The Portland daily press., 1869-04-03
Selected story.
THREE BRAVE MEN.


Pretty Barbara Ferros would not marry.
Her mother was IN CONSERVATION. "Why are
Won SO stubborn, Barbara ?" she asked "You
have plenty of lovers"
"But they do not suit me-" said Barbara.
coolly tying her curls before the mirror.
"Why not"
81 want, when l marry, man who is
braye-equal to any emergency Ill give up
my liberty, l want to be taken care of
SILLY child! What is the matter with big
Barney, the blacksmith"
HE is big, but never learned that he was
brave"
"And you never heard that he was not.
What is the matter with Ernest. the gun
smith?"
"He is as placid as goats milk"
" That's no sign he IS coward. There is
little Fritz, the tanner; he is quarrelsome
enough for you, surely"
HE is no bigger than a bantam COCK IL
is little he could 10 il the house was set upon
by robbers
cit is not always strength that wins fight,
girl. 1t takes brain as well as Drawn. Come
now. Barbara, give these fellows fair trial."
Barbara turned her face before the mirror,
letting down one raven tress, and looping up
another. II will mother" said size, at last.
That evening Ernest, the gunsmith, knock.
ed carry dt JIG uooI. 4Ou SeilJ lOf me, Bar
bara," he said, going to the girl, who stood ND
on the hearth, ccquettishly warming one
pretty foot and then the other.
"Yes, Ernest" she replied, "I'ye been
thinking OF what you said the other night,
when you were here"
swell, Barbara
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark blue eyes
flashed, and he looked at her intently.'
Il want to test you."
"How9"
"There is an old coffin up stairs. II smells
OF mould. They say Redmond, the murderer,
was buried in it, but the devil came for his
body at the end of week, and left the coffin
empty, and it was finally taken from the
tomb. 1t is up stairs, in the room my grand
father died in, and they say grandsire does
not rest easy in his grave for some reason,
though that / know nothing about. Dare
you make that your bed to-night?"
Ernest laughed. "ls that all? / will do
that and sleep soundly. Why, pretty one,
did you think 1 had weak neryes?"
"Your nerves will have good proof if you
undertake it. Remember, no one sleeps in
that wing of the house."
II shall sleep the sounder."
Goodnight, then, l will send lad to
show you the chamber. If you stay there
until morning" said the imperious Miss Bar
bara, Il will marry you."
'You VOW IL t?'
"I vow it"
Ernest turned straightway, and followed
the lad in waiting. through dim rooms anu
passages, up echoing stairs, where rats scut-
tied before them, to low chamber. The boy
looked pale and scared, and evidently want
ed to hurry away; but Ernest made him
wait until he took survey of the room by
the light oi his lamp. 1t was very large and
f.lll 0f writ biO1, xryi,, ham
which were barred across. He remembered
that old Grandsire Ferros had been insane
for several years before his death, SO that this
precautiUn had been necessary for the safety
OF himself and others. In the centre OF the
room stood coffin beside it was placed a
chair. The room was otherwise perfectly
empty.
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, leav-
ing the gunsmith alone in the dark. Mean
while Barbara was talking with the black
smith IN the keeping-room. Barney" said
she, pulling her hands away from his grasp
when he would have kissed her, "Tve a test
to put to you before give you my answer.
There is corpse lying in the chamber where
my arandsire died, in the untenanted wing OF
the 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 nae a light, bottle of wine and
book to read?,'
Nothing"
"Are these all the conditions you can offer
me, Barbarar
"All. And if you get frightened, you need
never look me in the face again."
"Tll take them them"
So Barney was conducted to his post by
the lad who had been instructed in the secret
and whose Involuntary stare at Ernest's placid
face as 1t lay in the coffin was interpreted by
Barney to be the natural awe-of corpse.
He took his seat, and the boy left him alone
with the darkness, the rats and the coffin.
Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner, arriv-
Barbarba had sent for him. "Have you
changed your mind, Bal lbara?'
mo; and 1 shall not until I know that
you do really brave thing"
"What shall it be? l swear TO satisfy you,
Barbara"
II have proposal to make to you. My
plan requires skill as well as courage"
"Tell me-"
swell, in this house is man watchi ag by
acorpse. He has sworn not to leave his post
until morning. Ifyou can make him do it.
shall be satisfied that yon are smart and
brave, as require husband to be-"
"Why, nothing is so easyp exclaimed
Fritz. II can scare him away. Furnish me
with sheet, show me the room and go to
your rest, Barbara. You will find me at nv
post in the morning.
Barbara did as he requested, and saw the
tanner step biithely away to his task 1t was
then nearly twelve o'clock and she sought
her own chamber.
Barney had been sitting at his vigil, and so
far all had been we'll The night seemed very
iolg, for he had no means of counting time
At times a thrill went through him, for it
seemed as il he could hear low suppressed
breathing not far away; but he persuaded
himself that it was the wind blowing through
the cIeVices of the old house. Still it was
very lonely and not at all cheerful.
The face in the coffin cleaned whittier in
the darkness. The rats squeaked as if fam
inc was upon them, and they smelled flesh.
The thought made him shudder. He got up
and walked about, hut something made a
slight noise, as if somebody was behind him,
and he put his chair with the back against
the wall, and sat down again. He had been
hard at work all day, and in spite of every
thing. grew sleepy Finally, he nodded and
snored. A f
Suddenly it seemed as If something touch
ed him. He awoke with start, but saw no.
body near, though in the center of the room
stood white figure. "Curse you, get out of
this" be exclaimed, in fright, using the
very first words that came to his tongue
The figure held up its right arm and slowly
approached him. He started to his feet
The spectre came nearer, pressing him into
corner. "The devil take youw cried Barney
in his extremity.
Involuntarily he stepped back. Still the
figure advanced, coming nearer and extend
ing both arms, as If to take him in a ghastly
embrace. The hair started on Barneys
head; he grew desperate, and as the gieam-
ing arms would have touched him, he fell
upon the ghost like vhirlwind, tearing off
the sheet, humping, pounding, beating and
kicking, more aud more outraged at the re-
sistance he met, which told him the truth.
AS the reader knows he was big and Fritz
little, and while pummeling the little tanner
numerically, and Fritz was trying to lunge
at Barney's stomach to take the wind out OF
him, both plunging and kicking like horses,
they were petrified by hearing voice cry
out:
Take one of your own size, big Barney"
Looking around, they saw the corpse SIT
ting 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 ran home in hot haste, painting like
pair of stays.
1t was Barbara herself who came and OPEN
ed the door upon Ernest the next morning.
"It's very early; one more little nap," said
he, turning over in the coffin.
So she married him; and though she sent
Fritz and Barney invitations to the wedding,
they did not appear. If they discovered the
Tuck, they kept the knowledge to themselves,
and never willingly faced Barbara's laughing