Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1842-01-29

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with the whole story. Ho is in posses
sion Of an old clock, which he brought
from France, and which he says is just
his own age, slxty-nihe, having been COM
petcd by his fathsrl the very day that
he was born. Upon the evening of his
last birthday, he and his old helpmate sat
together late in tho evening, chattering a.
bou, early days and la belle France, o.
yer generous little pitcher Of warm slim,
ulant, an unusual indulgence in honor Of
the occasion.
The old pair became melted and mel.
ancholy over their "reminiscences, and,
when the pitcher was finished, went to
bed in tender state of luxurious UNI
happiness. The old clock struck mid
night as the eyes OF tho matchmaker
were closing in their first dozc, and as he
fell away into slum5er, a monotonous
TICK, TEX tick seemed to commence right
at his head in the wall. He turned over,
hearing the ominous death warning still,
and, at length, resolving 10 disregard it,
buried his head in the pillow, with brief
sob for boyish times, addressing himself
to sleep Heavy indistinctness. came over
himibut no, sleep leaving still conscious Of
a tick, tick, tick, increasing 10 rap, rap
rap, and growing, finally, into yehe-
ment Hump, thump, tYump!
Just as the old fellow was sinking into
obliviousness Of this annoyance, his old
clock in the conner suddenly strnck one,
which aroused him for a moment, as he
thought it could not be more than twen'
ty minutes past twelve; but concluding he
must have been deceived in his DOING,
he tried again to slumber. Worse than
ever sounded the busy little invisible
phantom in the pillow, like Macbeth's con-
science, crying 'sleep no more" What
was the poor watchmaker's CONSERVATION,
when the old French clock in the corner
again struck onei lie started, paused, and
then jumped upright in the bed. All was
silent lie deliberated moment in
puzzled establishment, and then concluded
it must .be two O'Clock, and he must
have missed the first rap of the hammer.
Laying quietly down again, his head
scarcely touched the pillow before one o.
clock was sounded once moro distinctly
from the clock bell! The old fellow Hung
himself beneath the blankets, covered
I'd his head, and caught hold of his vile
| in ipdescribable terror. His convic-
ton was that Of the old clock, which
had noted every minute Of his being
for sixty nine years, was now warning
him of instant doom, and he woke up MS
wife, entreating her to keep herself
per(ec,ly comfortable, as it was certainly
ilss-ust-7TifEiIs tspUH earth. The old lady
obeyed him to the letter about making
herself comfortable, as she wentiright of
to sleep again with the utmost exPedl-
ton.
Bang! with heavy and sullen sound,
and devoid Of Its usual ringing vibration
again the hammer rose and kissed the
clock bell! The old Erenchman listened
beneath the blankets in u paralysis oil
fright, and shivering in a chill perspira-
ton, Tick, tick, tick, and then rap, rap,
rap, rap, followed rapidly by the furious
thump, thnmp, Mump, thumP, thumP! still
went on,--as if an army of blacksmllhs
from fairy land we're heard at work IN
the middle of his pillow :.
"Wth clnk Of hammers closing rivcts up.
Presently another conviction settled up
on him, and he shook his wife again to
ask her if she did not here the upholster's
men at work upon his coffin. Hush!-
CHng.--pause. cling! clink! went the
old clock again, with three irregular and
dull strokes upon the bell. =,
"Mon Dieu. c. est six fols que J'aI
entcndu sonner une heure! tremblinSly
calculated the Fronchman.
AT this moment the bell hammer star
ted into more furious agitation than ever,
and one O. clock fairly struck twelve be-
fore there was cessation OF the strokes
Our poor old French friend went to work
at his prayers, concluding he had no time
&c lose; while the old woman, without
saving word, jumped out OF bed, struck
light, and opend the clock TO SEQ what
was tho matter.
The mountain ceased to labor, and out
jumped terrible little mouse! The old
man awoke in the morning, as grey as
badger, which, however, is not so
surprising when we consider that he wal
very grey when he went to bed. 1t was
enough, indeed, strange and serious
terror, arising out Of so lrifinga cause
and could we but add tho French watch
makers solemn countenancc to this dc.
scription, we would feel ripely assured
Of oclipsing oil othor clock stories tina
over were written. AS it is, ours IS de
cidedy the best story, only that tho Dos
part OF it is left to the sympathetic i'm
agina,ion Of tho reader, who must fame,
the face Of the matchmaker beneath thu
blankets, listening to Eternity revealing
itself in Time! Beautifully appropriate
to tho story are tho touching words o
Morris's exquisite song music BY Horn
"Dicory, dcory, doc,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck One!
FVNl.. 1.Nm