The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-02-04

house. 1T you dare SIT with II all
night and let nothing drive you from
your post, you will not ask me 20
marry again in vain"
"Hou will give me light and a
bottle OF wiuc and book to read2'
"Nothiug."
"Are these all the conditions you
can offer me, Barbara p
CAN. Aud if you get frightened
you need never look me in the face
again"
I'm take them, then"
SO Barney was conducted TO Ms
post by the lad who had been in
structed in the secret, aud whose in.
voluntary stare ct Earnests placid
face as it lay in the coffin was inter
preted by Barney to be natural awe
Of the corpse. He took his seat, and
the boy left hin alone in the dark
ness, with the rats and The coffin.
Soon after, Fritz the tauner, ar.
rived, dattered and hopeful, from
the fact that Barbara had sent for
him."
Have you changed your mind, Bar
hara p he asked.
"No aud | shall not until l know
that you can do really abrave thing"
"What shall it Be? l swear to
satisfy you, Barbara"
"I have proposal to make to you.
My plan requires skill as well as
courage"
"TclI me -
"Well, in this house is a man
watching a corpse. lie has sworp
not to leave his post until morning.
If you can make him do it, | shall BE
satisfied that you are as smart and as
brave as l require a husband to be-"
"Why, nothing is SO easy !" ex.
claimed Fritz. ~ can scare him
away. Furnish me with sheet,
show me into the room, and 60 to
your rest Barbara. You shall find
me n. the post in the morning
Barbara did as required, and saw
the tanner step blithely away to his
task. 1t was then hearty twelve
o'clock, aud she sought her own
chamber 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 thrill went through him, for
it seemed as if he could hear low,
suppressed breathing, not far away
but he persuaded himself that it was
the wind blowing through the crew.
ices of the old house. Still it was
very lonely, and not at all cheerful.
The face in the coffin cleaned
whittier through tie darkness, The
rats squeaked as if a famine was upon
them and they smelled dead flesh.
The thought made him shudder. He
got up and walked about, aud some
thing made a slight noise as is some
body was behind, and he put his
chair with its back against tho wall,
aud sat down again. He had been
hard at work all day, and at last, in
spite of everything, be grew sleepy
finally he nodded and snorod.
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody
had touched him. He awoke with a
start, and saw nobody near, through
in the center Of the room stood a
white figure.
Course you, get out of this lie
exclaimed in fright, using the first
words that came to his tongue.
The figure held up his right hand
and slowly approached him, He
started to his feet. The spectre
came nearer, nearly pressing him in
the corner.
"The ID take you!' cried Barr
ney, in his extremity.
Involuntarily he stepped back, still
the figure advanced, coming nearer
and nearer, ard extending both arms,
as iftoitake him in aghostly embrace.
The hair started up ON Baruey's
head lie grew desperate, aud just
as the cleaning arms would have
touched him he fell upon the ghost
like whirlwind, tearing off the
sheet. humping, pounding, beating
and kicking, moro aud more enragbd
at the resistance he met, which told
him the truth,
AS the reader knows, he vas big,
and Fritz was little and while he
was pummeling the little tanner un-
metGifdlIy, and Fritz was trying in
vain to get a ldnge at Barnoy's stom-
ache, to take the wind out of him,
both plunging and kicking like a
horse, they were petriHed by hear
ing a voice cry;
Take one Of your size, Big Gar
ney.
Looking around they saw the
corpse sitting up in his coffin. This
was too much. They released each
other and sprang for the door. They
never knew how they got out but
they ran home in hot haste, painting
like stags.
1t was Barbara herself who came
aud opened the door upon Earnest
TIE next morning.
It's very early; one more little
nap" soid he, turning over in his
coffin.
So she married him though she
sent Fritz and Barney Invitations to
the Wedding, they did not appear. II
they discovered the trick, they kept
the knowledge to themselves. and
never willingly faced Barbara's S
laughing eyes.
BooKs.ZBooks are faithful repos-
tories, which may be while neg
lected or forpotten. mt when thew