FOR HIS BROTHERS SAKE.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1081, 3 September 1883, Page 4

FOR HIS BROTHERS SAKE.

LITERATURE.

Tlie True IdListor’.y of” a, Life of Self-Sacrifice. By Col. George W. Symonds. Once more John Brisben placed his name to a cheque payable to the order of bis brother, and Joseph entered into business again., In two years he was a bankrupt. “ I shall never succeed in business, Jack,” he said. “ Help me out of this trouble and I will live with you on the farm. I shall succeed as a fanner.” It took all of John Brisbcn’s hoard to pay his brother’s debts, but he made no,complaint, uttered no reproach. He said: - I am glad yon are coming- back to the farm, Jodie. - Yon need do no work, and we will be very happy together.''’ So Joseph took up his residence af the farm, and remembering bis brother’s words, devoted his lime principally t.. hunting, fishing, and riding about the country. .In the meantime John Brisben bad fallen-in love, and tins daughter of n neighbouring farmer, Compton by name, was his-promised wife: Being a> man of strict hom-ur hims-lf, an ! having full confidence in his brother, lie did not object when J.os-ph began to pay his affianced very marked attention. J am:glad',liedikes her,’’ ho thought, “ | pnf.so Fusy on the farm-that I have lit limp for pleasure,.and Alice.is.so fond of amusement.”.,, ... : , One came to him just ns of evening were beginning to fall, There was a triumphant ring,in. hipryoice wheube-iSpoke.,. u .lock, old boy,” he said, holding nut his f -.hand,.-sjcongratulate me. I think that- from"to-day lean date the begin-uing'-of a new life. . Alice Compton has prcrtirllcil tP-be imy-wife/’ ; He'hvasToo miich engrossed with his new hajipiuess, tp .see flic .effect of this niinouncemeht as ponrtfnyed on John’s face. HeAjd not. iiot ice haw.-thq string man’s hanA trembled in bis own, “ iliis f trjiiec?” 4 /a 1 tcred John at last.- “ cbnrse it is. "Are you not gla.(J> ~rW'e love each other and shall be very hfippy 00b >? * r - ; l Wd: Ibve • each other and shall be verjf. |””i’epeated- John ; mechani-. callyV niid dll tHe sunshine of his life suqk behind the.heavy clouds of despair. “ Y,es,rJodie,’l ijrn glad, and I wish you long yearajof .happiness.” A ; - He-tnfndd away and staggered rather than walked, tedhis owni room';- He did not groan struggled to his lips, and the - through the windbw-/lejl'>fnlln.npoh his'- face,' : ahd surprisedffwo .great tears stealing down his pale chiefeks. ; ! He brushed ;a\tay lliis 1 evidence of rweakness - : and 'sorrow-, and when tbetinorrqw came;-no/one (looking into -his- calm serene eyes would have gneasedt Row;. bard i was> it he f battle That had been ;fdirght;and, won in. that lonely hamber. i?G g -b 0 They were . r marneil, and lue, ;! inan rejected by |he|brbleja.nd supplanted by ; the groom was the first tpi .congratulate: the newly married pair. A -vacant bouse'ond the farm was fitted‘ up for their reception, and John Brisben’s money paid fo.f the-'fnrnishtng. ‘ “ he said, : “ we will Aft vide 1 ‘ tlic : profits; qf the tfarm.: J don’t need much, and yon shall have the larger isliSre/’iCJ-X • , rj Ten .years; pacseA,away, 'flohn Brisker:,.an .old man before- „his time, still worked fromdawn to dark that his brother.ipight. play the gentleman.-.and, keep ih 1 dpmfoft the large family which the years had drawn 7a found him. It had been necesSaryHo mortgage The old homestead, to raise' money _to pay JosepblC gambling/debts, for - of Fate years he had ployed, heavily, and had invariably fqst. One dajT—it, w? 8 to tho/.sutphier.' of 1887r^a"forged-cheque wn^presented,at one dlthe j banks ; at the shire, .town,'.by. Josepn"Brisben, .and,• tbe.,,moneyT for. which it called was’ unhesitatingly., paid over to hnhr fluenitehfbf"'liquor s -' tit; thb ttfme,'!/ind-deeply-interested inA game; of for was* "in 1 p'fogfbss.. The foi* T ’2 x sooodbls,'i think. Befofe- > daylight‘the- next .ttiofhi’ng Josepb'dßfisben hadlbst every; dollar 'of it. • T&* drown r ‘liis ; ’ebargin be- became and - while' In ' this condition an officer arrived and appre T bended htov for ' fotgefy I and ’uttering'-W forged s The prisoner was con- 7 fined lib'j-ailjMnd* wdfd : of 'His disgrace was e^nt read fh6 r message/afi'd ! a over 1 his etesi‘‘ L lie groaried r andiblyy for a-strong effort of THe will'would have 1 fallen to the floor, so weakened was he by the shock. r ~ , “ She rabst not know it,” he said to himself, and be made 1 instant" preparations to'Avisit ‘ his brother. When he reached’iheijaibhe/was admitted to ; the cell of the wretched criminal. The brothers remained together for several hours. WhaVpassed daring the. interview will* haver bo known; When John Brisben emerged from the jail he went straight- t.o : the .magistrate who had issued the warrant for the apprehension of Joseph Brisben. ;; / “ Squire,”;? he said, in his slow, hesitating way, “you have made a mistake.” “ In what way; Mr Brisben?” asked the magistrate, who had a high regard for his visitor. “You have caused the arrest of an innocent man.” “ But”—began the magistrate. “Issue an order for my brother’s instant release. He is innocent of the intent'to do wrong. I am the guilty man. I forged the name of Charles Kiiison to the cheque which ho uttered. Ho did not know that it was forgery.” You-!’’.-cried the astounded magistrate. “Aon a forger—impossible ?” !i Nothing is impossible in these days,” said'-the white-haired old man stornh’. { I alone am guilty. My brother is innocent.” 8o stoutly did he aver that he was

the forger that the magistrate reluctantly issued a: warrant for his arrest; and at the same time wrote an order to the jailer for the release of Joseph Brisben. “ My constable will be in soon,” said the magistrate, hut the old hero picked up both the papers.” “ I will not trouble him,” he said ; “ I will execute both papers.” And he did. Handing the jailer both papers, he explained their meaning thus: ; “ They have made a : mistake. It is I who. am to bo your prisoner. My brother is innocent,” . ’ : t Accordingly Joseph Brisben was released and returned to the farm. John “remained at the jail a prisoner. When the extraordinary affair became known, several prominent citizens offered to go on the accused man’s bond, but ho would not accept their kind offers. At the trial he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to fiteen years’ imprisonment at hard labour in the penitentiary. Joseph came to see him before he was removed to Frankfort, but their interview was a private one. Joseph Brisben remained at the farm, but he was a changed mm. hj Rom the day of bis release from jail down to the time of his death, be was never known to touch a card, and a drop of liquor never passod i liis r Jips. Last April he died, and his confession, duly sworn to before a justice, of The peace, was made public, after his burial. In substance it was this: That'he was guilty of the forgery for which his heroic brother was suffering a long imprisonment. “ It was my brother’s wish, not mine,” reads the document. Ho'insists that he who had no ties of blood or marriage could better suffer the punishment and the disgrace than I who. had'"dependent upon me a large family.’’ Noble John Brisben ! Of such stuff, are heroes made.' ‘ ",

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