Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-08-01

barred across. He remembered that
The old grandsire Ferron had been in
sane for several years before his death,
60 that this precaution had been neces-
Esary for the safety of himself and 9TH
ers. In the center of tho room stood q
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, "1've test to put you to
before I give you an answer. There is
corpse lying in the chamber where my
grandsire died, in the untenanted wing
of the house. IT you dare sit with it all
night and let nothing drive you away
from your y post you will notask me again
"You will give me q light and bottle
of wine and book to read p
"Nothing."
care these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara %
CALL And if you are frightened you
need never look me in the face again. :"
! So Barney was conducted to 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 by Barney to 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,
arrived, hattered aud hopeful from the
fact that Barbara had sent for him.
"Have you changed your mind, Bar
bara ?"
"No; and Ishal, not until know that
you can do really brave thing"
"What shall it be? I swear to satisfy
you, Barbara"
II have proposal to make to you.
Ny My ; plan requires skill as we'll as oour-
"Tell me-
"Wel], in this house there is man
watching a corpse. He has sworn
not 10 leave his post till morning. If
you can make him do it I shall be salts
fed that you are as smart aud as brave
as I require husband to be-"
"Why, nothing is so easy!' exclaimed
Fritz. II can scare him away. Fur
nish me with sheet, show me the room
and 60 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.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and so
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 o low sup
pressed 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
9 famine upon them and they smelled
dead flesh. The thought made him
shudder. He got up and walked about,
but something made noise behind him,
and he put his chair with it's 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 some one had
touched him. He awoke with q start,
and saw nobody near, though in the CEN
ter of the room stood a white figure.
Course you, get out of this" he ex-
claimed, in fright, using the first
words that came to bis tongue.
The figure held out it's arm and slow
~ approached him. He started to his
feet. The specter came nearer, press
ing him into. the corner.
"The mischief take you'll" cried Bar
ney, in his extremity.
1nvoluntarily he stepped back; still
the figure advanced, coming nearer and
nearer, as if to take him in a ghostly
embrace. The hair stood up on Bar
neys 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 terribly and
Fritz was trying to get lunge at Bar
ney's stomach, to take the wind out of
him, both kicking and plunging like
horses, they were petri6ed by hearing a.
voice cry:
Take one of your size, Big Barpey."
Looking around they saw the corpse
sitting up in bis 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.
It was Barbara herself who came and
opened the door the next morning.
'1t's very early; one more little nap,"
said he, zone more little nap" turning
over in his coffiu.
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 knowledge
to themselves and never willingly faced
Barbara's laughing eyes again.
An Astonishing Phenomenon.
(From the Davenport (Ia.) Gazette.)
The last Of May, 1882, Simon Snyder,
who was working in planning mill at
Portsmouth, Ohio, had his hand so
badly lacerated in the machinery that
was necessary. There is
nothing uncommon about that, but hold
your breath 8 minute. The hand was
buried in Mr.. Snyder's garden. Two
weeks after. unQn the mound which tho