The Van Buren press., 1869-04-13
MISCELLANY.
THREE BRAVE MEN.

Pretty Barbara Fergos would not mar
ry, Her mother Was in CONSERVATION
Why are you SO stubborn, Barbara -
she asked, - You have plenty oflovers"
But they do not SUI me-" said Bar
bara, coolly tying her curls before the
mirror r.. Boo .H
why not ?"
Il want, when / marry, n man who is
brave--equal to any emergency. If |
give up my liberty, want to be taken
care of. .r.....# ... .. rn...
Silly child What is the matter with
big Barney, the blacksmith r s u
4" He is big, but never learned that he
was brave +. ...r. ..-...... .r.
And you never heard that he was not.
What is the matter with Ernest, the gun
smith. y. .ra.. .... .......
He is as placid as goats milk"
/" That's no sign he is coward. There
is little Fritz, the tanner; he is quarrel.
some enough for you, surely" ..
"He is no bigger than bantam cock.
1t is little he could do if the house was
set upon by robbers .....
9 1t is not always strength that wins n
fight, girl. 1t takes brain as well as
Drawn. Come now, Barbara, give these
fellows fair trial" y. . pol
Barbara turned her face before the
mirror, letting down one raven tress and
and looping up another. Il will mother
said she, at last. ell. .. ...... ..... .ue
That evening Ernest, the gunsmitA,
knocked early at the door You sent
Tor me, Barbara" he said, going to the
girl, who stood up on the hearth, coquett.
ishly warming one pretty foot and then
the other ...... .... ....
g" Yes, Ernest she replied, Z" I've been
thinking ofwhat you said the other night,
u;hen y'o.. hos -.
well, Barbara" ........ ...'.
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark blue
eyes flashed, and he looked at her intent
ly............... ..... s.. .g-.....t ....i.
II want to test you.' ...
Glow" ..a.'... .......
There is an oil coffin up stairs 1t
smells Of mould. They say Redmond,
the murderer, was buried in it; but the
devil came fox his body at the end of a
week, and left the coffin empty, and was
finally taken from the tomb. 1t is up
stairs, i'll the room my grandfather died
in, an they say grandsire does not rest
easy in BIS grave for some reason, though
that | know nothing about. Dare You
make thai your bed tonight p -..
Ernest laughed as that ALP will
do that and sleepy soundly, Whypret
ty one, did you think | had weak nerves =
/" Your nerves will have good proof if
you undertake it. Remember no one
sleeps in that wing Of the house" ..
" | shall sleep the sounder' .... ...
GOOD nigh,, then, will send a lad to
you the chambe Ifyou stay there until
morning." said the imperious Miss Bar
bara, Il will marry You lt@--
You vow it" r.0 ". Nt.
{" vow it." 1r| I... 2.f.E.. ul Boo
Ernest turned straightway, and follow
ed the lad in waiting, through dim rooms
and passages, up echoing stairs, where
rats scuttled before them, to 4 low cham
Der. The boy looked pale and scared,
and evidently wanted to hurry away but
+ nest made him wait until he took sur
vev of the room, by the light Of his lamp.
It ~as very large and full of reccsses,
with n:igh windows in them, which were
barrel acro,s He remembered that old
Grandsire Ferros iisd been insane for sew
eral years before his dca.h, SO that this
precaution had been necessary for the
safety Of himself and others. In the cen
ter of the room stood a coffin; beside it
wise perfectly empty ...r.-.
Ernest stretched himself in the coffin,
"Be kind enough to tell Miss Barbara
that it's very good fit, said he
The boy went out and shut the door,
leaving the gunsmith alone in the dark.
Meanwhile Barbara was talking with the
blacksmith in the keeping room, Bar
ney,' said she, pulling her hands away
from his grasp when he would have kiss
cd her, ;" I've a test to put to you before
give you my answer, There is corpse
lying in the chamber where my grandsire
died, in the untenanted wing ofthe house,
If you dare sit with it there all night, and
let nothing drive you from your post,
you will not ask me to marry you in
vain"
You give a me light, bottle OF
wine, and book to read ~
Nothing" .... XXX.
p" AFRO these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara ~
IAN. And If you get frightened, you
need never look me in the face again,
"I'll take them then"
so Barney was conducted TO his post
by the lad who had been instructed in
the secret, and whose voluntary stare at
Ernests placid face as it lay in tho coffin
was interpreted by Barney to be natural
awe ola corpse. He took his seat, and
the boy left him alone with the darkness,
the rats and the coffin,
Soon after, young Fritz, tho tanner ar
rived, battered and hopeful from the fact
that Barbara had sent for him. "Have
Won cbanued vour mind. barbara ?" Dr.