The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1869-02-06
Three BTaUe Men.

| little he could do it the house was set upon b.
robbers"
s'It is not always the strength that wins figh
my girl 1t takes brains as well as Drawn
Come now, Barbara, give these young men fai
trial.
Barbara turned her face before the mirror let
ting down one raven tress and looping up another
81 will, 4Other," said she, at last.
That evening, Earnest, the gunsmith, knocked
early at the door.
''You sent for me, Barbara, he said, going L
the girl, who stood upon the hearth coquetlshly
warming one foot and then the other.
''Yes Earnest she replied "Pve been think
ing of what you said the other night when yot
were here"
"Well, Babara.'
Earnest spoke quietly, but his dark blue eye
flashed, and he looked at her ntently.
81 want to Test you"
Il want to see ii you dare do very disagree
able thing"
"What is it 2"
There is an old coffin up starts. 1t smells o
mould. They say Redmond, the murderer, wa:
buried in it but the devil came for his body ane
left the coffin empty at the end Of Il week ane
it was finally taken from the tomb. 1t is III
stairs in the room my grandsire died in, and they
say grandsrs does not rest easy i'll bis grave toI
some reason, that know nothing about. Dare
you make that coffin your bed tonight Z"
as that all ? will do that, and sleep sound
ly. Why, pretty one, did you think had weak
nerves ?'
''Your nerves will have good proof il you I'M
derlake it. Remember, no one sleeps in thai
wing OF the house, fsea arfFt lsFsf
81 shall sleep the sounder."
"Good night, then. will send Il lad to show
you the chamber, if yon will stay until morning,
said imperous Miss Barbara with a nod OF her
pretty head, 81 will marry you" -
You VOW it ?''
Earnest turned straightway and followed the
lad in waiting, through dim rooms and passages,
up echoing stairs, along narrow, damp ways,
where rats scattered before them, to low cham
ber The boy looked pale and scared, and evil
IDENTIFY wanted to hurry away but Earnest
made him wait until hetook a survey of the room
by the aid of his lamp. The room was very
large and full of recesses, with high windows in
them which were barred across He remember
ed that old Grandsre Ferros had been insane for
several years before his death, so that this pre-
caution had been necessary for the safety of him
self and others. In the centre of the room stood
a coffin beside it was placed a chair. The room
was otherwise perfectly empty.
Earnest stretched himself in the coffin.
''Be kind enough to tell Miss Barbara that it
is very good bit, said he.
The boy went out and shut the door, leaving
the young gunsmith alone in the dark.
Meanwhile Barbara was talking with the black
smith in the keeping room.
Barney" said she, pulling her hands away
from his grasp when he would have kissed her,
"Pve test to put you to before give you any
answer. There is corpse lying in the chamber
where my grandsire died, in the untenanted wing
of the house. fyou dare sit with it there all
night, and let nothing drive you from your post
you will not ask me to marry you again in vain. :"
''You viii give me light, a bottle of wine{
and book TO read
'sNothing r'
"Are these all the conditions you can offer me
Barbara 2"
"All. And if you get frightened you need
never look me in the face again.
81 II take them, then"
So Barney was conducted to his post by the
lad who had been instructed in the secret and
whose involuntary stare at Earnests placid face
as it lay in the coffin was interpreted by Barney
to be natural awe of corpse. He took his seat,
and the boy left him alone with the darkness the
rats and the coffin.
Soon efter, Fritz, the tanner, arrived, flattered
and hopeful, from the fact that Barbara had sent
for him. s 1f 1
'Have you changed your mind Barbara ?' he
asked
"No and shall not until know that you
can do really brave thing" f|.
"What shall it be | swear to satisfy you Bar
bara"
~ have proposal to make to you. My plan
requires skill as well as courage"
''Tell me |"
"Well, in this house is a man watching by
corpse. He has sworn not to leave his post un-
til morning. Ifyou can make him do it shall be
satisfied that you are as smart, and as brave as |
require husband TO be"
"Why, nothing is so easy ~ exclaimed Fritz,
III can scare him away. Furnish me with a
sheet show me into the, room, and go to your
rest, Barbara. You shall find me at the post in
the morning"
Barbara did as required, and saw the tanner
step blithely away in his task. 1t was then near
ly twelve O. clock, and she sought her own cham
Der quickly
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and, so far, all
had been we'll The night seemed very long, for
he had no means of counting the time. At times
q thrill went through him, for it seemed as if he
could hear low, suppressed breathing not far
away but he pursuaded himself that it was the
wind blowing through the crevices of the old
house. Still, it was very lonely, and not at all
cheerful.
The face in the coffin cleaned whittier through
were upon them and they smelled dead flesh
The thought made him shudder He got up and
walked about, and something made slight noise
as if somebody was behind him, and he put biz
chair with its back against the wall and sat dowr
again. He had been hard at work all day, and
at last, in spite of everything, he grew sleepy
finally he nodded and snored.
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody had touch
ed him. He awoke with start and saw nobody
near, though in the centre of the room stood
white figure.
"Curse you, getiout of this p be exclaimed il
a fright, using the first words that came to bi
| tongue.
The figure held up its right arm and slowl.
approached him. He started to his feet Th
spectre came nearer, nearly pressing him into tn
cornef.
''The ID take you p cried Barney, in hi
extremity.
Involuntarily he stepped back, still the fgnr
advanced, coming nearer and nearer, and extend
| ing both arms, as if to take him in ghastly EN-
brace. The hair started up on Barney's head
be grew desperate, and just as the cleaning arm
would have touched him, he fell upop the ghos
| like whirlwind, tearing of the sheet, humping
pounding, beating and kicking, more and NOR
enraged at the resistance he met, which told hir
| the truth.
AS the readers knows, he was big, and Frit
was little aud while he was pummeling th
little tanner numerically, and Fritz was tryin
in vain to get a qpge at Barney's stomach, t
take the wind out OF him, both plnnging an
kicking like horses, they were petriied by heal
! ing a voice cry
| ''Take one Of your size, Big Barney P'
| Looking around, they saw the corpse sittiu
up in his coffin. This was too much. They rt
leased each other and sprang for the door. The
never knew how they got out but they ra
home in hot haste, painting like stays.
| II was Barbara herself who came and opene
| the door upon Earnest the next morning.
''lt's very early one more little nap, sal
be turning over in the coffin.
So she married him and though she ser
Fritz and Barney invitations to the wedding
they did not appear. If they discovered Il
trick, they kept the knowledge to themselve
and never willingly faced Barbara's laughiu
L