The Republican journal., 1876-07-20

stairs in the room my grandfather died in,
and they say grandsire does not rest easy
in his grave for some reason, though that
know nothing about, Dare you make
that your bed tonight? p
Ernst laughed.
is that all / Will do that and sleep
soundIy. Why, pretty one, did you think
had weak nerves.
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."
Good night, then. Will send a lad to
show YOU the chamber. II you Stay there
till morning." said the imperlous Miss
Barbara, with a nod of her pretty head,
II will marry YOU
you VOW it ?"
Il VOW it."
Ernst turned straight away, and fol-
lowed a lad in waiting, through dim
rooms and passages, echoing stairs along
narrow, damp ways, where rats scuttled
before them, to a low chamber. The boy
looked pale and scared, and evidently
wanted to hurry away, but Ernst made
him wait until he took a survey of the
room by the aid OF his lamp. 1t was large
and full of recesses with high windows in
them which were barred across. He re-
membcred that old Grandsire Eerros had
been insane several years before his death,
so the precaution had been necessary for
the safety OF himself and Others In the
centre OF the room stood coffin beside
it was a chair The room was otherwise
perfectly empty.
81 IA; cali j., fba antfir
BE kind enough to tell Miss barbara
that it is good it," said he.
The boy went out and shut the door,
leaving the gunsmith in the dark.
Meanwhile, Barbara was talking with
the blacksmith in the keeping room
Barney" said she, pulling her hands
away from his grasp, when he would have
kissed her, 81 have a test to put You to
before give you any answer, There is Il
corpse lying in the chamber where my
grandsire died, in the untenanted wing of
the house II you dare sit with it there,
all night, and let nothing drive you from
your post, you'll not ask me to marry you
in vain
You give me light. and a bottle Of
wine and a book TO read ?"
"NCthing!' -
Are these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara p
AL And If you get frightened, YOU
need never look me in the face again.
'l'll take them, then"
SO Barney was conducted to his post by
the lad who had been instructed in the Sc
cret, and whose involuntary stare at
Ernsts placid face as it lay in the coffin,
was interpreted by Barney TO be the
natural awe OF a corpse. He took his
seat and the boy left him alone with the
darkness, aud the rats and the coffin.
Soon after, young Fitz, the tanner. ar
rived, tlattered and hopeful from the tact
that Barbara had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Barba-
Ia ?" he asked.
mo. ant! shall. not, until know that
you can do u really brave thing"
'What shall it be? | swear to satisfy
You, Barbara
II have a proposal to make to 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 till morning. If you can make him
do it, | shall be satisfied that you are as
smart and as brave as | require my hus-
band to be-
why, nothing is 50 easy !" exclaimed
Fritz. Il can scare him away Furnish
me with sheet. show me the room, and
90 to rest. You will find me at my post
in the morning"
Barbara did as he required, and saw
the tanner step blithely away to his task
1t was nearly twelve o'clock, and she
sought her own chamber. Barney was
sitting at his vigil
The face in the coffin cleaned whittier
in the darkness The rats squeaked as if
famine were upon them, and they smeled
flesh. The thought made him shudder.
He got up and walked, but something
made 4 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 at last, in spite Of erything,
he grew sleepy, Finally he nodded and
sncred.
Suddenly it seemed rs if somebody had
touched him. He awoke with a start, and
saw nobody near, though in the cen ter of
the room stood white figure.
Curse you, get out Of this!" he ex-
claimed, in fright, using the very first
words that came to his tongue.
The figure held up its right hand and
slowly approached him. He started to
his feet. The spectre came nearer, press
ing him into the corner
The ID take !" cried Barney,
in his extremity
Invountarily he stepped back, still the
figure advanced, coming nearer and ex-
tending both arms, as if to take him in
his CHASTITY embrace. The hair started up
on Barney's head; he grew desperate,
ana as the cleaning arms would have
touched him, he tell upon the ghost like
a whirwind, tearing off the sheet, thump-
ing, pounding, beating, and kicking, more
and more outraged at the resistance he
met. which told him the truth
As the reader knows, he was big, and
Fritz was little; and while pummelling
the little tanner numerically, and Fritz
was trying to lungc at Barney's stomach
to take the wind out of him, both plung-
ing and kicking like horses, they were
terrified by hearing voice cry:
Take one of your own size, big Bar
ney"
Looking around, they saw the corpse
sitting up in his 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
hot haste, painting like stays.
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 know1