Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-10-29
Three Brave Men.

Alctty DdIUdId TcIIOH WOuIu HOG
marry. Her mother was in conster-
nation.
why are you SO stubborn, Barba
rap she asked. 'sYou have plenty
of lovers?'
''But they do not suit said Bar
bara, coolly tying her curls before
the mirror
"Why not?''
81 want to marry a man who is
brave, equal to any emergency. III
give up my liberty 1 want it taken
care Of"
ssSilly child! What is the matter
with Big Barney, the blacksmith"
"He is big, but / never heard that
he was brave.''
And you never heard that he was
mot. What is the matter with Ernest,
the gunsmith?"
''He is as placid as goats milk"
''That's no sign he is coward.
There is Little Fritz, the tanner; he
is quarrelsome enough for you sure
ly"
sHe is no bigger than bantam
cock. 1t is little good he can do if
the house was set upon by robbers
"It is not always strength that
wins fight, girl. 1t takes brains as
well as Drawn. Come now, Barbara,
give these three young fellows fair
trial"
Barbara turned her face before the
mirror, letting down one raven tress
and looping up enother.
81 will, MOTHER" she said at last.
That evening Ernest, the gum
smith, knocked at the door.
"You sent for me, Barbara" he
said, going to the girl, who stood
upon the hearth, coquettishly warm
ing one pretty foot and then the 9TH
Ell.
eyes, Ernest" she replied, "I've
been thinking on what you said the
other night when you were here"
"Well, Barbara?''
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark
blue eyes flashed, and he looked at
her intently.
81 want to test you"
"How?"
Il want to see if you dare do
very disagreeable thing"
"What is it?''
There is an old coffin upstairs. 1t
smells moldy. They say Redmond,
the murderer, was buried in it; but
Satan came for his body and left the
coffin empty at the end of week,
and it was finally taken from the
tomb. 1t is upstairs in the room
grandfather died in, and they say
grandsire does not rest easy in his
grave for some reason, though that
l know nothing about. Dare you
make that coffin your bed tonight"
Ernest laughed.
sIs that all. l will do that and
sleep soundly. 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. "
'sI shall sleep the sounder.'
s'Good night, then; l will send
lad to show you the chamber. If you
stay till morning." said the imperi-
Gus Miss Barbara, with nod of her
pretty head, 81 will marry YOU"
'sYou VOW it?'
Ernest turned straight away, and
followed the lad in waiting, through
dim rooms and passages, up echoing
stairs, along narrow damp ways,
where rats scuttled before, to low
chamber. The lad looked pale and
scared, evidently wanting to hurry
away, but Ernest made him wait till
he took survey by the aid of his
lamp. 1t was very large, and full of
recesses, which had been barred
across. He remembered that the old
grandsire Ferron had been insane for
several years before his death, so
that this precaution had been neces-
sary for the safety of himself and
others. In the centre of the room
stood coffin, beside it stood chair.
| The room was otherwise perfectly
empty.
Ernest stretched himself out in the
| coffin.
"Be kind enough to tell Miss Bar
bara it is a very good fit, he said.
The boy went out and shut the
door, leaving the young gunsmith
alone in the dark.
Meanwhile Barbara was talking
with the big blacksmith in the sitting
| room.
Barney" said she, pulling her
hand away from his grasp when he
would have kissed her, "Pve a test
to put you to before l give you an
answer. There is corpse lying in
the chamber where my grandsire
died, in the untenanted wing of the
house. If you dare sit with it all
night and let nothing drive you away
from your post you will not ask me
again in vain.'
"You will give me light and
bottle of wine and book to read ?"
"Nothing."
L