Volcano weekly ledger., 1857-01-03

Lou are all faded away, and disease is up
on you. Why should you live with such a
brute?n
Hush Moses; speak not" answered the
wife, keeping back the tears. II will not
leave him now, but he will soon leave me-
He cannot live much longer"
At that moment Daniel entered the apart
ment. He looked like wanderer from the
tomb. He had his hat on and a Jug in his
hand.
Ah,-Moses-ho are your he gasped
for he could not speak plainly.
The visitor looked at him for few mo-
ments in silence. Then as his features as
sumed cold stern expression, he said in
strongly emphasized tones
Daniel Bryan, have been your best
friend but one My sister is an angel-but
mated with demon. / have loved you, as
l never loved man before; you were noble,
generous and kind, but hate you now, for
you are perfect devil incarnate Look at
that woman. She is my sister-she might
now live with me in comfort, only she will
not do it while you are alive; yet when you
die she will come to me. Thus do | pray
that God will soon give her joys to my keep
ing. Now, Daniel, do sincerely hope that
the first intelligence which reaches me from
my native place after | shall have reached
my new home, may observation-disclosures
DEAD.
Bryan gazed upon the speaker some mo-
ments without speaking. Noses" he at
length said, you are not in earnest"
As true as Heaven, Daniel, | am. When
| know that you are dead, / shall be happy,
and not until then-so go on. Fill your jug
and
Stop, Moses, l can REFORM
You cannot. 1t is beyond your power
You have had inducements enough to have
reformed half the sinners of creation, and yet
you are now lower than ever before. Go and
die, Sir, as soon as you can, for the moment
that sees you thus shall find me among the
mourners.
Bryan'S eyes flashed and he drew himself
proudly up. Go" he said, with tone Of
the old, powerful sarcasm that had often cleo
trfed a jury, go to Ohio, and I'll send you
news. Go, Sir, and watch the post"
With these words Daniel Bryan hurled his
jug into the fireplace, and while yet a thou
sand pieces were flying over the floorh he strobe
from the house. Mary sank fainting on the
floor Moses bore her to bed, and then
having called in a neghbor, he hurried away
for the stage was waiting.
For month Daniel moved over the brink
of the grave, but he did not die.
One gill of brandy will save you," said
the doctor, who saw that the abrupt removal
of all stimulants from system that for long
years had subsisted almost on nothing else,
was nearly sure to prove fatal. You can
surely take gill and not more"
Aye,' gasped the poor man, take gill
and break my oath. Moses FELTON, shall nev-
er hear that brandy or rum killed me | If
the want of it can kill me then let me die |!
But | won't die ; III live till Moses FELTON,
shall eat his words"
He did live an irou will conquered the
messenger death had SENT and Daniel Bryan
lived. For one month he could not even
walk without help. But he had help-joy
full, playful help. Mary helped him.
A year passed away, and Moses FELTON,
returned to Vermont. He entered the court
house at Burlington, and Daniel Bryan was
Oh the floor pleading for young man who
had been indicted for forgery. FELTON, started
with surprise. Never before had Bryan
looked so noble and commanding, and never
before had such torrents of eloquence poured
from his lips The case was given to the
jury and the youth was acquitted The sue
cessful counsel turned from the court room,
and he met Moses FELTON,.
They shook hands, but did not speak,
When they reached spot where no other
could hear them, Bryan stopped. Moses"
he said edo you remember the words you
spoke to me year ago p
al do, Daniel"
"Wi you now take them back ? Unsay
them now and forever ~
Yes, with all my heart"
"Then | am in part repaid"
And what must be the remainder of the
payment p asked Moses.
" l must die an honest, unperjured man
The oath that has bound me thus far was
made for life"
That evening Mary Bryan was among the
happiest of the happy. No allusion was
made in words to that strange scene of one
year before but Moses could read in the
countenances of bis sister and her husband the
deep gratitude they did not speak.
And Daniel Bryan yet lives, one of the
most honored men of Vermont. Five times
has he sat in the State Legislature thrice in
the Senate, and once in the National Con-
gress, and he is yet an ornament to society,
declining all offers of public Offices, from the
fact that his profession is more lucrative, while
plenty of others want the Offices which he
cares not for.
Mrs DuBoIs in describing an insane tom