The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-10
THREE BRAVE MEN,

not. what 10 the matter with Ern 9stI
the gun.smith p
He is as placid as goats milk
That is no sign that he is coward.
There is little Fritz, the tanner; he is
quarrelsome enough for you surely
He is no bigger than a bantom cock,
It is little he could do if the house was
set upon by robbers
1t is not always strength that wins a
fight, girl. 1t takes brain as we'll as
Drawn. Come now, Barbara, give these
fellows fair trial.
Barbara turned her face before the
mirror, letting down one raven curl and
looping up another. I will, mother,
said she, at last
That evening, Ernest, the gunsmith,
knocked early at the door. You sent
for me, Barbara, he said, going up to the
girl, who stood upon the hearth, Coquett-
ishly warming one pretty foot and then
the other,
Yes, Ernest she replied; I've been
thinking Of what you said the other
night when you were here,
Ernest stood quietly, but his dark eyes
flashed, and he looked at her intently.
I want to test you.'
Howl
4 want to see If you dare do a verv
disagreeable thing
What is it%
There is an old coffin up stairs. 1t
smells of mould. They say Raymond,
the murderer, was buried in it but the
devil came for his body and left the Cof.
fin empty in week, and it was finally
taken from the tomb. It is up stairs in
the room whore nay grandfather died,
and they say my grandsire does not rest
easy in his grave, for some reason, though
that 1 know nothing about. Dare you
make that your bed to.nightP
Ernest laughed. rs that all I will
do that and sleep sOundly. Why, pretty
one, did you think had weak nerves p
Your nerves will have good proof If
you undertake it. Remember no one
sleeps it that part of the house..
L shall sleep the sounder.'
Goodnight, then. I will send a lad
to show you your chamber. If you stay
there all night said the imperious Miss
Barbara, I will marry you.'
You VOW itP'
I vow it,
Ernest turned straightway and follow
ed the lad in waiting through the dim
rooms and passages, up echoing stairs,
along narrow, damp ways, where rats
scuttled before them, to low chamber.
The boy looked pale and scared and evil
IDENTIFY wanted to hurry away, but Ern.
est made him wait until he made sur
vey of the room with his lamp. 1t was
very large and full of recesses, with high
windows in them, which were barred
across. He remembered that old Grand
sire Ferres had been insane for several
years before his death, 80 that this pre-
caution had been necessary for himself
and others. In the centre of the room
stood a coffin, beside it was placed a
chair. The room was otherwise quite
empty.
Ernest strt tChed himself in the coffin -
Be kind or ough to tell Miss Barbara it's
a good ht,' said he. The boy went out
and shut the door, leaving the gunsmith
alone 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, I've test to put you to
before give you any answer. There is
q corpse lying in the chamber where my
grandfather died, in the unoCCupied
wing Of the house. If you dare sit there
with it all night, and let nothing drive
you away from your post, you Will not
ask me to marry you in vain,
You give me light and a bottle Of
wine and book to readP'
Nothing
Are these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara p
All. And ifyou get frightened, you
need never look me in the face again.
'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
the Ernest's 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 and the rats and the coffin.
Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner,
arrived, hattered and hopeful from the
fact that Barbara had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Barba-
ra P he asked. ' .
No, and / shall not until know that
you can do really brave thing
What shall it beP swear to satisfy
you, Barbara H#
'Ihsve a proposal to offer you. My
plan requires skill as we'll as courage
Tell me- ...gn a... l
We'll, in this house is man watching
by corpse, He has sworn that nothing
can frighten him away from his post to-
night. If you can frightsn or drive him
away, I shall be Satisfied that you are as
smart and as brave as require hus-
band to be- ....t..
why nothing is so easy exclaimed
Fritz. I can scare him away. Furnish
me with a sheet, show me the room, and
go to your rest, Barbara. 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.
II was then nearly twelve O'Clock, and
she sought her own chamber. s.-..A.
Barney had been sitting at his vigil,
and 80 far all had been we'll. The night
seemed very long, for he had no means
of counting The time. At,times q thrill
went through him, for 1t seemed as If he
could hear. low, suppressed breathing
not far away; but he persuaded himself
it was the wind blowing through the
crevices ofthe house. Still twas lonely
and not at all cheerful.
The face in the coffin cleaned whittier
~ rntIo,h kha donb !, uuh rthn vokg sSt,aaIr-