The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-02-04
THE THREE BRAVE MEN.

Pretty Barbara Ferros would not
marry. Her mother was in conster.
nation.
"Why are you so stubborn, Bar
bnra2 ?" she asked, "you have plenty
of lovers, 1 know"
"But they do not suit me-" said
Barbara, coolly. tying back her curls
before the mirror.
"Why not"
"I want, when marry man who
is brave, equal to any emergency. II
| give up my liberty, | want some-
body to take care of it2'
"Silly child what is the matter
with Barney, the blacksmith ?"
"He is big. but 1 never learned
that he was brave"
And you never heard that he was
not. What is the matter with Ear
nest, the s unsmith ?"
Hes as placid as goats milk"
"That's no sign that he coward.
There is little Fritz, the tanner; he
is quarrelsome enough for you sure
ly."
"He is no bigger than n bantam
cock. 1t is little he could do if the
house were set upon by robbers |"
"Its not always the strength that
wins fight, my girl. 1t takes brain.
as well as Drawn. Come here, Bar
bara, give these young fellows fail
trial"
Barbara turned her face before
the mirror, letting down one raven
tress and looping up another.
"I will mother" said she at last.
That evening Earnest, the gun.
smith, knocked at the door.
"You sent for me, Barbara" he
said, going to the girl, who stood
upon thd,hearth coquettishly warm
Ing one foot and then the other.
Yes, Earnest" she replied, "I'vC
been thinking of what you said the
other night when you were here"
"Well, Barbara ap'
Earnest spoke quietly, but he dark
blue eyes flashed, and he looked a
her intently.
81 want to test you"
"How?'
81 want to see if you dare do {
very disagreeabie thing"
"What is it?"
"There is an old coffin up stairs
1t smells of mold. They say Red
mund the murderer, was buried in
It'll but the devil came for his body
and left the coffin empty at the end
of the week and it was finally takel
from the tomb! 1t is up stairs il
the room my grand sire died in, anC
they say graudsire does not res
easy in his grave for some reason
that l know nothing about. Dar,
you make the coffin your bed to
night2"
ais that all ? l will that, aud slecT
soundly. Why, pretty one, did yUl
think | had week nerves 2"
"Your nerves will have proof |
you undertake it. Remember, DC
one sleeps in that wing of tn,
house"
IL shall sleep the sounder,"
"Good night, then. l will seut
lad to show you the chamber i
you stay until morning." said imper-
ious Miss Barbara, with nod Of heI
pretty head, ~ will marry you"
"You VOW it2"
Earnest turned straightway ant
followed the lad in waiting through
the rooms and passages, upechoinj
stairs, along narrow damp ways
where rats scattered before them, to
a low chamber. The boy locke,
pale and scared, and evidently want
ed to hurry away, but Earnest mad,
him wait until he took a good sur
vey of the loom by the aid of hi
lamp. 1t was very large and full o
recesses, with high windows in then
which we're barred across. He re-
membered that old grandsire Ferros
had been insane for several years be
fore his death, so that this precau
ton had been necessary for the safe
~ of himself and others. In til
center Of the room stood a coffiu ; be
sides it was placed a chair Th
room was otherwise perfectly empty
Earnest stretched himself in tn
coffin.
"Be kind enough to tell Miss Bar
bara that it is a very good ft," sal
he.
The boy went out and shut III
door, leaving the young gunsmitl
/ alone in the dark.
Meanwhile, Barbara was talkin
: with the blacksmith in the keepin
room,
: Barney" said she, pulling he
hands away from HIS grasp when b