The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-07-18

nave kissed her. | have test to put
you through before | give you any
answer. There is corpse lying in
the chamber where my grandsire
died, in the untenanted wing of the
house If you dare sit with it there
all night, an let nothing drive you
from your post, you will not ask me
to marry you again in vain.
Are these all the conditions you
can offer, Barbara?
All And if you get frightened
YOU need never look me in the face
again.
I'll take them, then.
SO Barney was conducted to his
post by the lad, who had been in
struCted in the secret, and whose in
voluntary stare at Ernests placid
face as it lay in the coffin was inter
preted by Barney to De natural awe
of corpse. He took his seat and
the boy left him alone with the dark
ness the rats and coffin.
Soon after young Fritz, the tan
ner, arrived, hattered and hopeful
from the fact that Barbara had sent
for him.
Have you changed your mind,
Barbara ? he asked.
No, and shall not until | know
that you can do really brave thing.
What shall it be? l swear to
satisfy you, Barbara.
| have a little proposal to make
you. My plan requires skill as well
as courage.
Tell me.
Well, in this house is man
watching by corpse. He has sworn
not to leave his post till morning. If
you can make him do it l shall be
satisfied that you are as smart and
as brave as | require a husband to
be.
Why, nothing is SO easy, exclaim-
ed Fritz. | can scare him away.
Furnish me with a sheet, show me
the door, and go to your rest, Bar
bara. 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 II o'clock,
she sought her own chamber.
The face in the coffin cleaned
whittier through the darkness. The
rats squeaked as if a famine were
upon them and they smelled dead
flesh. The thought made him shud-
der. He got up and walked about,
but something made slight noise,
as if somebody was behind him, and
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
snorred.
Suddenly it seemed as if some
body had touched him. He awoke
with start, and saw nobody near,
though in the centre of the room
stood 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 up its right arm
and slowly approached him. He
started to his feet The spectre came
nearer, pressing him into the corner.
The-take you cried Barney,
IN MS extremity.
Involuntarilv 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 des-
perate, and just as the cleaning
arms would have touched him he
fell upon the ghost like a whlrlwind,
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 pummeling the little tanner un-
mercitully, 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 both petrifed 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 upon Ernest
the next morning.
It's very early ; one more little
nap, said he, turning over in the
| coffin.
So he married him, and though
she sent Fritz and Barney invita-.
tons to the wedding, they did not
appear. II they discovered the trick
they kept the knowledge to them
selves, and never faced Barbara S
laughing eyes again.
OF INTEREST TO LADIES'.