered the lawyer in ;
y weak. hiccoughing voice. ''Tye ha(
the money for you over a month. Pv
deducted the percentage, and you vii
find the rest in that trunk. Mary
= got the key"
Mary Bryan was called in, the Ike,
J was produced, and Mr.. Vinson foun
l. his mOney-four thousand and som
odd hundred of dollars-al right an
- safe.
In his worst moments Bryan neve
7 used for himselfa single penny held i
Il trust. Hundreds there were who work
ed hard to reclaim the wanderer, bu
. without effect. Years went by and h
sank lower and lower, yet his wife lei
, him not. Her brother, young Law
I" yer named Moses FELTON,, often urge
her to forsake her husband, at the sam
llipg lhD- time offering her a comfortable hom
ats, beneath his own roof, but she woul
% not listen.
At length all hope was given up
-i Week after week would the fallen ma
, be drunk on the floor and not a daY
- real sobriety marked his course.
=. doubt if such another case was know
He was too low for convivialitv. f
ST. those with whom he would have ass,
ciated would not drink with him.
All alone in his Office and cbamb,
he still continued to drink, and eve
his very Life seemed the offspring
S, his jug.
c. la early spring Moses FELTON, had
n call 70 go to Ohio. Before he set on
hort he visited his sister. He offered
take her with him, but she would n
go.
'Butwhy stay you here ?" urg
IN her brother. "You are all faded wa
I'D, and disease is upon you. Why shou
you live with such brute Z"
esTTuvb ATocas. cnaaly pOt - ancvn