New-York tribune., 1891-05-03
A BROTHERS KEEPER
AS THE VILLAGE DOCTOR TELLS THE STORY
BY CHARLES DWIGHT WILLARD.

Tho skull on the shelf and the cane against She
,yoII above The skull once formed q paIt ol
worthess vaoabond named Tom Luyster, who was
generally known hereabOuts hiteen years ago py
the title of Slug" always had an laea Snas G ~
was the short for sluggard5DuI aS lesiS ~ az
know. The cane was owned and USED py very
different sort Of man. lndeed, some p.vp ~
WIN have known them both have crled shame upon
me for putting the relics together ne ~ was 0 ~
tnnnded the orphan asylum, and endowed the IL
brary and the art school The drinking iouO<'h u
bear his name CONTRARY to his expressed Mis, silly oS
tho vavl and the boulevard from here 10 the ocean
,ras built for the most part, with his money ouC,
as the reverend doctor observed IN Une itieaS ~ LEU
sermon not all his final benehcence, great a ~ "a'
could accomplish more of good thah h,S n4p1, Ill u,,
seI6sb life Shining as an example TO all who knew
him. h;ch or low oood
or had-speak ill of Humphrey Luyster. ,.ou
And the relationship? lie and Tom Luyster'
or Slug. were brothers. Humphrey was. 4 tnihA'
eight or ten years the elder 81, A.. f;+ bod
The two men were utterly unlike, tnaV II Az iIa"
ever entered Humphrey head 10 deny the relatioa
ship Slug would undoubtedly nave oeen oiioI irbt
out of town as an impostor There was sone sig SLY
phVscal resemblance, although humphrey I"S Sla
iarce man and Slug of medium size anu 0nS
Younger brother had the same SLOW n4nnea VI y,
speaking that characterized the eioer. III eseiS @
other way, they were ae "l"eiS "i' Nv
could imagine. ,,. x,on Ue
Humphrey Luyster was a prosperous man. ne
began life as a lawyer but coming INTO possession
of quantity of timber-and tnroush ren1ed ve the
termination of famous suit. he ORGANIZED ..o i..e
great lumber company, whose mills now RNc
work TO q thousand men. His wealth. grew, hoo
from mere luck, but from his own IreIeos eneixS @
and superior business skill 1t is my belief more
over that his integrity and hls sense OF ialIhesS,
both of which went forever unchanengeu oy i nis
associates materially helped his progress III One
world In private life he was known not SO much
for his mere freedom from faults, as Ior ms @ pUs-
session of certain positive virtues. Cniei anlJhS
these was q quiet unobtruslye benevoence' in,
veStigation into his affairs after death revealed
the fact that he had, for many years spent ao9qc
one-fifth of his annual income Tor charity ne
~. ifa
but that he might entertain his friends, he Kept
house in a large residence on the MIL AS ms
physician and intimate friend. was a constant
visitor at the house; | noted how the people VINO
knew him best-even to his servantS-regarded
him and never have known man so universally
beloved.
All those things which Humphrey Luyster was,
Slug was not. For every virtue OF the one THINK
if it existsof corresponding vice for the otner'
and you have him. drunken, lazy vagapohu.
vicious untrustworthy, il-natured. Every one
despised him on sight and hated and feared him on
more intimate acquaintanee HIS badness dlo no, nos
seem to be natural and inevitabe-as one 0ften
feels IL is with habitua criminals-but was rather
something that, out Of the baseness OF his soul,
he had assumed for the hideous satisfaction 1hat
it gave him. He is dead now-the fiendl This
is his skull. as told you-and If l had no other
reason TO believe in place OF eternal punishment
save the thought Of what that fellow deserved,
should still without hesitation accept 1t, as q
necessary part of the scheme of eternal justice.
Humphrey had been living in this community
about fifteen years and the f9uadatlon OF cI ms
appeared on the scene He had made no effort
TO conceal the existence Of the wayward brother.
and on one OCCASION shortly before Slug arrived,
he brought the matter up in conversation with
me. and delivered himself with his usual candor,
Doctor" he said; You have heard me speak
of my brother Tom.
II have only the one BROTHER" said Hum
phrey - il have referred to him as having made
n failure in life. am sorry to say that is merely
,,teffa Of Naar Ia
contracted drinking habits and ceased to do any
work / have supported him in idleness all this
time, on the understanding that he should keep
away and not interfere with me. have tried
10 do what was right"
He turned to his desk and produced small
rd-book
he opened a page, where | read at the top,
"Thomas Luyster, Cr." and beneath BY cash
draft January j. S5S S;n January qSs So,@n 6 s0O Feb
you send him one hundred dollars month,
then,n I remarked.
Yes" said he, closing the book; :" / might send
him more, but he spends the greater part of that
aThen, if YOU will pardon the suggestion"
said, :" ] believe you would do better not to send
Humphrey Luyster smiled. al have tried that,
he answered but the results were less satisfac-
tory could not endure the thought that my
brother might be starving or in prison.
He rubbed his hand across his broad. white
forehead, and his face wore an expression of deeI
concern.
But what of him now?" I asked.
Some time ago, said he. Tom demanded thai
] should pay him thousand dollars, all IN ont
lump. l refused, and shortly atterward he ief
his old hapnts and began TO edge in this drection
He now repeats the demand at Eood deal close
range. OF course l continue to refuse, for .
grant it would mean nothing but the same storl
again q few weeks afterward.
"You expect him here?" asked.
Humphrey Luyster bowed his head Tn
gesture was not merely affirmation; 1T ais
told his shame.
/ made an awkward attempt at consolation
assuring him that his reputation was one whicl
10 possible act of his brother could affect
II am not concerned about myself, he said
looking up again that is, not directly.
want to do what is right by Tom and / know
beforehand there will be some hard questions
Shortly after this conversation, slug put IN m
appearance. and the hard questions" began TO
Humphrey Luyster. He came INTO town on ioo'
like the tramp that he was. ragged, dirty, an
half-drunk, and went straight in search OF nj
brother
| was not present when the pair first met, bn
! have been told that il was sorrowful sight
The vagsbond pushed his way into Humphrey
office, and there. in the hearing of dozen clerks
rated his brother brutally. on what ne was pleaSe
TO call his selfish neglect of his nearest KIN.
IN, Humphrey yd said aid tSns TO% f Us go
His prosecutor answered with many oaths
mol we viii talk here. You are ashamed of me
| understand well enough; but am not going t
What money!" asked Humphrey
"One thousand dollars"
No. Tom"
u don't get it. eh?'
mo. Tom"
Then it's going TO be hell for you. Dye see ?
They say that Humphreys face. when he, cam
,rt of the office, looked like that Of a man VIII
had lost rather than found a brother.
The vagabOnd lived among about a veal
and, althodgh | never knew him in any Othe
instance deliberately 10 tell the truth. his state
ment that Humphrey Luyster destined 10 OK
perience some Of the tOrtures Of the damned tnrne
nflf Ia tle 1yneN
better than i what the good man suffered. and
was conscious Of knowing only small part a
first. he took Slug TO his house, provided him wit
suitable clothing and comfortable room, an
tried 10 treat him as man would expect TO trea
his own brother lie endeavored by simpl
process of kindness. combined with unswervin
Eood-humor to win him 10 a decent mode Of lii
life. The effort failed, Of course. for a man VIII