The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-01-19
Daniel Bryan's Oath.


FELTON,. AT length all hopes wer,
given up. Week after week woult
the fallen man lie drunk on the floor
and not day OF real sobriety mark
ed his course. 1t is doubtful that
such case was ever known. lie
was too low for conviviality, for those
with whom he would have associated
would not drink with him. All alone
in office and chamber he still contin-
ued to drink, and even his very life
seemed the offspring of the jug.
In early Spring Moses FELTON, had
call to go to Ohio, and before set
ting out he called upon his sister,
He offered to take her with him, but
she would not go.
"But why stay here ?" urged the
brother. "You are fading away, and
disease is upon you. Why should
you live with such brute ?"
"Hush, Moses, speak not So" an
swered the wife, trying to keep back
her tears. al will not leave him
now, but he will soon leave me-hc
cannot live much longer"
At that moment Daniel entered the
apartment. He looked like a wan
derer from the tomb. He had his
hat on and his jug in his hand. "Ah,
Moses, how are ye," he gaspcd, for
he could not speak plainly.
The visitor looked at him for few
moments in silence. Then, as his
features assumed n cold, stern ex-
preston, he said, in a strongly en-.
phasized tone:
:, "Daniel Bryan, / have been your
best friend but one. My sister is an
angel, though matched to a demon.
I have loved you, Daniel, as ] never
loved man before; you were gener-
Gus, noble and kind; but / hate you
now, for you are perfect devil in
carnate. 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-when you
die she will come to me. Thus do ]
pray that God will soon give her joys
into my keeping. Now. Daniel, ]
do sincerely hope that the first intel
ligence that reaches me from my ma
tive place, after l have reached my
new home, may be that you are
dead.
"Stop, Moses, I can reform yet"
"You cannot. 1t is beyond your
power. You have had inducements
enough to have reformed half of the
sinners of creation, and you are low
er now than ever before. Go and
die, sir, as soon as you can, and the
moment that sees you thus shall not
find me among the mourners."
Bryan's eyes flashed, and he drew
himself proudly mp. "Go," he said,
in tone of the old sarcasm, Ego to
Ohio, and I'll send you news. Go,
sir, and watch the post; 1 will yet
make you take back your words"
"Never, Daniel Bryan, never"
"You shall swear it p'
With these words, Daniel Bryan
hurled the jug into the fireplace, and
while yet thousand fragments were
flying over the floor, he strobe from
the house.
Mary sank fainting on the floor
Moses bore her to the bed, and, hav-
ing called in q ncighbor, hurried
away for the stage was waiting.
For month Daniel lowered 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..ab
rupt removal of stimulents from
system that for long years had almost
subsisted on nothing else, was nearly
sure to prove fatal. "You can sure.
take gill and not take any more"
"Aye," gasped the poor man, "take
a gill and break my oath! Moses
FELTON, shall never hear that brandy
or rum ever killed me! If the want
of it can kill me, then let me die
But won't die; I'll live till Moses
FELTON, shall eat his words"
He did live. An iron will conquer.
ed the messenger that death sent
Daniel Bryan lived. For one month
he could.not walk without help. Ma.
ry helped him.
A year passed away, and Moses
FELTON, returned to Vermont. He en- q.
tered the court house at Burlington,
and Daniel Bryan was on the floor,
pleading for young man who had
been indicted for perjury. FELTON,
started with surprise. Never before
had such torrents of eloqucnce pour
ell from Bryan's lips, The case was
given TO the jury, and the youth was
acquitted. The successful counsel
turned from the court room and met
Moses FELTON,. They shook hands
but did not speak. When they reach
ed q spot where none others could
hear them Bryan stopped and said (:
"Moses, do you remember the
words you spoke to me year ago ?"
~ do, Daniel"
"Will you now take them back
unsay them now and forever :"
"Yes, with all my heart"
"Then | am in part repaid"
Sand what must be the remainder
of the payment p asked Moses.
~ must die an honest, unperiured
man. The oath that has bound me
thus far was made for life"
That evening Mary Bryan was the
happiest of the family.
AT the time of Senator Douglas
decase his estate was so encumbered
that 1t was believed that there would
he nothing loft for HE fan,;I,, H.,