Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-08-02
The Devils Clock.

The town of erringhausen, not hun
dred miles from Frankfort, is one of the
most picturesquely antique in Germany.
and contains about 10000 inhabitants.
like to prepare my readers with tolerable
idea of the locality wherein the events
narrated transpire-for then l may hope to
impress them with at least two fold SYM
pathv in nv dramatis persona. The street
in which Herr Bomgarten had his resi-
dence was among the oldest in the town a.
foresaid and his residence the oldest in it.
He was himself, also, high dried piece
of antiquity, usually enveloped IN a cloud
of smoke from sunrise TO sunset, except
when his fair daughter sat beside HIM at
the evening meal and talked over the af-
fairs of the day. On such occasions he
would narrate incidents in his progress
through life, and dwell upon acquiring the
independence which they 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
festival held periodically in all the primer
pal German towns, his judgment was ap-
pealed to and indeed no meeting of the
kind was considered complete If he by any
chance was absent. 1t may, therefore nat
urally be inferred that his daughter had
been early instructed in the elements of
the art and at nineteen she was pianist
of considerable attainments. These cir
cumstances formed the basis of a desire
which became stronger with its years, and
which confirmed resolve that she wonld
wed one of the most accomplished musl-
clans of the age. They say that when all
passions die, ambition survives, and &C.
quires force proportionate to its soltarl-
ness and singleness OF aim. Certainly il
is, that out of the many suitcrs whom the
beauty and gentleness of disposition of A,
zala attracted to the domicl OF Herr Bonn
garten, not one, scrupulous was he on the
score of musical perfection) was permitted
to continue his visits. Anxiety for the full
flment of hope being usually in proper
ton to its strength her sire, as the young
lady approached twenty-one, began to ex'
perience dread that he might not see hel
settled. This preyed upon bis spirits deep.
ly, and urged him to publish as widely as
possible, his intentions. To that end he in
vited to his honse on certain day, all oi
the class musical who chose to compete FOL
his daughter, declaring that at midnight he
would decide on the claims the aspirants
Now it is necessary | should inform my
readers that IN the grand apartment oi
, Herr Bomgartens mansion there was
piece of furniture supposed to have been
fabricated by Hungarian magician, and
which exhibited so much of apparent will
ness that it had been denominated by COM
mon consent the Devils Clock.
This time-keeping ediice struck all man.
ner of ways; but whatever might be its va
carries, it was always true in the solemn
twelve" at midnight; 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 a little preparation
had been made. The piano forte Zone OF
Koaner's late improvements) was placed
under the mirror of immense size, and ex-
actly opposite to the (fataI clock
Azaia was dressed in holiday suit, and
lovelier than usual, and from this circum-
stance, her father argued prosperous
finale. At about eight o'clock in the even
ING, the suitors were assembled and the
PLAYERS who ventured to offer themselves
as competitors for so beautiful and so rich
prize, were four in number. They seve-
rally sat down to the instrument, and each
appeared, more than his predecessor, to a.
stonish the audience; and it was generally
imagined that the last performer would be
entitled to become the fair girls husband.
Bnt ere Herr Bomgarten had quite resolved
in bis own mind the exact merits of each
candidate, another stood beside the nstru-
ment, and rather by signs than words, In
dicated that he, too, must try his skill.
The guests seemed extremely puzzled at
this singular apparition; for up TO that
momentth gentleman had not been observ-
ed in the room at all One ortwo persons,
indeed, declared that he had actually step
ped from the clock-case as the last player
of the four had concluded his fantasia. BE
it as it may, he sat down to the piano, and
produced, but it is wholly impossible to des-
crbe the sensation. He now wlthered ur
the heart with the intensity OF his pathos
and again enchanted the soul with multi
tudinous images of delight. Then would he
pour over the Imagination a storm OF har'
monies that exalted it almost to frenzy; and
anon subdued it to the placldlty OF child
hood He was the man; yet, who was he
The question was a fearful one. He was
handsome-his aspect was singularly wild
and melancholy. He executed with mar,
vellous ease, but his mind appeared Gudg-
inc from his eye) to be wandering over the
fields of thought remote from that IN which
he was engaged He rose. Herr Bomgar.
ten sprang from his seat and would have
embraced him, but was repelled by his Pc
culiarity of mien. Few minutes had he to
decide, for midnight was at hand. As tc
the pretty Azalia she wore no expression
save only that of extreme pallor, & of inter.
nal agitation but when the stranger, as the
clock struck "twelve," +" touched her hand tc
depart. she rose at once, and without ap-
parent reluctance. The most surprising
mart Of the whole business was this that
| the stranger, holding the hand of the young
lady, proceeded at once to the Devils S
Clock, and giving one melancholy glance
at the company, totiched spring and re-
tired within its case.
AS the door closed on the fatal couple, a
murmur of horror ran through the assem-
bled guests. The unhappy father was SC
affected that he tainted away, and as SEN
sation returned, declared that he repented
sorely of having interfered with the. decrees
of Providence. "Ah!" lie exclaimed" ,"would
that | had selected some honest youth a.
monq our neighbors for her husband Car
Won Muller, for instance, who loved hel
I L Il .