Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-09-29
THREE BRAVE MEN.

"lsut they don't suit me" said Barbara,
eoclly tying her curls before the mirror
"Why not 2"
~ want, when [ marry, q man who is
Brave--cqual to any emergency. If | give
up my liberty, want to be taken care of
"Sflly child What is tho matter with
big Barney, the blacksmith 2"
,"He is big, but never learned that he was
brave"
"And you have never heard that ho was
not What is tho matter with Ernest, the
gunsmith 2"
"He's as placid as goats milk"
'That is no sign he is coward. There is
little Fritz, the tanner he is quarrelsonne
enough for you, surely"
e"lie is no bigger than bantam cock 1t
is little he could do, if the house was set upon
by robbers"
"lts not always strength that wins fight.
girl. 1t takes brains as well as brawn--
Come now, Barbara, give these fellows fair
trial"
Barbara turned her face before the mirror,
letting down one raven trcss and looping up
another.
"Lwill, mother" said sic, at last.
That evening, Ernest, the gunsmith, knock
cd early at the door.
"You sent for NO. Barbara !" he said going
to" the girl, who. stood upon the hearth, co.
quettishy warming one pretty foot and then
the other.
eyes, Ernest" she replied "I've been
thinking of what you said tho other night,
when you were here"
"Well, Barbara 2"
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark blue
eyes flashed, and lie looked at her intcutly
81 want to tost YOU
"IIow z"
81 want to sec if you da,c to doa very dis.
agrccublc thing"
"What is t?''
''There is an old coffin up stairs. It tsmels
Of mould. They say Redmond, the murder.
or, was buried in it but the devil came for
his body and left the coffin empty, at the end
of week, and it was finally taken from the
tomb 1t is up stairs in the room my grand.
father deid in, and the say grandsirc 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.
els that ali ?" 1 will do that, and sleep
soundly. Why. pretty one, did you think |
had weak nerves p
"Your nerves will have good proof if you
undertake it, Remember, no one sleeps in
that wing of the house"
IL shall sleep the sounder."
f"Good night, then. 1 will send lad to
show you the chamber. If you stay there
until morning." said the impcrious Miss Bar.
bara, with nod of her pretty head, IL will
marry YOU"
"You vow it?"
81 VOW it,"
Ernest turned straightway and followed
tho lad in waiting through the dim rooms md
: passages, up cchoing stairs, along narrow,
damp ways, where rats scuttled before them,
to allow chamber. The lad looked palo and
scared, and evidently wanted to hurry away
but Finest made him wait until he took sur.
vcy of the room by the aid of his lamp. It
was large and full Of reccssos, with high win
dow in them, which were barred across. lie
remembered that old Grandslro Ferros had
been insane for several years before his death,
so that this precauton had been necessary for
the safety Of himself aud others. In the cen.
tre OF the room stood n coffin beside it was
placed chair. Tho room was otherwise per.
feotly empty.
Ernest stretched himselfin the coffin.
"Be kind enough to tell Miss Barbara that
lisa very good Gt
The boy went out and shut the door, leav
ing the gunsmith alone in the dark.
Meanwhile, Barbara, was talking with the
blacksmith in the keeping room ts
"Barney," said she, pulling her hauds
away from his grasp, when he would have
kissed her, ,"i've a test to put you to before
give you any answer. There is corpse ly
ing ihthe chamber where my grandsiro died
in the untenanted wing of the house. If yor
dare sit with it thoro all night, and let moth
ing drive you from your post, you will not asl
me to marry you in vain"
'"You give me light and bottle Of wine
and hook to read 2"
"Nothing r
I IrAre these all tho conditions you offer me
Barbara p"
Gail. Andifyo get frightened, you nec,
never look me in the face again"
,..sI'll take them, then"
SO Barney was conducted to his post by tn
-ladewho had been instructed in tho secret
and whose voluntary stare at Ernests paci,
sfaco as.it lay in the coffin was interpreted b
ttl3atpey to be n natural awe Of corpse. II
took lis scat, and the boy left him alone wit
S'the, darkness and tho rats and the coffin.
Ia5.Soon after, young Fritz the tanner, arrv
Jorod, lflattered and hopeful, from the fact tha
Barbara had sent for him.
rs Tx '.slfayo you changed your mind, Barbara
s;he asked. I'D,
s,.s "No; and Isshall not until know tha
.syou can doreally brave thing"
4 uWhat shall it be /? swear to satisfy YOU