Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-02-22
SELECT STORY
THE DEAD ALIVE,
A THRILLING SKETCH.

ing at this day TO the English, was orig
inally colonized by the French, and that
the population consists in great meas
ure of persons of that nation. to whom,
by formal treaty between the two pow
ers concerned, their ancient laws and u.
sages were preserved without material
alteration. ~ .. ..t ..... q
About three or four months ago, the
Sie,1 CT odomir Frenois, a rich merchant
of the island, wa found dead, and fright.
fully dis6gured in his own habitation.-
His body was discovered lying on the
floor, with his face mutiiiated by pis'
tol, and all doubt as TO the cause of the
catastrophe was dispeled by the discov.
cry of The fatal weapon by the side OF
the corpse.as also of paper in the hand
wiring of the deceased. This paper
contained the following words: ..
Il am ruined!--a villain has robbed
me of twenty thousand livres sterling;
dishonor must be my portion, and ! can
not survive it. leave my wife the task
of distributing among my creditors the
means which remain TO us, and pray
that God my friends, and my enemies,
may pardon my self.destrucuon. Yet
another minute and shall be in eternity.
(SignetD - CLoDoMIR FRENols."
p Great was the CONSERVATION caused by
this tragic event. which was the more
unexpected as the loss alluded to in the
note was never made public. The de-
ceased had been held in great esteem ov-
er the colony, as man of strict hon or
and was unive rsahy lamented. His at
tached widow. after endeavoring faithful
lv to fulfil his last wishes, found her grie
too powerful to mingle longer with the
world. and took the resolution to conse'
craze her remaining days TO the service o
religion Two months after The sad enc
of her husband she entered convent
learing 10 nephew of the merchant, {
physician, the charge Of com pleting the
distribution Of the effects of Frenois a.
morg his creditors. n. m aas
4 minute examination of the paper:
OF .hc deceased led to the discovery o.
;hc Period at which the unfortunate mer,
chant had been robbed; and that perot
was found TO correspond with the datt
of the disappearance of man namet
john Noon, long in the employ ment o
Frenois. OF this han, on whom suspi
ci"n not unnaturally fell, nothing could
, be learned on inquiry; but shortly after
the division of the merchants property
Moon appeared in the colony. Wher
taken mp and examined respecting th'
cause OF his flight, he stated that he hat
been sent by his master TO France, Il
recover certain sums due to the mer.
chan, there, in which mission he had beer
| unsuccessful, and he further averred tina
il Clodomir Frenois, in his existing cor.
.. respondence, had thrown any injurious
suspicious on him Moon) the whole was
bu, pretext to account for defeneies o
! which the merchant himself was The sol'
cause and author. This declaration
made by man who seemed to fear nc
injury, and whose worldly circumstan-
/, ces remained to appearance the same as
! they had ever been, had the effect of 81
lencing, if it did not satisfy, the examin
ers; and the affair soon fell, in a grea
measure, out of the public recollec,ion.
Things remained for short time il
this condition, when one morning Mr.
:, William Burnett, principal creditor o
: the late Clodomir Frenois, heard !
: knocking at his gate alta very earl,
hour. He called up one of his servants
who went down and opened the door
: and Immediately returned with the intel
\ ligence. that a stranger, who seemed de-
& sirous of keeping his person concealed
{ wished to speak with Mr.. Burnett in prl
/. vate. Mr.. Burnett arose, threw on m
dressing gown, and descended to the par
lor. He saw there stranger. OF Ia
n person, seated in an easy and familia
n attitude upon a sofa, with number Q
q the Morning Post in his hand. The bacl
of the visitor was turned TO Mr.. Burne'
: as he entered. Rather surprised I
see stranger conduct himself so lik
4 an old friend Of the house, Mr.. Burne
said aloud, ''Sir, may beg to know you
busines with met" ss3 nl a
: The stranger turned round, and advan
ced TO SALUTE his host warmly and cour
: ,eously. Mr.. Burnett started back, an
uttered loud exclamation of surpris
" M alarm Well he might; for befor