The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-01
THE DEVILS CLOCK.
BY THE AUTHOR OF MARRIAGE ON THE EVE OF
BATTLE

THE DEVILS CLOCK.
BY THE AUTHOR OF A 6 MARRIAGE ON THE EVE OF
BATTLE
The town Of Herringhausen, not hundred
miles from Frankfort, is one of the most pic
turesquely antique in Germany, and contains
about twelve thousand inhabitants l like to
prepare my readers with tolerable idea Of the
locality wherein the events narrated transpire
--for then may hope to impress them with at
least twoiold sympathy in my dramatis per-
soma. The street in which Herr Bomgarten had
his residence was among the Oldest in the town
aforesaid, and his residence, the oldest in it. He
was himself also, high-dried piece Of antiqui-
ty, usually enveloped in cloud of smoke from
sunrise TO sunset, except only when his fair
daughter sat beside him at their evening meal
and talked over the affair of the day On such
| occasions he would narrate incidents in his pro-
gress through life, and dwell upon the difficult
| ties attendant upon acquiring the independence
| which they then enjoyed He had one passion in
excess-an intense love Of music and had at
one time been no mean proficient on the violin.
AT the festivals held periodically in all the prin-
cipal German towns, his judgment was appealed
to; and, indeed, no meeting of the kind was
considered complete if he, by any chance, were
absent II may, therefore, naturally be inferred
that his daughter had been early instructed in
the elements OF the art; and at nineteen she
was a planiste of considerable attainments-
These circumstances formed the basis of de-
sire which became stronger with his years, and
which confirmed a resolve that she should wed
one of the most accomplished musicians of the
age. They say that when all other passions
die, ambition survives, and acquires force pro-
portioned to its solitarincss and sngeness of aim
Certain il is, that out of the many suitors whom
the beauty and gentlcncss of disposition Of Aza-
| liza attracted to the domicile of Herr Bomgarten,
NOT fen yuac han III N
musical perfection) was permitted by him to
continue his visits. Anxiety for the fulflment
of hope being usually in proportion to its
strength, her sire, as the young lady approach
ed twenty-cne, began to experience dread
that he might not live to see her settled
| This preyed upon his spirits deeply, and urged
him to publish, as widely as possible, his in
tentions To that end he invited to his house,
on a certain day, all of the class-musical who
chose to compete for his daughter declaring
that at midnight he would decide on the claims
of the aspirants. Now, il is necessary should
inform my readers that in the grand apartment
in Herr Bomgarten's mansion there was a piece
of furniture supposed to have been fabricated
| by Hungarian musician, and which exhibited
so much of apparent wilfuness that it had been
denominated by common consent the DEVILS
/ CLOCK.
This time-keeping edifce struck all manner
! of hours in all manner Of ways but whatever
might be its vagaries, was always true to the
solemn "tUelre" of midnig hit; SO that Herr Bonn
garten, not without reason, fixed upon that hour
TO decide his long cherished scheme.
The day at length arrived; and it may be
imagined that not little preparation had been
made. The pianotorte one of Korner's latest
improvements was placed under a mirror of i'm
mense size, and exactly opposite to the fatal n
clock.
Azalia was dressed in holiday suit, and look.
Il g.. Al
stance her father augured a propitious finale.
AT about eight o'clock in the evening the visi-
tors were all assembled and the players who
ventured TO offer themselves as competitors for
so beautiful and so rich prize were four in
number. They severaly sat down to the in
strument, and each appeared, more than his
predecessor, to astonish the audience; and 1t
was generally imagined that the last performer
would be entitled to become the fair girls hus-
band But ere Herr Bomgarten had quite re-
solved in his own mind the exact merits of each
candidate, another stood beside the instrument
and, rather by signs than words indicated that
| he, too must try his skill.
The guests seemed extremely puzzled at this
singular apparation for up to that moment the
gentleman had not been observed in the room at
| all One or two persons. indeed declared
that he had actually stepped from the clock
case as the last player of the four concluded his
Fantasia Be it as it may he sat down TO the
piano, and produccd--but il is wholly mposs-
Bile to describe the sensation. He now wither-
ed up the heart with the intensity of his pathos !;
and again enchanted the soul with multdudi-
nous images of delight. Then would he pour
over the imagination a storm of harmonies that
exalted il almost TO frenzy, and anon subdued il
to the placdity of childhood. He acdS the man:
yet, who was he2 The question was fearful
one. He was handsome,-but his aspect was
singularly wild and melancholy He executed
with marvellous ease, but his mind appeared
| Judging from his eye to be wandering over
| fields of thought remote from that in which he
was engaged. He rose. Herr Bomgarten
sprang from his seat, and would have embraced
him, but was repealed by his peculiarly of mein
Few minutes had he to decide for midnight was
at hand. As to the pretty Azalia, she wore no
| expression save only that of extreme pallor and
of some internal agitation but when the stran-
ger, as the clock struck "tweve," touched
her hand TO depart, she rose at once, and with
out any apparent reluctance. The most sur
prising part Of the whole business was this
that the stranger, holding the hand of the Young
lady, proceeded at once TO the DEvIL's Clock,
and, giving one melancholy glance at the com
pany, touched spring and retired within lis
case.
| As the door closed on the fated couple
murmur of horror ran through the assembled
guests. The unhappy father was so affected
! that he tainted away and as sensation returned
he declared that he repented him solely Of hav-
| ing, as il were, interfered with the DEGREES Of
| Providence. p he exclaimed, "would
| that | had selected some honest youth among