Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-09-21

li'Iu lH' ldCl iidl l'di bdih hdi @'H'
for him.
Have you changed Your mind.
Barbara p"
No: and / shall not until know
that you can do really brave
thing
What shall ii be? l swear TO
satisfy yuu. Barbara"
Il have proposal to make to yon.
Ny plan requires skill As we'll as
courage
Tell me"
We'll, III this house there is a
man watching a corpse. He has
eworn uot to leave his post till morn
ing II you can make him do it |
shall he satisfied that you are as
smart and brave as / require hus
band 70 be"
why. nothing is 50 easy" OK
claimed Fritz. Il can scare him
away. Furnish me with sheet,
show me the room and go to yOur
rest. Barbara. You shall find me at
the post i'll the morning.
Barbara did as required and saw
the tanner step lightly away to his
task. II was then nearly twelve
O'Clock and she sought her own
chamber.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and
50 far all had been well.
The night seemed very long. for
he had no means of counting the
time At times thrill went through
him. for it seemed as if he could hear
a 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
cheerful
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 lie 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
start, and saw nobody near, though
in the center of the room stood a
white figure.
Curse you. get out of this" he ex
claimed. in a fright, using the first
words that came to his tongue.
The figure held ont its arm and
slowly approached him. He started
to his feet. The specter came carer.
pressing him into the corner.
THE mischief take you.' cried
Barney. in his extremity.
Involuntary he stepped back;
still the figure advanced, coming
nearer and nearer, as if to take him
in ghostly embrace. The hair
started mp on Barney's head; he
grew desperate, and just as the
cleaning arm would have touched
him he fell on the ghost like a 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 Fritz was little, and while he
was pounding the little fellow ter
ribly and Fritz was trying to get a
lunge at Barney's stomach, to take
the wind out of him, both kicking
and plunging like horses, they were
petrified by hearing 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 knew how 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.
Its very early; one more little
nap" turning over in his coffin.
SO she married him; though she
sent Fritz and B rney 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.