The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-23
BARBARA'S TESTS.

Pretty Barbara Fcrros would not marry
Her mother was in CONSERVATION.
"Why are you so stubborn, BarbaraY
size asked. You have plenty of lovers"
81 want, when l marry, man who l.
brave, equal 10 any emergency. If l give III
my liberty want to be taken care of.
"Silly child! what is the matter With BIZ
Barney, the blacksmith
"He is big, but never learned that lie wa
brave"
And you never heard that lie was not
What is tie matter with Ernest, the gun
smlth?"
Hes as placid as goats milk.
There is little Fritz, the tarner; lie Ii
Quarrelsome enough for you, surely?"
He is no bigger than bantam cock. l
is little lie could do if the house was sci
upon by robbers"
That evening Ernest, the gunsmith
knocked early at the door.
You sent for me, Barbara, he said going
to the lttle girl who stood upon the hearth
cnogettishIy warming one pretty foot and
Yes, Ernest" she replied. i've been
thinklng of what you SAID the other night
when you were here.
"Weu, Barbara?
81 want to test you
-. Iva wa,,t to see II you dare do very disa-
gTreabie thlnG.
Nv hat Is II? ,
There is an old coffin upstairs 1t smells
ofmud They say Redmond, the murderer,
Was puiied IN il; but the devil came for his
body. and LETT the coffin empty at the end OF
n week: AMI il was finally taken from the
Tou,b. IL Is upstairs in the room my grand
father died in, aad they say grandsIre does
not rest easy in his grave for some reason,
though that l know nothing about. Dare
vou make that coitiu your bed tonight 2
us that ali? I will that, and sleep
soundIy. Why, pretty one, an you THINK
had weak nerves ?'
show you tue chamber, sad ImpeTI0uN Miss
Ernest turned straightway and follow ed
the lad in waiting through dim rooms ana
uassagtS up ecH0ing stars, aIJ1S marrow,
ftaup ways, where rats scuttled before
tiani 10 a low chamber. The boy looked
male and scared, aud evidently wanted TO
hurry. away; but Ernest made MN ait un-
mi me took survey Of the room by the ard
OF his lamp. 1t WIS very large and Jul OF
rGctssrs. with high windows in them, which
we're barred across. lie remembered that
Old G.audsire FrrrOs had been insane Tor
several wears before his death, 50 that IN 5
prrcaiution had been necessary for the safety
az himself and others. In the center OF the
room Stood a coffin; beside it was placed
chair. lie room WAS U-ltI wise perfectly
empty.
Ernest stretched himself in the coffin.
- Be kid enough to tell Miss Barbara
that its a very good ut, said be,
I he boy went cut and shut the door, leay-
ing HE Young gunSmtl alone in the dark.
Meanwhile. Barbara was talking with the
big blacksmith III The keeping-ro0m.
" Barney" said She, pulling her hands
ay from his grasp when lie would have
kissed her. I've teS- 10 put you to before
give You any answer There Is a CORPSE
living in the chamber where my grandsire
died, in the unteHanted wing of the house.
If you dare sit with II there all night, and
lei nothing drive you from your post, you
Will not ask NE 10 marry you again III
vain"
Are these all the conditions you can offer
NE, Barbara?
/" All. Aud if you get frightened, you need
never loOk me IN the lace again"
IN take them, then"
Sc Barney was conducted to his post by
the lad, who had been instructed in the Sc
crrt, and whose involuntary stare at Ern-
est's placid face as it lay in the coffin was
Interpreted by Barney to be natural awe of
a corpse. He took his seat, and the boy left
him alone With the darkness, the rats and
tile coffin.
Soon after young Fritz, the tanner, ar
rived, latteTed aud hopeful from the fact
that Barbara had sent Tor him.
Have you changed your mind, Barbara,
he asked.
No. and shall not until l know that vol
can do a really brave thing"
What shall it be? l swear to satisfy you
Barbara"
u have a little proposal to make to you
My pan requires skill as well as courage
TEL me-"
well, in this house is a man watching b,
4 corpse. He has sworn not to leave hi,
post an morning. Ii you can make him d.
X / shall be satisfied that You are as smar
and as brave rs / require husband to be- ,
Why, nothing is so easy, exclaimed
Fritz i can scare him away. Furnish ms
with 4 sheet, show He the room and 20 i
your resi-, Barbara. You shall ind me a
the post in the morning"
Barbara did as required, and saw the tan
ner step blithely away to his task. 1t wa
then nearly y O'clock, and she sought he
own chamber.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and so ia
all had been well.
The lace in the coffin cleaned white
through the darkness The rats squeake
as if famine were upon them and the
smelled dead flesh. The thought made hin
Shudder. lie got up and walked about, bu
something made a slight noise, as if some
body was Behind him, and he put his chat
with its back against the wall and sat dowI
again. He had been hard at work all dav
aud at last, in spite of everything, he grew
sleepy. Finally he nodded and snored.
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody hat
touched him. He awoke with a start, ant
the room stood white figure.
Curse you, get out Of thisr' he eX
claimed, in a fright, using the first word
that came to his tongue.
The figure held up its right arm an
slowly approached him. He started to hi
feet. The specter came nearer, pressing blu
into the corner.
:: " The ID take ycu~ cried Barney, in hi
extremity.
Iuvoluntarily he stepped back; still tn
figure advanced, coming nearer and nearer
and extending both arms as if to take hin
III CHASTITY embrace. The hair started VI
on Barney'S head; he grew desperate. AMI
just as the cleaning arms would have
touched him, he fell upon the ghost like
whIriwlnd, tearing off the Sheet humping
pounding, beating and kicking, more and
more enraged at the resistance he met, which
told him the truth
AS tie reader knows, he was big, and
Fritz was little; and while lie was pummel-
ing the little tanner numerically, and Fritz
Was trying in vain TO get lunge at Barney,
stomach 10 take the wind out of him. b9tI
pfunging and kicking like horses, they wer,
peiritiei by hearing d voice cry:
Take one Of your size. Big BarnsyT'
Looking around, they saw the corpse sit
ting up in his coffin. This was too much
They released each otherand spraug for tn
door. They never knew how they got out
but they ran home in hot haste, pantin
like stays.
1t was Barbara herself who came an
opened the door upon Ernest the next morn
ing.
Tvs very early; one more little nap.'
SAID lie, turning over in the coffin.
90 she married him, and though she sent
frI;Z and Barney invitations To the we'd
ding they did not appear. If thew discov @Ta
the trick they kept the knowledge 10 iham
selves, and never willingly faced BaThara'.
laughing eyes again.-Boston Globe.
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