The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-06-22
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
The Bewitched Clock,

Richmond. june %, 1853.
The Bewitehed Clock.
About half past eleven o'clock on Sunday
night, human leg enveloped in blue broad
cloth might have been seen entering Deacsn
Cephas Barberry's kitchen window. The leg
was followed finally, by the entire person of a
ing clothes. 1t was Joe Mayweed, who thus
burglariously won his way to the Deacon's
kitchen.
Wonder how much the old Deacon made
by orderin' me not TO darken his doors again?'
soliloq uized the young gentleman. sPromis>
ed him wouldn't, but didn't say notbin'
about winders. I'm afeared TO move about
here, cause might break my shins over some
thin 'nuther. and wake the folks. Cold enough
TO freeze Polish beai here. o, here comes
Sally -. ae e--..ss,.
The maid descended with pleasant smile,
tallow candle, and card OF Lucifer matches.
She made up rousing FIRE in the cookiBg-
slove, and the happy couple sat down TO enjoy
the sweet interchange of vows and hopes. But
the course OF true love ran no smoother in old
Barberry' g kitchen than il does elsewhere, and
Joe, who was just making up his mind to treat
himself to KISS was startled by the voice of
the Deacon, her father, shouting from his
chamber door:
Sally! what are you getting up in the mid
die of the night fosl' asa .faa@t
Tell him it's most morning. whispered
Joe.
Il can't tell fb' said Sally.
fmake it truth, them, said Joe; and
running TO the huge, old fashioned clock that
stood in the corner, he set it at FIVE.
Look at the clock and tell me what time it
is,' cried the old gentleman up stairs.
81 is five BY the clock said Sally.
The lovers sat down again and resumed
their conversation. Suddenly the staircase
began to creak.
Good gracious! It's father
'The Deacon!by thunder!' cried Joe. Hide
Where can hide you?' cried the distracted
girl. 20
%, ksow,' said he. Fll squeeze into tn.
clock case And without another word, he
concealed himself in the case, and drew the
door behind him.
The Deacon was dressed, and seating him
self down by the cooking stove, pulled out his
pipe, lighted it, and commenced smoking de-
iiberately and calmly. ff-ssr
Five o'clock eh?' said he. sWell, [ shall
have time 10 smoke three or four pipes, and
then HI go and feed the critters
Hadn't you better feed :he critters fust. sir.
and smoke arterwards?' suggested the dutifui
Sally.
mo, smokin' clears my head, and wakes me
up, answered the Deacon, who seemed moi
whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment.
Burr r-rr-whz-ding! ding! dng7' went
the clock.
'Tormented lghtningl' cried the Deacon.
starting up, and dropping his pipe on the stove;
what in creations tha,l'
ITS only the clock striking iyer said Sally
tremulousiy. -4.-.-
Whiz! ding! ding! ding! ding ding went the
clock furiously.
Powers OF marsy!' cried the Deacon.-
Stricken FIVE! it's struck one hundred alrea
dy.'
Deacon Barberry!' cried the Deacon's bet
ter rhalfwho had hastily robed herself and now
came plunglng down the staircase in the wild
est state OF alarm. What is the matter with
the clockT
Goodness only knows replied the old man.
| It's been in the family these hundred years,
| and never did know it to carry on so before.
Whz! bang! bang! bang! bang! wen. the
clock again.
It'll bus. ITSELF cried the old lady, shedding
| flood of tears, and there won't be nothing LETT
oft.
Its bewitched!' said the Deacon, who re.
| tanned leayen of superstition in his nature -
'Any how he said after a pause, advancing
resolutely toward the clock, 'I'll see what's
| got into it,
%, don',!' cried his daughter, affeclionately
seIzIng one OF his coat tails, while bis faith
| ful wife clung to the other. 'Don'l.' chorussed
both the women together.
Let go my raimeni! shouted the old Dea
con, Il amt afeared of the powers of dark
| ness
But the women would not let go: so the
Deacon slipped out of his coat, and while
from the sudden cessation of resistance, they
fell heavily TO the floor. he darted forward.
aud laid his hand upon the door of the clock
case. But no human power could open it
Joe ~as holding it inside with death grasp
The old Deacon began TO be dreadfuliy fright.
aned. lie gave one more tag. An unearthly
yell, as OF a iend in distress, burst from the in.
side, and the clock case pitched head foremost
at the Deacon, fell headlong on the floor,
| smashed its face, and wrecked its fair proper
| tlons. The current of air exiting aished the
amp-the Deacon. the old lady, and Sally
fled up stairs, and Joe Mayweed, extricating
himself from the clock, effected his escape in
the same way he had entered.
The next day all Appleton was alive with
the story of how Deacon Barberry's clock had
been bewitched, and though many believed his
version, some, and especially Joe Mayweed. af
| iected to dlscredit the whole affair, limiting
| that the Deacon had been trying the expert
| ment OF tasting frozen cider, and that the va
| g"fies OF the clock, case existed only in a dis
| tempered imag ginaiion.
/ However, the interdict being raken of, Joe
was allowed to resume his eourting, and won
the consent of the old people to his union with
SAIL, by repairing the old clock, till il wen
as well as ever.
- novel divorce suit has just been de
cided in New York. The mother of a Young
man, named Isaac Courson, applied for a
dissolution of the nuptial knot, on behalf Of
her son, who, il was alleged, had married q
woman of i'll repuie, while in state of in.
sanity. The brides name. formerly, was Eli
zabeth Mead. The jury rendered verdict, on
Saturday, adverse to the application.
Hor WEATHER.-Let melody complain Of
not weather here; for in New York, on Sunday
afternoon, the thermometer stood at 96 in the
shade and at l25 in the sun. One man, nam.
nd a