The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-10-06
John Brlsben. NobIeman.

vict He was sent up from Bourbon
for fifteen years for forgery, and had ten
liar with the history # the case, and the
humane action of his exellency will be
generally commended. -FfaHkford, (Ky.)
Woman.
i read this little paragraph, and my
mind went back six years. l knew
John Brisben, and l knew his twin
brother Joseph. was familiar with
the details of the action that placed him
in felon's cell, and now when the sad
affair is brought back to my mind so
wildly must write it out, for never
before have met, in prose or poetry,
in real life or in romance, greater
hero than plain, mstter-of-fact John
Brisben.
The Brisbens came of good stock. l
think the great grandfather of my hero
emigrated to Kentucky when Kenton's
station, between the present city of
Maysyille and the historic old town of
Washington, was the principal settle
ment on tine ''dark and bloody ground"
He came from upper Pennsylvania and
located about five miles from the Ohio
river, on Limestone creek. He was an
industrious, strong-limbed, iron-hearted
old fellow, and in few years his sur
roundngs were of the most comfort
able description. One of his sons Ed
win Brisben, once represented Ken
lucky in the federal congress. think
he was the grandfather of John and
Joseph Brisben. Their fathers name
was Samuel, and he died when they
were little children, leaving his widow
an excellent bluegrass farm and a
snug little fortune in stocks, bonds and
mortgages. The widow remained UNI
married until her death. Mrs. Samuel
Brisben was good woman and she
idolized her twin boys. Like most
twins, the brothers resembled each
other in striking manner, and even
intimate acquaintance could not tel
them apart. But although the physi
SeaA ioo0hDIanCo was oo SGIOlB CnoAt
was great dissimilarity in the DISPOSE
ton Of the twins. Joseph Brisben wa
very surly and morose, sometimes
cunning and revengeful. He was witha
dreamer and enthusiast a man wei
learned in books, brilliant, frothy
talker when he chose to be sociablt
(Which was seldom), a splendid horse
man and most excellent shot. JohI
Brisben, on the contrary, was cheerful
and bright, honorable and forgiving
He was a man Of high and moral prin
ciple, intensely methodical and prac
tical, cared little for books, and
although he said but little, was a splen
did companion. He was a poor horse
man, and | don't think he ever sho
gun in his life. He loved his brother
and when they were boys together
suffered punishment many times, ant
uncomplainingly, that "Jodie" nigh
go scot free. His life was therefor
a constant sacrifice, but the objec
of this loving alteration made blu
shabby returns for this unselhsh devo
tion.
They were 20 years old when thei
mother died very suddenly. Josepl
made great pretense of grief, and wa
so historical at the grave that he ha,
to be led away.
John, on the contrary, never demon
strative, took the great af1lction witt
mis- customary GOODNESS. He said bu
little, and shed no tears.
The property left the boys was con
siderable. The day they were twenty
one years old, the trustees met an
made settlement. There was the blue
grass farm, valued at $4,000, an
100000 in well-invested securitie!
which could be turned into money
Joseph demanded a division.
"YOu can take the farm, Jack, - h
said. 'Iwas never cut out for a farm
er. Give me $4,000 in money for m
share.''
So this sort of division was mad,
John continued on at the Homestead
working in his plain, methodical wa,
and slowly adding to his share of IL
money what he could raise out of Il
profits of the farm. Joseph, with h
newly acquired wealth, set up an esta
-lishment at the nearest town, and b
gan a life of pleasure of the gross
sort. His brother gave him no advit
for he knew it would be useless. j
seph spent his money with great prod
gality, and before he knew it he was
beggar. In the meantime, Johns 81
900 had doubled itself One day JOSEF
came to him with a full confession
his pecuniary troubles.
''Jaek," he said, 81 am not only
beggar, but l am heavily in debt. lie
me out, like good fellow, and l "
settle down and begin life in sob
earnest. With my capacity for bu
ness, csn soon make enough to rep
you. l have sown my wild oats, a
with little help can soon recover
that have squandered so fOolishly."
= For an answer, John placed his nal
to an order for the $4,000 he h
ear ned so laboriously.
"Will that be enough, JOdie,"
asked, "because have as much mo-
VIII Oh you can have if it is necessary
''This will be sufficient, old fellow
was the reply. SIN two years W
pay it back"
He went back to town, drew /