The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-04-29

flattered and hopeful. from the fact tina
Barbara had sent for him.
"Have you changed your mind, Bar
bara ?" he asked.
"No; and shall not until I know
that you can do really brave ac
ton" N4w#
"What is it?"
"Well, in this house is man watch
ing corpse. He has sworn not to leave
his post until morning. If you Car
make him do it, shall be satisfied thai
you are as smart and as brave rs re-
quire husband to be-"
"Why nothing is SO easy!" exclaim'
ed Fritz. II can scare him away
r~-,.ish me with =. sheet, show me Into
the room, and gonS your rest. Barbara
you shall find me at the post in tn.
morning"
Barbara did as required, and saw the
tanner step blithely away to his task.
1t was then nearly twelve o'clock
and she sought her own chamber quick.
ly.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and SC
farail had been well. The night semed
very long. At times q thrill went
through him, for it seemed as if he
could hear low, suppressed breathing,
not far away; but lie persuaded himself
! that it was the wind blowing through
the crevices of the old house. Still it
was very lonely and not at all agreea-
ble.
The face in the coffin cleaned whittier
through the darkness. The rats
squeaked us if a famine was upon them
and they smelled dead flesh - the
thought made him shu,lder. He got up
and walked about, and something made
a slight noise as if somebody was be-
hind, and he put his chair with its back
against the wall, and sat down again.
He had been hard at work all day,
and at last, in spite Of everything, he
grew sleepy he nodded and
snored.
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody
had touched him. He awoke with u
start, aud saw nobody near, though in
the center of the room stood q white
figure.
Course you, get out Of this!" ho ex-
claimed in fright, using the 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,
nearly pressing him into the cor
ner.
1.-The ID take you !" cried Barney
in l.io ~ntIcrrf.y.
Involuntarily he stepped back, still
the figure advanced, coming nearer and
nearer, and extending both arms, as if
to take him in a ghostly embrace. The
hair started up on Barney's head; he
grew desperate, and just as the gIeam-
ing arms would have touched him, he
fell upon the ghost like whirlwind,
tearing off the sheet, humping, pound
ing, beating and kicking, more and
more enraged at the resistance he met,
which told him the truth.
A. the reader knows, h.. was big and
Fritz was little; aud while he was pum-
melting the little tanner numerically,
and Fritz was trying in vain to get a
lunge at Barney's stomach, to take
the wind out Of him, both plunging and
kicking like II horse, they were petri-
fled by hearing a voice cry:
Take one of your size, Big Bar
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 rau home
painting like stays.
1t was Barbara herself who came and
opened the door upon Earnest the next
morning.
"It's very early; one more little nap"
said he, turning over in his coffin.
SO she married him; and though she
sent Fritz aud Barney invitations to the
wedding, they did not appear. If they
discovered the trick, they kept the
knowledge to themselves, and never
willingly faced Barbara's laughing
eyes.