Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-25
tGy- For City News see third page.
For Market Reports and Marine News see fourth
IFrom Chambers Edinboro Journal
A DEAD MANS REV ENGE
How IL Worked and How it Ended.


bhAtNhk 1.-THE hhNHhNh .
"Open the window, wife, aud let in some air.
Phewl this place is enough TO choke one
1t was a close, sickening atmosphere, truly,
The chamber was dark and low, and on the old
tester bed, hung round with checked curtains,
lay something covered with ragged counter
pane. The speaker approached the bed, drew
aside the soiled coverlet and started back as he
beheld a ghastly face, with eyes unclosed and
rigid jaws.
"Come here, Hlnnah-oome here. Uncle Ze-
bedees deadl" The man spoke in a low tone,
then turned and looked at his wife. She was
a neat and gentle-lookinR womani he, fine,
broadshouldered man.
30 Richard" The woman's face aud voice
expressed her borrow at the sight before her
It was death in its most repulsive form. An
old man, with pinched and withered features,
with beard unshaved, and eyes unclosed lay on
that wretched bed staring upwards, as though,
lowering over his couch he still beheld the
awful presence that had announced his doom.
It was Zebedee Peck, the miser, who lay there
stark and dead; and the man, in a stone mason's
dress, standing by the bed side was Richard
Malet, his nephew, and working mason
"God ha' mercy on him" said the man, after
a silence, during which he and his wife stood
gazing in awe on the face Of the dead. "He'l
need It poor soul! He hadn't much mercy for
others"
Through the open windows came a mumrur
of voices from the court below: was a noise Of
footsteps on the stairs
"Here are the neighbors, Hannah, Come,
look up, lass. There's lots to be DONE"
Richard Mallet threw the sect over the face
of the dead, and weut to the door to meet the
newcomers. There was a goodly troop, priu-
cipslly women. Curiosity was written IN every
face Peck's Court bad been in a state Of ex-
citement for some hours.
For two days past, the old miser's household
had been shut up, and nobody had seen any
thing of its owner At FIRST it was supposed
to be only one of Daddy Peck's whims, and his
eccen.ricites being we'll known, no one troubled
himself about the matter. The next day, it YVES
reported early in the orning, that the old miser
had fit; by noon, it was said that he had hung
himself in his garters from a beam in the gar
ret; and lastly, towards evening, it was esser-
ted that he had been murdered by thieves, who
had plundered the house, and escaped over the
back wall. Whereupon, consultation was con
vened at the pump, by the ematrons of the court,
as TO what ought to be done under the circum.
stances, and various resolutions were proposed.
One lady advised trying the effect OF watch
mans rattle, and cry of "Fire!' under the win
dow; another ad ocaied a long ladder, and a
descet through the garret; third was for hav
ing policeman sent for and breaking open the
front door with the strong arm of the law; while
a fourth, an enlightened washeTwoman sugges
ted sendiRg at once for Richard Mallet old
Pecks nephew aud nearest relative. This
bright idea carried the day; and a fleet messen-
ger was at once dispatched for the stone mason
and his wile--'in a case Of life and DEATH, as
the messenger was strictly enjoined to say.
When, therefore. Richard Mslet proceeded
to inform the neighboTs that his uncle had
4 \ =. l. =. IL 4
there was something like disappointment writ
ten ON their anxious faces. The court had
made up its mind to a terrible catastrophe "A
suicide at the very least; and now there would
be nothing but cOroners inquest after all
However, with that TO look forward to, and the
question ofthe miser's wealth TO discuss, it had
gained something, and so the court recovered
It's equanimity.
"He's gone then, at last!" "Well, we're all
mortal, you seel" ellis moneys O. no use to
him nowl" were amongst the pious remarks ut
tered by the bystanders as they crowded round
the bed.
Lets hope this money will 90 into better
hands marm," said the intelligent washerwO.
IN an, addressing herself TO Mrs. Malet "You
mustn't fret, my dear; it's the ways o. Provi-
dence and all for the best, you know"
Seeing that Mrs. Mallet has never spoken to
the deceased dozen times at the twelve ears
OF her married life, it requirednO great amount
of resignation on her part not to fret. She was
only pale and frighted.
"Go home Hannah whispered her husband
I'm see 20 things and get these people away
Don't tell Jess"
Mrs MallGt made her way out of the house,
an object Of much interest TO various members
of the court, awaiting, at windows and on door
steps, her temperance IL was a trying mo-
ment for the good woman. She was before a
critical audience. If she carried her head er-
ect, il would be attributed 10 her pride as the
wife of the risers heir; If she held il down, il
would be taken a hypocTitical assumption OF
sorrow; if she made haste, it would be to avoid
lowering herself by talking to them; if she
loitered. il would be 10 show herself and re-
oeive homage. But Mrs. Mallet cared Little for
the criticisms going on around her, and has
tened home to get her husbands supper ready,
looking neither to the right nor the left
Richard came home before long. The hearth
was swept, the supper ready, the boys in bed
and little Jessie, the lame child setting on her
stool by the FIRE. The mason hung up his CAP
and coat behind the kitchen door, washed oil
abe lime and mortar from his hands, and then
a clean, intelligent looking man--came and sal
down to his supper.
"Come here, Jessie, said he when the mea
was finished
The child hobbled te him on her crutch.
"YOu remember uncle Zeb, don't youl-th,
old man we went to see once, ehi' Richard
kissed the chids forehead.
Eyes, father"
"Wel, he's dead, my girl; he's dead. Dc
you remember what be said TO you that Sunday
as we went to see himl"
ayes He asked me # I'd like 10 be riel
woman. aud have fine house, and 20 abroad
and i said no, because couldn't help mother
70 sew, or get you tea ready then"
What else did be sayl"
ole said; "When old uncle Zeb's dead m,
dear, yon'll find he hadn't forgot youi" and
then-then l began 10 cry, because be grinned
at me So"
"Yes, it's true enough. That's what he said
Hannah =" remarked Richard, turning 10 his wife
II never said a word about il then, nor since
nor has Jess Il was better not. But he told
me as how he had made his will and hadn't
forgot this child"
Mrs. Msllel almost cropped the loaf Of bread
in her hand in her amazement
"YOu don't thinB it's true, do you, Richardl'
''Cant t say, my dear He was cunning as a
fox and deceitlul az old Nick. More likely
he's "a left il 10 a. osptal. Anyhow the will i
found, and, as he'll be buried 10 morrow, We
shall know aioTe long"
Richard Msllet seemel 10 take the matter
very cody. Not 30, however with bis wife -
The bare idea oftbeir poor lame child Inherit
ing any Of the hoardings Of old Peck, the owner
OfneaEly all the houses in the court aud the
reputed possessOr Of an account at bank IN
the city, was too much for her. The widest
hopes were excited in her mind; she could
think and talk Of nothing else