Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-18

al have q proposal to make you.
My plan requires skill, as well as
courage"
"Tell me-"
"Well, in this house is a man
watching a corpse. He has sworn
not to leave his post until morning.
If you can make him do it, l shall he
satisfied that you are as smart and as
brave as I require a husband to be-"
why, nothing is SO easy ~ cx-
claimed Fritz. 81 can scare him
away. Furnish me with a sheet,
show me the room, and go to your
rest. Barbara. You will find me at
the post in the morning."
Barbara did as he required, and
saw the tanner step blithely away to
his task. 1t was then IL O'clock, and
she sought her own chamber.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and
SO. far all had been well. The night
seemed very long, for he had no
means of counting the time. At
times a thrill went through him, for
it seemed AS if he could hear a low,
suppressed breathing not far away,
but he persuaded himself it was the
wind blowing through the crevices
of the house. Still it was lonely,
and not at all cheerful.
The face in the coffin cleaned
through the darkness. The rats
squeaked as famine were upon them
and smelled fish. The thought made
him shuddcr. He got up and walked
about, but 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 everything he
grew sleepy. Finally he nodded and
snored.
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody
had touched him. ne awoke with a
start, aud saw nobody near, though
in the center of the room stood a
white figure. course you, get out
Of this !" he exclaimed, in a 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
specter came nearer, passing him in
his extremity.
"The devil take YOU" cried Bar
ncy in his extremity.
Involuntary he stepped back ; and
the figure advanced, coming nearer
and nearer. and extending both arms
as if to take him i'll a ghostly embrace.
The hair started up OH Barney'a
head, he grew desperate, and as the
cleaning arms would have touched
him he fell upon the ghost like @
whirlwind, tearing off the sheet,
humping, pounding, kicking and
beating more and more at the resis.
tance he met, which told him the
truth.
AS the reader knows, Barney was
big and Fritz was little, and while
pummeling the little tanner unmerci-
fully Fritz was trying to lunge at
Barney's stomach to take the wind
out of him, both plunging and kick
ing like horses, they were pctriicd
to hear voice cry, "Take one of
your size, Big Barney"
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 al home like painting stage.
1t was Barbara herself who came
and opened the door upon Ernest tho
! next morning.
Z at is very early, one more nap,'
! said he, turning over in his coffin.
SO she married him, and though
! she sent Fritz and Barney invitations
!. to the wedding, they did not appear.
If they discovered the trick they
kept the knowledge to themselves
and willingly faced Barbara!
laughing eyes again.