The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-05-18
'ac a,aneosk asttsrso
) Tale Of an Old Sexton.
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o tresche, ous night

a happy man. He was tnisanthropic
in his views, though he had the rep
utation in the street OF being very
kind hearted and benevolent man. y
Every day seemed TO usher him into
the area Of a new strife with the pow
ers Of misery. Apparently he was
tired Of life, and impatiently waited
for the hour that had now come, and
which would put him beyond the
trials and woes of this sublunary ex-
istence.
And yet, many could remember
, when he was a gay and cheerful per.
son. Before his marriage with poor
but beautiful girl some seven years
before his d ath, he had worn sunny
smile, and his life seemed to him a
plea ant dream.
Though only thirty five when he
married, people said there was too
much difference between his own age
and that of his wife, who was, l be
lieve, about twenty-five. She had
been poor, and forced to content her
self with but few Of the luxuries and
gayeties fife; but now she was rich,
and her indulgent husband gave her
free access to his Golfers. Wealth
fostered pride, and Mrs. Colebrook
became leader Of fashion-.the gay
est of the gay. Her beauty and her
influential position in society made
her queen, and her smile was court
ed by the brilliant and dissolute.-
The house when she was at home,
was always filed with gay gallants
and lordly ladies.
All the world could see this; and
the next thing it saw, was, that Mr.
Colebrook grew sad and melancholy;
that bis wife was cold TO him and
there was little, if any sympathy be
tween them Then people said the
poor man had married badly, and the
croakers all "knew that it would be
So"
Mr.. Colebrool was dead. What
ever woes had weighed him down, he
was beyond their reach now. Peo-
pie said he had died ofa broken heart,
that the whirl of pleasure in his own
home had been hell to him; and that
his gay wife had been the scorpion
who stung him to death.
For my part, pay bat little atten-
ton to the busy tongue of gossip. l
account all it says, whether good or
bad, as mere slander. Whatever
stories | had heard concerning Mrs.
COlebrook-dnd / had heard many
passed Sin at one ear and out at the
other"
"NIr. Mortal said man at my
door
THAT is my name.
"Mr. Colcbrooll is dead, and Mrs.
Colebrooll wants you to come up to
the house and lay him out y"
"Mr Colebrook'' l exclaimed, tor
the Intelligence was very unexpected
to me, as well as to the Whole city,
when it was announced. Id --...
bad heard that he was suffering
from an attack of bilious cholic; but
it had not been even rumored that he
was dangerously sick.
rYes, he is dead, replied the man;
"Mrs. Cookbook wishesyou to make
haste"
II didn't know he was sick"
"He got very bad last nigt, and
grew worse ever since, till twenty
minutes ago when he died"
Mr.. COlebrook' 5 house was not five
minutes walk from home, and | has
tened there to perform the offices Of
the dead Twas shown into the room
where the corpse lay, just as death
had done its work. The sufferer had
apparently died in the greatest ag
ony. The bed clothes still evidenced
the struggle between the tyrant and
his victim.
With the assistance of the man
servant who had gone to my house, |
laid him out and put the room in or
der.
was about to depart when the
man ser want called me back
"Mrs. Colebrook would like to see
you,' he said, as he showed me to n
parlor in front Of the room in which
the corpse lay.
She appeared to be in the deepest
distress, and the family physician
was still present, using his best ei-
forts to reduce her to state of calm
ness. lie had succeeded to some
extent, and she spoke to inc with tol-
cradle selrpossession.
"You will make all the arrange,
ments, Mr Mortal" said she.
II will, madam" ...
"Oh, it was terriblc! groaned she.
"Be calm, Mrs. Colebrook," inter
posed DR.. Rcwne. ll
II cannot, Doctor; feel as though
| should become distracted" f"
"Nay, madam, control yourself,
and the Doctor, who was a young
and very good looking man, took her
hand and uttered some sentimental
remark, which l have.now forgotten.
"Wili you watch him?" she almost
gasped, looking eagerly at me.
'Watch with him2" asked DR..
Rowne, in surprise,
"Yes." -u ..
"It is entirely unnecessary"
"The corpse must have watchers" !"
she added more calmly than she had
yet spoken. !.
| "There is no need of them, but
Al would not have him left alone
for all the world" said she, with a
kind of convulsive shiver.