Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1871-08-17

Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner
arrived, Battered and hopeful from tn
fact that Barbara had sent for him.
"Have you changed your mind
Barbara ?" he asked.
| "No; 1 shall not until l know tina
you can do really brave thing"
| "What shall it be? l swear to sat
isfy you, Barbara"
| IL have proposal to make you
My plan requires skill as well as cour
age"
"Tell NO."
"Well, in this house is a man watch
ing by corpse. He has sworn not to
leave his post till morning. If you
can make him do it, | shall be salts
fed that you are as smart and as brave
as l require husband to be-"
"Why, nothing is so easy p exclaim-
cd Fritz. II can scare him away
Furnish me with a sheet, show me the
room, and 60 to your rest, Barbara
You will find me at the post in the
morning"
Barbara did as required, and saw
the tanner slip blithely away to his
task. 1t was then nearly twelve
o'clock, and she sought her own cham
Der.
Barney had been sitting at his Wig
il, and so far all had been well. The
night seemed very long, for he had no
means of counting the time. AT
times thrill went through him, for it
seemed to him as if he could hear low,
suppressed breathing not far away;
but he persuaded himself that it was
the wind blowing through the crevices
of the old house. Still it was very
lonely and not at all cheerful.
The face in the coffin cleaned winter
through the darkness. The rats squeak
ed as if famine was upon them and
they smelled flesh. The thought made
him shudder. He got up and walked
about, but something made 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 everything he grew
sleepy. Finally he nodded and snor-
ed
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody
had touched him. He awoke with a
start, but saw nobody near him,
though in the centre of the room stood
white figure.
"Curse you, get out of this !" he
exclaimed in a fright, using the very
first words that came to his tongue.
The figure held out its right hand
and slowly approached him. He start
ed to his feet. The spectre came near
er, pressing him into corner.
"The devil take your cried Barney
in great extremity.
Involuntarily he stepped back Still
the figure advanced, coming nearer
and nearer, and extending both arms
The hair started on Barney's head
he grew desperate, and as the CLEAN
ing arms would have touched him, he
fell upon the ghost, like whirlwind,
tearing off the sheet, humping and
pounding, beating and kicking, more
and more enraged at the resistance he
met, which told him the truth.
AS the reader knows, he was big and
Fritz was little, and while he was pun
milling the little tanner numerically
and Fritz was trying to lunge at Bar.
ney's stomach, to take the wind out Of
him, both plunging and kicking like
horses, they were petri6ed by hearing
voice cry
"Take one of your size, Big Bar.
ney!"
Looking around, they saw the corpse
sitting up in the 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 haste, painting like wolves.
1t was Barbara herself who came
and opened the door upon Earnest the
next morning.
OTIS very early; one more little
nap" said he, turning over in his coffin
She married him, and though she
sent Fritz and Barney invitations to
the wedding, they did not appear. II
they discovered the trick, they kept
the knowledge to themselves and never
willingly faced Barbara's laughing
eyes.