American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-03
From the st. Louis Reve.Ile.
THE MYSTERIOUS CLOCK.

We know a queer quaint old Fronchman in
New Orleans. He is in possession OF an Old
clock, which he brought from france, and
which he says is Just his own age, sixty-nne,
having been completed by his father the very
day that he was born. Upon the evening Of
his last birthday, he and his old hepmate sat
together late in the evening chatting about eat
ly days and IL btiic France, over generous lit
tic pitcher of warm stimulant, an annual indul-
gcucc III honor Of the occasion.
The old pair became melted and melancholy
over their "reminiscences, and yet when the
pitcher was finished, went to bed in tender
state Of luxurious happiness. The old clock
struck midnight as the eyes of the matchmaker
were closing in their first doze--and as he fell
away into slumber, a monotonous tick, tick,
tick, seemed to commence right at his head iii
the wall. He turned over, hearing the onln-
Gus death-warning still, and at length resolving
to disregard 1t, buried his head i'll the pillow
with brief sob for boyish times, addressing
himself to sleep. Heavy indstinctness came
over him, but not sleep, leaving him still con-
scious Of a tick, tick, tick, increasing to a rap,
rap, rap and growing, finally, into vehement
th,mp, trump, hump!
Just as the old fellow was sinking into obi
vieusness of this annoyance, his old clock in
him for moment, as he thought it could not
be more than twenty minutes past twelve, bat
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 conscience, crying
"seep no more!'' What was the poor watch
makers CONSERVATION when the cid French
clock in the corner again struck one! He start
ed, paused, and then stood upright in bod. All
was silent. He deliberated momeat in puz-
zled astonishment, 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 be-
fore one o'clock was sounded once more, dis
tinctlv from the clock bell! The old fellow
flung himself beneath the blankets, covered up
his head, and caught hold of his wife in indie
scribable terror His conviction was, that the
old clock, which had noted every minute OF his
being for sixty-nine years, was now waning
him of instant doom, and he woke up his vile,
entreating her TO keep herself perfectly COM
Portable, as it was certainly his last night upon
earth. The old lady obeyed him to the letter
about making herself comfortable, as she went
right off to sleep again with the utmost eXpe-
dtion.
Bang With heavy and sulen sound, and
devoid of its usual ringing vibration, again the
hammer rose and kissed the clock bell. The
old Frenchman listened beneath the blankets
in paralysis of fright, and shverIng in
chill perspiration. 1ick, ticE, tick, ans rap,
rap, rap, followed rapidly by the furious hump,
M,ump, Mpmp, still went on-as if an army OF
blacksmiths from fairy land were hard to work
in the middle of his pillow
EWnh a c!ink of hammers closing rivets up"
Presently another conviction settled upon
him and he shook his wife again to ask her if
she did not hear the upholstercr's men at work
upon his coffin Hush CHng!--pause-
cling, clink went the old clock again, with
three irregular aud dull strokes upon the bell.
onion Dleu, c'est six fos que, TAI entendu
sonncr une heure," tGemblingly calculated the
FreuChman
At tins moment the bell hammer STATED in
to more furious agitation than ever, and one
O'Clock fairly struck twelve before there was
any cessation of the strokes Our poor old
French friend went to work at his prayers,
concluding he bad 10 time TO lose; while the
old woman, without saying word, jumped
ont of bed, struck a light and opened the clock
to see what was the matter.
The mountain ceased to labor, and out
Jumped a terrified little mousse The old man
awokc IN the morning, as grey as badger,
which however, is not so surprising when we
consider that he was very grey when he went
to bed.