The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-08-23
TALES OF AN OLD SEXTON.
a Midnight ApparItion
o treacherous night!


And teeming mischief thriyes beneath thy shade.
-[Aaron Hill.
Mr.. Colebrook was dead. He was a rich
man, yet slight acquaintance with him
would have convinced even superficial OBJ
server that he was not happy man. He
was mlsantbropic in his views, though be
had a reputation in the streets of being @
very kind hearted and benevolent man.
Every day seemed to usher him into the area
of new strife with the powers of misery.
Apparently he was tired of life, and impa.
tiently waited for the hour that had now
come, and which would put him beyond the
trials and woes of this subunaTy existence.
And yet many could remember when he
was gay and cheerful person Before bis
marriage with poor but beautiful girl some
seven years before his death, he had worn a
sunny smile, and his life seemed to him a
pleasant 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, believe, about twenty-five. She
had been poor, and forced to content herself
with but few of the gayeties of life; but
now she was rich, and her indulgent hus-
band gave her free access to his Golfers :
Wealth fostered pride, aud Mrs. Colebrook
became leader of fashion-the gayest OF
the gay. Her beauty and influential posi-
ton in society made her queen, and her
smile was courted by the brilliant and DISCO
Lutte The house. when she was at home,
was always filled with gay galIants 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 if any sympathy
between them. The people said the poor
man had married badly, and the croakers
all "knew that it would be 3d."
Mr.. Colebrook was dead. Whatever woes
had weighed him down, he was beyond their
reach now. People said he had died of
broken heart that the whirl of pleasure in
his own house had been hell to him and
and that his gay wife had been the scorpion
who had stung him to death.
For my part, pay but little attention to
the busy tongue of gossip. account all
it says, whether good or bad, as mere sIau-
der. Whatever stories had heard concern
ing Mrs. Colebrook-and l had heard many
passed Gin at one ear and out at the 9TH
err"
''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"
''Mr. Colebrook !" exclaimed, for the in
telligence was very unexpected to me, as
well as to the whole city, when it was an
nounced
had heard that he was suffering from an
attack of bilious cholic but it had not been
even rumored that he was dangerously ill.
''Yes, he is dead, " replied the man; 'Mrs.
Colebrook wishes you to make haste
Il 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
utes walk from home, and [ fastened there
to perform the offices for the dead. was
shown into the room where the corpse lay,
just as death had done its work The suf-
ferer had apparently died in the greatest ag-
oDy. The bed.clothes still evidenced the
struggle between the tyrant and his victim.
With the assistance of the man servant
who had gone tony house, l laid him out
and put the room in order.
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 a 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 efforts to reduce her to state
Of calmness He succeeded to some extent;
and she spoke to me with tolerable self-pos-
session.
''You will make all the arrangements, MIR.
Mortal" said She
II will Madam"
ooh, it was terrible % groaned she.
''Be calm, Mrs. Colebrook," interposed
DR.. Rewne.
81 cannot Doctor; feel as though
should become distracted"
may, madam, control yourself" and the
Doctor, who was young and very good.
looking man, took her hand and uttered
some sentimental remark, which have now
forgotten.
''Will you watch with him ?" she almost
gasped, looking eagerly at me.
watch with him p asked Dr. Rowne,
in surprise.
eyes"
sit is entirely unnecessary"
"This 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 al
the world" she said, with a kind of convul
sive shiver.
mo possible harm could befall him."
but 1t seems so neglectful to desert the
body as soon as the spirit has fed"
lit is entirely matter of choice" l ad
ded.
Couldn't you watch with him, Mr.. Nor
tai?
III you particularly desire it,
Il do; L could not bear to have his re.
mains guarded by mere servant. You
will oblige me very much"
l consented to the arrangement and pro
missed to return by nine o'clock in the eve
ming.
After ordering the coffin for the deceased
for at that time they were not kept on
hand to such an extent as they are now
and attending to my private affairs, l agar
repaired to the Colebrook mansion.
1t was customary at the time of which
write for two persons to perform the servic
for which was engaged, though watchin!
was then going rapidly out of fashion but
as my business was with the dead, wa
perfectly at home in the chamber of death
and was even better satisfied to be alon
than with company. had brought an in
teresting book from home, and Mrs. Cole
brook had provided very interesting repas
for me in the diningroom below, SO that
looked forward to a very comfortable night