Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-23
when Joseph began t. pay his afianced

81 am glad he likes her" he thought.
81 am So busy on the farm that | have
little time for pleasure, and Alice is so
fond of amusement"
int night Joseph came to him lust AZ
the shadows of evening were beginning to
fall. There was a triumphant ring in
his voice rs he spoke.
Jack, old boy" he said, holding out
his hand, Congratulate me. think
that from to-day | can date the beginning
of u new life. Alice Compton has prom
ised to be my wife"
He was too much engrossed with his
new happiness to see the effect of this an.
nounoement as portrayed on Johns face.
He did not notice how the strong mans
hand trembled in his own.
lis this truef' faltered John at last.
"Why, of course it is. Are you not
gladl We love each other, and shall be
very happy"
1--WE love each other, and shall be
very happy" repeated John mechanical
ly, and all the sunshine Of his life sunk
behind the heavy cloudsof despair. Eyes,
Jodie, | am glad, and | wish you long
years of happiness"
He turned away and staggered, rather
than walked, to his own room. He did
not stir all night. Once a deep, sobbing
groan struggled to his lips, and the moon
beams struggling through the window fell
full upon his face, and surprised two
great tears stealing down his pale cheeks.
He brushed away this evidence of weak
ness and sorrow, and when the morrow
came, no one looking into his calm, serene
.x.na x.s,,,1l 1nx.n .na.l 1A..- l..l .-u.
the battle that had been fought and won
in that lonely chamber.
They were married, and the man re-
jected by the bride and supplanted by
the groom was the first to congratulate
the newly-married pair. A vacant house
on the farm was fitted up for their rceep
tons and John Brisben's money paid for
the furnishing.
Hereafter, Jodie," he said, we will
divide the profits of the farm. ! don't
need much, and you shall have the larger
share"
Ten years passed away, and John
Brisben, an old man before his time, still
worked from dawn till dark that his
brother might play the gentleman and
keep in comfort the large family which
the years had drawn around him. II had
been necessary to mortgage the old
homestead, to raise mony to pay Joseph's
gambling debts, for of late years he had
played heavily and had invariably lost.
One day-it was in the summer of 1877
"a forged check was presented at one of
the banks at the shire town, by Joseph
Brisben, and the money for which it
called was unhesitatingly paid over to
him. He was under the influence of
liquor at the time, and deeply Interested
in a game of cards for high stakes, which
was in progress. The check was for
$500, | think. Before daylight the
next morning Joseph Brisben had lost
every dollar of it. To drown his chagrin
he became beastly drunk, and while in
this condition an officer arrived and ap-
pretended him for forgery and u~ttering q
forged check The prisoner was confined
in Jail, and word of his disgrace was sent
to John Brisben. The latter read the
message, and u mist came over his eyes.
He groaned audibly, and but for a strong
effort of the will would have fallen to the
floor, so weak was he by the shock.
"She must not know it," he said to
himself, and he made instant prepare
tons to visit his brother. When h,
reached the Jail he was admitted to tn,
cell of the wretched criminal. TIL,
brothers remained together several hours
What passed during the interview viii
never be known. When John BrisbeI
emerged from the Jail he went straigh
tn the magistrate who had issued TIL,
warrant for the apprehension Of Josepl
Brisben.
Squire" he said in his slow, hesiti,
> ting way. ''You have made II mistake.
''In what way, Mr.. Brisbeni' aske,
the magistrate, who had n high regar,
! for his visitor.
, ''You have caused the arrest of al
: innocent man
:. But" began the magistrate.
a., Tissue an order for my brothers in
slant release. He is innocent of the in
tent to do wrong. ] am the guilty man
i forged the name of Charles Ellison T.
the check which he uttered. He did no
= know that it was a forgery"
"You!" cried the astounded magistrate
"You a forger-impossible."
"Nothing is impossible in these days,
said the w~hite-haired old man, %sternly
!, 81 alone am guilty. My brother is limo
cent"
So stoutly did he aver that he was tn
forger that the magistrate reluctantl'
7 issued a warrant for his arrest, and at tn
. same time wrote an order to the jailer TO
!, the release of Joseph Brisben.
! my constable will be in soon" sal,
the magistrate, but the old hero picke'
, up both the papers.
= 81 will not trouble him." he said; a"
will execute both papers"
And he did. Handing the jaile
both papers, he explained their meanin
thus:
''They have made a mistake. 1t is
!, who am to be your prisoner. My brothe
is innocent"
, Accordingly Joseph Brisben was II
y. leased and returned to the farm. job
. remained at Jail a prisoner. When tn
q extraordinary affair became known, sey
q eral prominent citizens offered to go o
the accused mans bond, but he woul
q not accept their kind offices. At tn
trial he plead guilty, and was sentence
to fifteen years imprisonment at har
labor in the p~enitentiary. Joseph cam
~ to see him before he was removed I
9 Frankfort, but their interview was
private one.
Joseph Brisben remained at the farm
but he was a changed man. From I'll
DAY of his release from Jail down to I'll
time Of his death, he was never known
touch a card, and a drop of liquor new,
passed his lips. Last April he died, an
his confession, duly sworn to before
!. justice of the peace, was made publ
q | FL 4. -sl -