The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-06-24
EBENSBURG, PA, THURSDAY. JUNE "A, 1869.

away from his grasp when he would have
kissed her, 81 have tesc to put you to
Defcre l give you any answer. There is a
corpse lying in the chamber where my
grandsire died, in the untenanted wing of
the house. Ifyou dare sit with it there all
highland let nothing drive you from your
post, you'll not ask me to marry you in vain"
You give me light and bottle of
wine and book to read 2"
"Nothingp'
care these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara" 2"
"All And if you get frightened,
YOU need never lock me in tho face
III take them. them
30 Barney was conducted lie nos+
by the lad, who had been instructed in
the secret, and whose voluntary stare at
Ernest's placid face as it lay in the coffin
was interpreted by Barney to be natural
awe of a corpse. He took his seat and
the boy left him alone with the darkness
and the rats and the coffin.
Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner ar
rived, fattered and hopeful from the fact
that Barbara had sent for HIM
"Have you changed your mind, Barba-
ra ?'' he asked.
No; and [ shall not, until I know
that you can do really brave thing"
NV hat shall it be [ swear to satisfy
you, Barbara"
Il have proposal to make to you. My
plan requires skill as we'll as courage"
''Tell me -
''Well in this house is a man watching
by corpse He has sworn 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 [ require hus-
band to be-"
"Why, nothing is SO easy ?" exclaimed
Fritz. II can scare him away. Furnish
me with sheet, show me the room, and
90 to your rest Barbara You will find
me at the post IN the morning"
Barbara did as he required, and saw
the tanner step blitholy away to his task.
It was then nearly twelve clock, and she
sought her own chamber Barney was
sitting at his vigil.
The face in the coffin cleaned winter
| through the darkness The rats squeaked
as if famine were upon them, and they
smelled flesh. The thought made him
shudder. He got up and walked about,
,blsS something made a slight noise, as Il
somebody was behind him and he put his
chair with the back against the wall, and
sat down again. He had been hard at
wol k all day, and at last, in spite OF every
thing, he grew sleepy. Finally he nodded
| and snored
Sud denly it seemed rs if somebody had
| touched him He awoke with start and
saw nobody near, though i'll the centre OF
the room stood a white figure.
Course you get out Of this" he ex-
claimed, in fright, using the very first
words that came to his tongue.
The figure held up its right hand and
Slowly approached him. He started to
his feet. The spectre came nearer press
ing him in the corner.
THE ID take you! :" cried Barney, in
his extremity
Involuntarily he stepped back, still the
! figure advanced, coming nearer, and ex-
tending both arms, as if to take him in a
! CHASTITY embrace. The hair started up on
Barney's head he grew desperate, and as
the cleaning arms would have touched
him, he fell upon the ghost ike a whirl-
wind, tearing off the sheet, humping,
pounding, beating and kicking, more and
more outraged at the resistance he met,
which told him the truth.
AS the reader knows, he was big and
Fritz was little and while pumnreling
the little tanner numerically, and Fritz
was trying to lounge at Barney's stomach,
to take the wind cut Of him, both plung-
ing and kicking like horses, they were
/ pertriGed by hearing a voice cry:
take one of your size, big Barney"
Looking around, they saw the corpse
sitting up in the coffin. This was too
much. They released each other and sprans
Cor the door. They never knew how they
got out but they ran home IN hot haste:
painting like stays.
1t was Barbara herself who came and
opened the door upon Ernest the next
morning. >,
"Tt's very early; one more little nap
said he, turning over in his cotiln
So she married him and though she
sent Fritz and Barney invitations to the
wedding, they did not appear. If they
discovered the trick they kept the knowl-
edge to themselves, and never willingly
faced Barba1a's laughing eyes again.
-
"A new-made widow went recently to