Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-11-04
Weskly Grinity yournal.
THREE BRAVE MEN.

" But they do not suit me-" said Barbara,
cody, tying her curls before the mirror.
"Why not?'
" want when marry, man who is brave
equal to any emergency, If give up my liber-
ty, l want to be taken care ofn
Silly child What is the matter with Big
Barney, the blacksmith 2"
q He is big, but never learned that he was
Brave"
"Aud you never learned that he was not
What is the matter with Ernest, the gunsmith ~
" He's as placid as goats milk"
''That is no sign he is a coward. There is
little Fritz, the tanner he is quarresome enough
for you, surely"
{" He is no bigger than Bantam cock, 1t is
little that be could do if the house was set upon
by robbers.
" 1t is not always strength that wins fight,
girl. 1t takes brain as well as Drawn. Come,
Barbara, give these fellows fair trial"
Barbara turned her face before the mirror, let
ting down one raven tress and hooking up an
ether.
IL will, mother" she sad at length.
That evening" Ernest, the gunsmith, knocked
early at the door
You sent for me Barbara" he said, going to
the girl, who stood upon the hearth coquetshly
warming one foot and then the other.
ayes, Ernest" she replied, I've been think
ing of what you said the other night when you
we're here"
Well, Barbara"
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark blue eyes
L
want to test YOU"
How ?"
' want to see if you dare do a very disagree
able thing"
What is it 2"
There is an old coffin up stairs, It-smells of
mold. They say Redmond, the murderer, was
buried in it, but the devil came for his body and
left the coffin empty at the end of the week, and
it was finally taken from the tomb. 1t is up
stairs in the room my grandfather died in, and
they say grandsire does not rest easy in his
grave, for some reason-though that l know
nothing about. Dare you make that your bed
tonight"
Ernest laughed.
is that all l will do it, and sleep souudly
Why, pretty one, did you think 1 had weak
nerves?'
90 Your nerves will have good proof if you un-
dertake it, Remember, no one sleeps in that
wing of the house"
/" shall sleep the sounder."
" Good night then will send lad to show
you the chamber. If you stay there until morn
ing" said the imperious Barbara, with a nod of
bor
" You vow it2'
" | VOW it,"
Ernest turned straightway and followed the
lad in waiting through dim rooms and passages,
up echoing stairs, along narrow damp ways where
rats scampered before them, to a low chamber
The boy looked pale and scared, and evidently
wanted to hurry away, but Ernest made him stay
until he took survey of the room by the aid of
his lamp. 1t was very large and rull of recesses
with high windows in them, which were barred
across. He remembered that old Grandsire Fer
roS had been insane for several years before his
death, so that this precaution had been necessary
for the safety of himself and others. In the
center Of the room stood coffin ; beside it was
placed a chair. The room was otherwise perfect
ly empty.
Ernest stretched himself in the coffin
g. Be kind enough to tell Miss Barbara that it
is very good it,'' said he.
The boy went out and shut the door, leaving
the grnsmith in the dark.
Meanwhile Barbara was talking with the black
smith in the keeping room.
Barney" said she, pulling her hands away
ba
" have test to put you to- before give you
an answer. There is corpse lying in the cham
Der where my grandsire died, in the untenanted
wing of the house. If you dare sit there all
night and let nothing drive you from your post,
you will not have asked me TO marry you in
vain"
" You will give me light, book to read and
a bottle of wine ?''
Nothing"
" Are these all the conditions you can offer
me, Barbara p
{" All. And if you get frightened, you need
look me in the face again"
I" 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 Ernest's placid face as
it lay in the coffin was interpreted by Barney to
be natural awe of a corpse. He took his seat
and the boy left him alone with the darkness, and
the rats, and the coffin
Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner, arrived,
fattered andt dtopeful, from the fact that Barbara
had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Barbara ~ he
asked.
No; and shall not until l know you can do
really brave thing"
What shall it be? Iswear to satfy you,
Barbara"