Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-15

hurry away, but Ernest made him wait
until he had taken survey OF the room by
the aid of his lamp. It was very large and
full of recesses. with high windows in
them, which were barred across. He re-
membered that old Grandsire Ferros had
been insane for several years before his
death, so this precaution had been neces-
sary Tor 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 a very good fit,'' said he.
The boy went out and shut the door, leav-
ing 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, 81 have test to put you through be-
fore give you my answer. There is a
corpse lying in the chamber where my
grandsire died, IN the untena nted wing of
the house. fyou dare sit with it there all
night, and let nothing drive you from your
post, you will not ask me to marry you
again in vain.''
me, Barbara2'
"All. And if you get frightened you need
never look me in the face again"
sFll take them, then"
So Barney was conducted to his post by
the lad, who had been instructed in the Sc
cret, and whose involuntary stare at Err
nests 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 the coffin.
Soon after young Fritz, the tanner, ar
rived, f1attered and hopeful from the fact
that Barbara had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Barbara?"
he asked.
mo, and 1 shall not until 1 know that
you can do really brave thing"
''What shall it bel swear to satisfy you,
Barbara"
shave little proposal to make to you.
My plan requires skill as well as courage"
"Tell me.''
''Well, in this house is man watching
by a corpse. He has sworn not TO leave his
post till morning. Ii you can make him do
it ! shall be satisfied that you are as smart
! and as brave as | require husband to be. !"
"Why, nothing is so easy" exclaimed
Fritz. Il can scare him away. Furnish
me with a sheet, show me the room, and go
to your rest, Barbara. You shall find me
at the post in the morning.
Barbara did as required and saw the
tanner step blithely away to his task. 1t
was then nearly IL o'clock and she sought
her own chamber.
Barney was sitting at his vigil and so far
all had been well.
The face in the coffin cleaned whittier
through the darkness, The rats squeaked
as if a famine were upon rthem and they
smelled dead flesh. The thought made him
shudder. He got up and walked about, but
something made slight noise, as if some
body was behind him, and he put his chair
with its back against the wall, and sat
down again. He had been hard at work
all day, and at last, in spite of everything,
he grew sleepy. Finally he nodded and
snored.
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody had
touched him. He awoke with a start and
saw nobody near, though in the center of
the room stood white figure.
Course you, get out of this?" he ex-
claimed in fright, using the first words
that came to his tongue.
The figure held up its right arm and
slowly approached him. He started to his
feet. The specter came nearer, pressing
him into the corner.
1.-The ID take your' cried Barney in his
extremity.
Involuntarily he stepped back, still the
figure advanced, coming nearer and nearer,
and extending both arms, as if to take him
in ghostly embrace. The hair>started up
on Barney's head; he grew desperate, and
just as the cleaning arms would have
touched him he fell upon the ghost like
whirlwind tearing off the sheet, humping.
pounding, beating and kicking, more and
more enraged at the resistance he met.
which told him the truth.
AS the reader knows, he was big and
Fritz was little, and while he was pummel-
ing the little tanner numerically and Fritz
was trying in vain to get lunge at Barney's
stomach, to take the wind out of him,
both plunging and kicking like horses, they
! were petrifed at hearing voice cry:
''Take one of your size, Big Barney"
Looking around they saw the corpse sit
ting 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, pant
ing like stays.
1t was Barbara herself who came and
opened the door upon Ernest the next
morning.
'Tt's very early; one more little nap,"
said he, turning over in the coffin.
So she married him, and though she sent
Fritz and Barney invitations to the we'd
ding they did not appear. If thy discov-
cred the trick they kept the knowledge to
themselves and never w1hngly faced
Barbara's laughing eyes asin.-[ SneftieId