Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-02-04
THE THREE BRAVE MEN

marry. Her mother was IN conslel
nation.
"Why areyou so stubborn, Barbara
she asked, "you have plenty of lovers,
know"
"But they do not suit me" said Bar
bara, coolly, tying back her curls
before the mirror.
"Why not Z"
al want, when / marry, man who
is brave, equal to any emergency. II
! give up my liberty ! want somebody
TO take care OF it,.
"Sily child What is the matter
with big Barney, the blacksmith r
''He is big, but never learned that
he was brave"
"And you never heard that he was
not What is the matter with Earnest,
the gunsmith p
"He'sa as placid as goats milk"
"That's no sign that he is coward.
There is little Ertz, the tanner; he
is quarrelsome enough foryou surely"
"He is no bigger than a bantam
chicken. 1t is little he could do if the
house was set upon by robbers"
at is not always the strength that
wins fight my girl 1t takes brains
as well as brawn. Come now, Barbara,
give these young men a fair trial"
Barbara turned her face before the
mirror letting down one raven tress
and looping mp another.
~ will, mother" said she, at last.
That evening, Earnest, the gun
smith, knocked carly at the door
"You sertfor me, Barbara" be said,
going to the girl, who stood upon the
hearth uoquetishly warming one foot
and then the other
ayes, Earnest" she replied, dive
been thinking Of what you said the
other night when you were here"
"Well, Barbara"
Earnest spoke quietly, but his dark
blue eyes flashed, and he looked at
her intenty.
al want to test you"
HHowp
al want to see if you dare do very
dsagreeable thing"
"What isit?"
"There is an old coffin up stairs.
It smells Of mould. They say Red
mond, murderer, was buried in il;
but the devil came for his body and
left the coflin empty at the end Of u
week; and It was finally taken from
the tomb. 1t is up stairs in the room
my grandsire died in, and they say
grandsre does not rest easy in bis
grave for some reason, that / know
nothing about. Dare you make that
coffin your bed tonight"
ais that ally ! will do that, and
sleep soundly. Why, pretty one, did
you think | had weak ncrvcsl p
"Your nerves will have good proof
if you undertake it, Remember, no
one sleeps in that wing OF the house"
81 shall sleep the sounder."
"Good night, then. | win send n
lad to show you the chamber. If you
will stay until morning said imperi-
Gus Miss Barbara, with q nod of her
pretty head, 81 will marry you"
"You VOW it p
81 do"
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 chamber. The boy looked pale
and scared, aud evidently wanted to
hurry away; but Earnest mado him
waituntil he took a survey Of the room
by the aid Of his lamp. The room
was very large and full Of reccsses,
with high windows in them which
were barred across lie remembered
that old Grandsiro Ferros had been
insane for several years before his
death, so that this precaulion had been
necessary for the safety OF himsefand
others. In the centre Of tho room
stood coffin; beside it was placed a
chair The room was otherwise per.
tectIy empty.
Earnest stretched himself in the
coffin.
"Be kind enough to tell Miss Bar.
y bara that it is very good ft," said
be.
N The boy went out and shut the door,
leaving The young guGsmith alono in
the dark
Meanwhile Barbara was talking
Y with the blacksmith in the keeping
room
Barney" said she, pulling her
hands away from his grasp whom he
would have kissed her, I've a tost Ia
put you TO before / give You any an.
swer There is corpse lying in tho
chamber where my grandsire died, IN
The untenantod wing of The house II
yon dare sit with il there all night
and let nothing drive you from yout
post, you will not ask me to marry
again ia vain"
"lou will give me a light, a bottle
OF wine, and % book 10 read
"Nothing"
"Aro these an the conditions YOU
can offer me, Barbara p
"All And If you get frightened
you need never look me in the face
again"
I'm take them, then"
% Barney was conducted TO hi.
post by the had who had been inslrnc
leh ~ The secret, and whose involun
tary stare ut Earnest's placid face a.
It lay in the coffin was interpreted b,
Barney to be natural awe of corpse
lie took his seat aud the boy left hin
alone with the darkness, the rats anc
the coffin.
Soon after Fritz, the tanner, arrived