The Shasta courier., 1866-08-25

0 treacherous night!
Thou lend'st thy ready veil to every treason
And teeming mischief thrives beneath thy shade.
Aaron Hill.
Mr. Colebrook was dead. He was rich
man, yet slight acquaintance him would
have convinced even superficial observer
that he was not happy man. He was
misanthropic in his views, though he had
the reputation in the streets of being very
kind hearted and benevolent man. Every
day seemed to ursher him into the arena o
new strife with powers of misery. Ap
parently he was tired of life, ard impatient
ly waited for the hour that had now come,
and which would put him beyond the trials
and woes of this subIunary existence.
And yet many could remember when he
was gay and cheerful person. Before his
marriage with poor but beautiful girl some
seven years before his death, he had worn a
sunny smile, and his life seemed to him
Pleasant dream.
Though only thirty-fve when he married
people said there was too much difference
between his own age and that of his wife,
who was believe, about twenty two. She
had been poor. and forced to content herself
with but few of the luxuries and gayeties OF
life; but now she was rich, and her indul-
gent husband gave her free access to his cof-
fers. Wealth fostered pride, and Mrs.
Coebrook became leader of fashion-the
gayest of the gay. Her beauty and infiuen.
tial position in society made her queen, and
her smile was courted by the brilliant and
dissolute. The house when she was at home.
was always filled with gay gallants and lord,
ly ladies.
All the world could see this and the next
IL. Al r. IL L
sad and melancholy that his wife was cold
to him and there was little, if any sympathy
between them. Then people said the poor
man had married badly, and the croakers all
knew that it would be SOD
Mr.. Colebrook was dead. Whatever woes
had weighed him down, he was beyond their
reach now. People said he had died of a
broken heart, that the whirl of pleasure in
his own home had been a hell to him and
that his gay wife had been the scorpion who
stung him to death.
For my part, pay but little attention to
the tongue of gossip. account all it says,
whether good or bad, as mere slander.-
Whatever stories l had heard concerning
Mrs. Colebrook-and had heard many
passed I" in 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"
''Mr Colebrook!" l exclaimed, for the
intelligence was very much unexpected to me
as we'll as the whole city, when it was an
nounced.
heard that he was suffering from an at
tack of bilious cholc; but it had not been
even rumored that he was dangerously sick.
Yes, he is dead" replied the man ;
" Mrs. Colebrook wishes you to make
haste"
Il didn't know he was sick"
.'Got very bad last night, and grew
worse ever since, till twenty minutes ago
when he died."
Mrs. Colebrook's house was not five min
utes' walk from home, and l FASTENED there
to perform the Offices of the dead. l was
shown into the room where the corpse Law,
just as death had done its work. The suf-
ferer had apparently died in the greatest
agony. 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, l laid him out 5hd
put the room in order
was about to depart when the man SER
want called me back.
&C Mrs. Colebrook would like to see you, /"
he said, as te showed me to parlor in
front of the room in which the corpse Law.
She appeared to be in the deepest distress,
and the family physician was still present,
using his best efforts to reduce her to a state
of camness. He had succeeded to some ex-
tent; and she spoke to me with tolerable
self possession.
sG Vo, ,,,;n r,oGo oil orro1rapoopts NJ
Mortal" said she.
'' | will, madam"
"Oh, it was terrible!' groaned she.
Be calm, Mrs. Colebrook," interposed
DR.. Rowne.
g l cannot, Doctor; feel as though l
should become distracted
Nay, 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. ,1
gssped. looking eagerly at me.
g Watch with him ?' asked DR.. Rowne, in
surprise. ;,
1t Is entirely unnecessary"
ihc corpse must have Watchers" she
added, more calmly than she had yet spoken.
There is no need of them, but"
l would not have him left alone for all
the world" said she, with kind of convul-
sive shiver
: No possible harm could befall him."
But 1t seems so neglectful to desert the
body as soon as the spirit has fled."
:" 1t is entirely matter of choice" I add.
ed. "'N
"Couldn't you watch with him, Mr.. Nor.
tal?'' -'Ao'
fyou particularly desire it."
do; could not bear to have b;s "a.
mains guarded by mere servant You will
oblige me very much,n
l consented to the arrangement, and prom.
ised to return by nine o'clock in the evening
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 at
tending to my private affairs, again repair
ed to the Colebrook mansion.
1t was customary at the time of which