Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-06-06

with fearful eye turned away, and Mr.
| Vinson followed her. He found BRYAN
in back room, stretched at full length
upon the floor, with jug of Medford rum
by his side. With much effort Vinson
aroused the poor inebriate to a state ol
semi-consciousness, and asked him ii he
had done anything about the notes and
accounts which he had left with him.
eyes," answered the lawyer, in weak,
hiccoughing voice, ''I've had the money
for you over month. I've deducted the
percentage, and you will find the rest in
that trunk. Mary's got the key"
/ Mary Bryan was called in, the key was
produced and Mr.. Vinson found his mon
ey. four thousand and some odd hundreds
of dollars-all right and safe.
In his worst moments Bryan never
used for himself single penny in trust.
Hundreds there were who worked hard to
reclaim the wanderer, but without effect.
Years went by, and he sunk lower and
lower, yet his wife left him not. Her
brother, young lawyer, named Moses
FELTON,, often urged her to forsake her
husband, at the same time offering her a
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 be drunk
on the floor, and not day of real sobrie-
ty marked his course. | doubt if such
another case was ever known. He was
too low for convivality for those with
whom he would have associated would
not drink with him.
All alone in his office and chamber he
still continued to drink, and even his very
life seemed the offspring of his jug.
In early spring Moses FELTON, had a
call to Ohio. Before he set out he visited
his sister. He offered to take her with
him, but she wo'd not go.
"But why stay you here ~ urged the
brother. You are faded away, and dis
ease is upon you. Why sho'd you live
with such brute ?'' "Hush Moses
speak not" answered the wife, keeping
back the tears. | will not leave him now,
but he will soon leave me. He cannot
live much longer
At that moment Daniel entered the a.
partment. He looked like a wanderer
from the tomb. He had his hat on, and
his jug in his hand
"Ah-Moses-how are you ?" he gasp
ed, for he could not speak plainly.
The visitor looked at him for few mo-
ments in silence. Then as his features
assumed cold, stern expression, he said,
in emphasized tones:
"Daniel Bryan, l have been your best
friend but one. My sister is an angel
but mated with demon. / have loved
you Daniel as / never loved man before;
you were noble, generous, and kind, but
l 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 JOY to my keeping.
Now, Daniel, l 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
moments without speaking. Moses"
he at length said, "you are not in earn
est 90
" AS true as heaven, Daniel, l am.
When l know that you are dead, shall
be happy, and not until then--so go on.
Fill your jug and"
Stop. Moses, can reform.
"You cannot. it is beyond your pow
er. You have had inducements enough
to have reformed half the sinners of the
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 him
self proudly up.
"Go," he said, with tone of old,
powerful sarcasm that had often electri
fed 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
thousand pieces were flying over the
floor, he strobe from the house. Mary
sank fainting on the floor. Moses bore
her to bed, and then having called in
neighbor, he hurried away, for the
stage was waiting.
/ For n month D,a.al .s>o.,ol a~nr ~ =