Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-10-29
BARTON. VERMONT MONDAY, OCTOBER 49, 1888
"Have you changed your mind,

Barbara
"No; and / shall not until know
that you can do really brave
thing
"What shall it be? / swear to sat-
lsfy you, Barbara" :"
Il have proposal to make to
you. My plan requires skill as we'll
as courage %
'sTell me-
''Well in this house there is man
watching corpse. He has sworn
not to leave his post till morning. If
you can make him do it 1 shall be
satisfied that you are as smart and as
brave as | require husband to be-
s'Why, nothing is so easy" ex-
claimed Fritz. II can scare him
away. Furnish me with a sheet,
show me the room 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 II O'Clock
and she sought her own chamber.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and
so far all had been we'll.
The night had been 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
low suppressed breathing not far
away. He persuaded himself that it
was the wind blowing through the
crevices of the old house. Still it
was very lonely and not at all cheer
| full.
The face in the coffin cleaned
white still. The rats squeaked as if
there was famine upon them and
they smelled dead flesh. The thought
made him shudder. He got up and
walked about, but something made a
noise behind him, and he put his
chair 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 it seemed as if somebody
had touched him. He awoke with a
start, and saw nobody near, though
in the centre of the room stood a
white figure.
Course you, get out of this" he
exclaimed, in fright, using the fiji st
words that came to his tongue.
The figure held out its arm and
slowly approached him. He started
to his feet. The spectre came near
er, pressing him into the corner.
'The mischief take you!' cried
Barney, in his extremity.
Involuntarily he stepped back i;
still the figure advanced, coming
nearer and nearer, as if to take him
in a ghostly embrace. The hair start
ed up on Barney's head; he grew
desperate, and just as the cleaning
arm would have touched him he fell
on the ghost like whirlwind, tear
ing 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 Fritz was little, and while he
was pounding the little fellow terri
bly,, and Fritz was trying to get a
lunge at Barney's stomach, to take
the breath out of him, both kicking
and prancing like horses, they were
petrified by hearing a voice cry:
''Take one of your 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 knewshow they got out; but
they ran home in hot haste, painting
like stays.
1t was Barbara herself who came
and opened the door the next morn
ing.
'It's very early; zone more little
nap," said he, zone more little nap,'
turning over in his coffin.
So she married him; 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
never willingly faced Barbara S
laughing eyes again.