The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-11-13

4
much effort Vinson aroused the poor
man to state Of semi mi-consciousness,
and asked if he had done anything
about the notes and accounts he had
left with him.
EYES," returned the lawyer, in a
weak, husky, hiccoughing voice. ''I've
had the money for you over month.
I've deducted my percentage and
you'll find the rest in that trunk. Mary
has got the key" I'D
Mrs. Bryan was called in, the key
was produced, and Mr.. Vinson found
his money-four thousand and some
odd hundreds of dollars-all right and
safe. ''i& -
In his worst moments Bryan never
used for himself single penny he held
in trust. Hundreds there were who
labOred hard to reclaim the wanderer
but without effect. Year after year
went by, and he sunk lower and lower
yet his wife left him not. Her broth
er, er,ayounglawyer, named Moses FELTON,
often urged her to leave her husband,
at the same time Offering her a COM
Portable home beneath his own roof,
hut she world not listen.
AT length all hope was given up.
Week after week would the drunken
man lie on the floor and not day of
real sobriety marked his course. l
doubt if such another case was ever
known. He was too low fsr convivial.
ty, for those with whom he would have
associated, would not drink with him.
All alone in his own office and chamber
he drank the accursed poison, and even
his very life seemed the offspring of the
jug. Ill
In early spring Moses Fenton had a
call to 60 to Ohio. Before he set ont,
he visited his sister. He offered to
take her with him but she would not
leave him.
"But why stay here?' urged the
brother, "You are all faded away and
disease is upon you. Why should you
live with such brute %
"Hush Moses. Speak not So" an
swered the wife, keeping back her
tears. 81 will not leave him now.
But he will soon leave me; he cannot
last much longer"
At that moment Daniel Bryan en-
tered the apartment. Even Moses Eel
ton was startled by his appearance.
He looked like a wanderer from the
tomb. He had his hat on and his jug
was in his hand. ..-8
"Ah-Moses = how are YEP" he
gasped, for he could not speak plainly.
| The visitor looked at him few mo-
ments in silence. Then, as his fea.
lures assumed cold, stern expression,
he said, in calm, but strongly empha-
sized tone of voice:
"Daniel Bryan, have been your
next best friend but one. My sister is
an angel-but mated with demon.
have loved you Daniel, as never loved
man before, for You were noble, gener-
Gus and kind, but hate you now, for
you are a devil incarnate. Look at
that woman. She is my sister-the
only sister God ever gave me. wish
her to live with me, but she will not as
long as you live; yet when you die she
will come to me. Thus do 1 pray tn at
God will soon give her Joys to my keep
ing. Now, Daniel, l do sincerely pray
that the first intelligence that reaches
me from my native place, after l shall
have reached my new home, may be
that you are dead" '---.a 'v
| Bryan gazed upon the speaker some
moments without speaking.
"Moses," he said, "You are not in
earnest" o~'' !. q L~-" , res@',>A
! GAS true as heaven, Daniel, / am
When l know that you are dead, |
shall be happy, and not until then-se
go on.. Fill your jug, and" iV1
"Stop, stop Moses. l can reform"
Is rs D.. ! j. -
"You cannot. 1t is beyond your
power. You have had inducements
enough-enough to have reformed hal
the sinners in 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 Sci
J mOurners free.'s vcssk. agn-af
Bryam's eyes flashed, and he drew
. himself proudly up. M
: "Go," said he, with tinge Of tha
old powerful sarcasm that had Otter
electrified a jury, H"go' to Ohio. aud III
r send you news. Go, sir, and watch thu
post" .7f ~,sf
With these words, Daniel Bryan
hurled the jug into the Fireplace, an.
while yet its thousand pieces were fly
ing over the aoor-he strobe from tn,
> honse. Mary sank fain,ing to tn
H +H