The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-23

mat night Ernest, the gunsmlth,
knocked early at the door.
You sent for me, Barbara" he said,
going to the girl who stood upon the
hearth coquettishly warming one pretty
foot and then the other.
eyes, Ernest" she replied, "Pve been
thinking of what you said the other
night when you were here"
''Weli, Barbara
81 want to test you"
"How!"
81 want to see if you dare do very
disagreeable thing"
"What is it,"
"There is an old coffin upstairs. 1t
smells Of mold. They say Redmond,
the murderer, was buried in it; but the
devil came for his body and left the
coffin empty at the end Of a week, and
it was finally taken from the tomb. 1t
is upstairs in the room my 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 to-
night?"
Ernest laughed.
SIS that all? I will that, and sleep
soundly. Why, pretty one, did you
think had weak nerves."
Good night, then, I will send a lad
to show you the chamber" said imperi-
Gus Miss Barbara.
Ernest turned straightway and fol-
lowed the lad in waiting through dim
rooms and passages, up echoing stairs,
along narrow damp ways, where rats
scuttled before them, to low chamber.
The boy looked pale and scared, and evil
IDENTIFY wanted to hurry away, but Err
nest made him wait until he had taken
survey Of the room by the aid of his
lamp. 1t was very large and full of re-
cesses, with high windows in them,
which were barred across. He remem-
bered that old Grandsire Ferros had been
insane for several years before his death,
so this precaution had been necessary
for the safety of himself and others, In
the center of the room stood coffin, be-
side it was placed chair. The room
was otherwise perfectly empty.
Ernest stretched himself in the coffin.
''Be good enough to tell Miss Barbara
that it's very good fit" said he.
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 keeping room.
Barney" said she pulling her hands
from his grasp when he would have
kissed her, Il have test to put you
through before give you any answer.
There is corpse lying in the chamber
where my grandsire died, in the unten-
anted wing of the house. If you dare
sit with it there all night, and let moth
ing drive you from your post, you will
not ask me to marry you again IN vain.
"Are these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara"
"All. And if you get frightened you
need never look me in the face again"
"Tll take them, then"
So Barney was conducted to his post
by the lad, who had been instructed in
the secret, and whose involuntary stare
at Ernest's placid face as it lay in the
coffin was interpreted by Barney to be
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, ar
rived, fattered and hopeful from the fact
that Barbara had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Bar
bara?" he asked.
mo, and l shall not until know that
you can do really brave thing"
What shall it be? swear to satisfy
you, Barbara"
Il have little proposal to make TO
you. Ny plan requires skill as well as
Tell me-"
well, in this house is man watching |
by corpse. He has sworn not to leave |
MS post till morning. II you can make !
MIN do it l shall be satisfied that you |
are as smart and as brave as l require a
husband TO be-"
why, nothing is so easy" exclaimed |
Fritz. Il can scare him away. Furnish |
ne with sheet, show me the room, and |
20 to your rest, Barbara You shall find /
ne at the post in the morning"
Barbara did as required and saw the
amer step blithely away to his task. 1t
vas then nearly II O'Clock and she sought
Ter own chamber.
Barney was sitting at his vigil and so
ar all had been well.
The face in the coffin cleaned winter
through the darkness The rats squeaked
S If famine were upon them and they
melled dead flesh. The thought made
i'm shCdder. He got up and walked
about, but something made slight
loise, as if somebody was behind him,
md he put his chair with its back against
ne wall, and sat down again he lad
)een hard at work all day, and at last,
Il spite Of everything. he grew sleepy.
finally he nodded and snored-
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody
lad touched him He awoke with a
tart and saw nobody near, though In
he center Of the room stood a white
.gure.
Children Cry for Pitchers Casforia.