Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-04-27
THE MIDNIGHT APPARITION,
THE OLD sExToN's STORY.
o treacherous night

Thou leud'st thy ready veil to every treason
And teeming mischief thrives beneath thy shade
AARoN HILL.
Mr.. Colebrook was dead. He was aricl
man, yet a slight acquaintance with hin
would have convinced even a superficial
observer that he was not happy man
He was misanthropie in his views, though
he had the reputation in the street of be
ing very kind-hearted and benevolen
man. Every day seemed to usher hin
into the arena of new strife with the pow
ers of misery. Apparently he was tired
of life, and impatiently waited for the hou
that had now come, and which would place
him beyond the trials and woes of thi'
sublunary existence.
And yet many could remember when he
was gay and cheerful person. Before
his marriage with-a poor but beautiful cir
some seven years before his death, he had
worn sunny smile, and his life seemed tc
him pleasant dream. i.ssoee
Though only thirty-fye when he mar
ried, people said there was too much diff
ference between his own age and that Of
his wife, who was believe, less than TWEEN
ty. From one extreme she went to the
other. She had beenpo and forced tc
content herself with but few of the luxu.
ries and gayities of life; but now she was
rich, and her indulgent husband gave hel
free access to his Golfers. Wealth fostered
pride, and Mrs. Colebrook became leader
of fashion-the gayest Of the gay. Her
beauty and her influential position in soci-
ETY. made her queen, and her smile was
courted by the brilliant and disolute. 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 his wife
was cold to him, and there was little, il
any, sympathy between them. Then peo-
pie said the poor man had married badly,
and the croakers all "knew that it would
be So"
Mr.. Colebrook was dead. Whatever
woes had weighed him down, he was be.
yond their reach now. People said he
had died of broken heart; that the whirl
of pleasure in his own home had been a
hell to him; and that his gay wife had
been scorpion who stung him to death.
For my part, pay but little attention
to the busy tongue Of gossip. account
allit says, whether good or bad, as mere
slander. Whatever stories had heard
concerning Mrs. Colebrook--and | heard
many-passed sin at one ear and out at
the other"
"Mr. Mortal said man at my door,
''That is my name"
{ '.Mr Colebrook is dead, and Mrs. Cole
brook wants you to come up to the house
and lay him out" --..--
''Nr. Colebrookp l exclaimed, for the
intelligence was very unexpected to me as
well as to the whole city, when it was an
nounced.
III had heard that ne was suffering from
an attack of bilious eholic; but it had not
been even rumored that he was danger
ously sick.
Eyes, he is 'deadp replied the man.-
'.Mrs. Colbrook wishes you to make haste.
81 didn't know he was sick"
"He got very bad last night, and grew
worse ever since till twenty minutes ago,
when he died."
Mr.. Colebrook's house was not five min
ute walk from home, and hastened there
to perform the offices of theldead. / was
shown into the room where the corpse lay,
iast as death had done its work. The suf-
furer bad apparently died in the greatest
agony. The bed clothes still evidenced
the struggle between the tyrant and the
victim.
With the assistance of the man servant
who had gone to my house, / laid him out
and put the room in order.
| was about to depart when the man
servant called me back. ~ - w
''Mrs Colebrook would like to see you,
and he showed me to parlor in front fthe
room in which the corpse lay.
She appeared to be in the deepest dis
tress, and the family physician was still
present, using his best efforts to reduce her
to state of calmness. He had succeeded
to some extent; and she spoke to me with
tolerable self-possession.
"You will make all the arrangements,
Mr.. Mortal" she said.
81 will, madame 3f f'-~af
20, it was terrible" groaned she.
''Be calm, Mrs. Colebrook," interposed
DR.. Rowen.
81 cannot, Doctor; | feel as though l
should become distracted"
"Nay, madame, control yourself" I" and
the Doctor, who was a young and very
GOOD looking man, took her hand and ut
tered some sentimental remark, which /
have now forgotten.
"Who will watch him." she almost
gasped, looking eagerly at me.
@Watch with him ?" asked DR.. Rowen,
in surprise.
eyes"
at is entirely unnecessary"
'The corpse must have watchers" she
added more calmly than she had yet
spoken.
''There is no need of them, but"
81 would not have him left alone for all
the world" she added, with kind of con
yulsive shiver.
'tNo possible harm could befall him"
"But it seems so neglectful to desert the
body as soon as the spirit has fled"
sit is entirely matter of choice"
added.
Couldn't you watch with him, Mr..
Mortal?"
.If you particularly desire it"
II do; / could not bear to have his re,
mains guarded by mere servant. Yop
will oblge me very much"