Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-18
THREE BRAvE M N


nation.
"Why are you so stubborn, Bar
bara?" she asked. "You have plen-
ty oflovers."
But they do not suit me-" said
Barbara, coolly tying her curls be-
fore the mirror.
"Why not?
"Iwant, when / marry, a man who
is b~rave-equal to any emergency.
If I give up my liberty, want to be
taken care Of"
"Silly child! what is the matter
with Big Barney, the blacksmith"
Gle is big, but | never learned
that he was brave"
"And you never heard that he was
not. What is the matter with En-
nest, the gunsmith?"
"He is placid as goats milk"
"That is no sign that he is a cow
ard. There is little Fritz, the tan
ner, he is quarrelsome enough for
you, surely
"He is no bigger than a bantam
cock. 1t is little he could do if the
house was set upon by robbers
"It is not always strength that
wins a fight, girl. 1t takes brain as
well rs Drawn. Come, now, Barba-
ra, give these fellows a fair trial"
Barbara turned her face before the
mirror, letting down one aver tress,
and hooking up another. 81 will,
MOTHER" said she at last.
That evening Ernest, the gunsmith,
knocked ut the door.
"You sent for me, Barbara 2" he
asked, going to the girl, who stood
upon the hearth, coquettishly warm
ing one foot and the other.
"Yes, Ernest" she replied, "l've
been thinking of what you said the
other night when you were here"
well, Barbara"
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark
blue eyes flashed, and he looked at
her intently.
"Iwant to test YOU"
"How?"
81 want to see if you dare do a
very disagreeable thing"
"What is it 2"
"There 10 an old coffin up stairs.
1t smells of mould. They say Red
mond, the murderer, was buried il,
it, but the devil came for his body
and left the coffin empty at the end
of a 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 to night?"
Earnest laughed. "Is that all? l
will do that, and sleep soundly.
Why, pretty one, did you think
have weak nerves."
"Your nerves will have a good
proofif you undertake it. Remem-
Der no one sleeps in that wing of the
house."
81 shall sleep the soundcr."
GOOD night, then. l will sehd
you a lad to show you your chamber.
If you stay there until morning.
said the imperious Barbary, with a
nod of her pretty head, 81 will mar
YOU"
"You vow it?"
Earnest turned traightway and fol
lowed the lad in waiting through din
rooms and passages. up echoime
stairs, along narrow, damp ways
where rats scuttled before them, to
low chamber. The boy looked pail
aud scared, and evidently wanted t.
hurry away, but Ernest made hin
stay until he took a survey of t,t
room by the light of his lamp. Il
was very large and full of recesscs
with high windows in them, which
were barred across. lie remembered
that old grandsire Ferros had beer
crazy several years before his death
so that this pr~ecautiou HAD been nee
essary for the safety of himself ant
others. In the center of tho room
was . coffin ; beside it was placed ,
chair. The room was otherwise per
fsosly empty.
Ernest stretched himself in tho
coffin. "Be kind enough to tell Miss
Barbara that it's a good fit,'' said he
The boy went out and shut the door
leaving the sunsmith in the dark.
Meanwhile Barbara was talking
with the blacksmith in the keepin.
room.
Barney" said she, pulling hcl
hands away from his grasp when h,
would have kissed her, "Fve a ties
to put to You before I give ;ou M,
answer. There is a corpse lying il
the chamber where my grandsir'
died-lying in the untcnantcd win:
OF the house. II you dare sit with il
there all night, and let nothing drive
You from your post, you will not ask
""S AZ VI" MARRY yOu.'
"YOu will give me a light and O
bottle Of wine, aud q book to read p,
Nothing"
care these all the conditions vo,,
can offer me, Barbara:
"Ali. And il You get frightened
you need never look me In the face,
am take them, thea
50 Barney was conducted 10 hi
post by the lad, who had been IN
-tructed In the secret, and whose vol
pntsry stare at Ernest's placid face
~ IL lay in the coffin, was like
corpse. He took his seat, and tn
hoy left him alone with the darkness
rats and the coffin.
"soon after young Fritz, the tan
ner, arrived, fattered aud hopeful
from the fact that Barbara had SEN
Tor him. Have you changed your
mind, Bsrbsrs Z" be sskcd.
mo: I shall not until ] know that
you can do . really brsys thing"
"Whst shall IL BET / swear ]
si,sII sstisfy you, Barbara"