The Osceola times., 1883-08-18

"You will give me light and bottle
of wine and book to read?"
Nothing"
Are these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara"
"All. And If you are frightened you
you need never look me in the face
again"
So Barney was conducted 10 his post
by the lad, who had been instructed in
the secret, and whose involuntary start
at Ernest's placid face as he lay in the
coffin was attributed to Barney by the
natural awe of corpse. He took his
seat and the boy left him alone with the
darkness, the rats and the coffin.
Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner, ar
rived, flattered and hopeful from the
fact that Barbara had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Bar
hara?"
mo- and I shall not until know that
you can do really one brave thing"
What shall il be? ] swear TO satisfy
you, Barbara"
81 have a proposal to make to you.
My plan requires skill as well as cour-
age"
"Tell me-"
"Well in the house is man watching
a corpse. He has sworn not to leave his
post till morning. II you can make him
do ii shall be satisfied that you are as
smart and brave as require husband
to be-"
why, nothing is so easyw exclaimed
Fritz. II can scare him away. Furnish
me with sheet, show me tie way, and
go to your rest, Barbara. You shall find
me at the post in the morning"
Barbara did as required and saw the
tanner step lightly away to his task. 1t
was then nearly twelve o'clock and she
sought her own chamber.
The night seemed very long, for he
had no means of counting the time. At
times thrill went through him, for it
seemed as il he could hear low sup
pressed breathing not far away. He
persuaded himself to believe that it was
the wind blowing through the crevices
of the old house. Still it was very lone
ly and not at all cheerful
The face in the coffin cleaned white
still The rats sqeaked as if there was
famine upon them and they smellcd dead
flesh. The thought made him shudder
He got up and walked about, but some
thing made a noise behind him, and he
put his chairs with its back against the
wall and sat down again. He had been
at work all day, and at last grew sleepy.
| Finally he nodded and snored.
Suddenly il seemed as if somebody
had touched him. He awoke with a
start, and saw nobody near, but in the
center of the room stood white figure
Curse you. get ont of this" he ex-
claimed, in fright using the first words
that came to his tongue.
The figure held out its arm and slowly
approached him. He started To his feet.
The specter came nearer, pressing him
into the corner.
"The mischief take your cried Bar
ney, In his extremely.
Involuntarily he stepped back; still
the figure advanced, coming nearer and
nearer, as if to take him in a ghostly
embrace. The hair started up on Bar
ney's head: he grew desperate, and just
as the cleaning arm would have touched
him he fell on the ghost like whirl-
wind, tearing the sheet; humping,
pounding, beating and kicking, more
and more enraged at the resistance he
met with, which told him the truth.
As the reader knows, he was big, and
Iit@ WIS ittlt, anu WIS Dtuuu-
ing the little fellow terribly and Fritz
was trying to get lungc at Barney's
stomach. to take the wind out of him,
both kicking and plunging like horses,
they were petritied by hearing voice
cry:
Take one of your size, Big Barney"
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.
Ii was Barbara herself who came and
opened the door the next morning.
Its very cary; one more little nap"
said he. lone more little nap" turning
over in his coffin.
So she married him; though she sent
Fritz and Barney invitations to the we'd
ding they did not appear. If they dis
covered the trick they kept the knowl-
ecge TO themselves and never Willingly
faced Barhara's laughing ewes again,