Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-11-13
BILL TROT AND HIS CLOCK.

Wcll, SIR Bill said to me one day, 'about
five years Or better ago, | bought wooden
day clock from Yankee pcdIer named Tom
Jones, who used to travel through this coun,
try, droppip one at most every house Twas
the last one he had, and give him fifteen
dollars for it. She was perfect goer of a
clock-and then sich q beauty! Her little
squatty, dumpy fgur dressed out i'll her
painted case, jiSt filed my eye exactly to 4
mats heel l sot her on The mantle shelf, 50
as might alters see her. I didn't think I'd
ever cit tired looking at her Her little penji-
lum would swing backward and forreds,
pickin of the seckius at proper rate. Thar
she'd roll it, pockin away, day arter day, and
week arter week, dead bent on kecpin up
with the sun and dctermed that nary time
piece in the settlement should git ahead of
her. She'd dig ahead at the hours, never
stoppin to ketch breath, but firin away in
admirable style. Id wind her up of nights,
and then 90 to bed, putin every confidence
in her, and bein perfectly satisfied that she'd d
do her jcwty faithful although | wasn't
watchin Of her, land wouldn't allow the sun
to be up before she put her hand to the hour
of sunrise. And then, sir, when I'd be rest
less, and couldn't sleep, or when | was sick,
then what company she was to me. To be
shurc, she couldn't talk to me--jist called
my namc-that's all. Though sometimes,
she'd say Dick so plain, I'd look up at her
and almost cxpcck her to lead off a regular
built chat. Well, sir, she continued TO be
good for five year, and was my hearts de-
light. In fack, I may say she hilt on to be
good longer than that; but it was about
that time she begun monstrously to exemble
old Dave Wilton's witc-yOu know who she
was?
Cannot say do exactly
why, sir, thcrt you krowcl-Old Dave
used to say that his wife was charming cree
tur-cnc OF the best womcn-that lie did
not believe, from old mother Eve down to
the present gineration, a better woman ever
throwed pctticoat over head. 10 be sure,
he sed she had her ways (here Bill snuffed
in imitation of Old Dave, whom knew
very WE'LL she would have her ways, and
sich ways as she did have. Well, sir, my
clock got to be the same way-somc Of her
works got outer fix, aud for spite she done
jist as she blamed please. Strike, yes sir,
she did like all dingnation. She'd take a
notion to buglc of sometimes, and she d ring
on them wires one hundred and fifty times.
At first was ticklcd at it, and would set and
laugh at her for bcin sich fool as to be cut,
ting up them extrays what didn't hurt any
body but herself. l;ut at last I began to cit
tired of sich foo!cry, 1t seemed to me,
whenever l had tough job before me, and
wanted to study it out, or whenever l was
right sleepy, then she'd pick her chance to
come them big licks. l put up with it a
long timc-didn't do nothiu to her-and
thort, by letting her have her fun out, she
might cit tired of it herself, after a while.
But she didn't; she still hilt on stouter an
ever. On last Saturday | went up above
ucIC " ltIStGi, s'Iu d. dlIcio boSS w SiS'i
occasions, tuck rather too much of the tctc1.
nc LyhNy. When | got home [ thort the
best place for me was in bed--so as to sleep
my boozy off, pulls off, and gifts in bed ;
but no sooner did my head fetch the piller,
than up starts the Observation-Disclosures
r-ring-I determined to put Z stop to sich
capers that night. | got up, loaded my old
muskct, tuck cheer, and sot down right
before her. Now, old lady sez [, 'yer ar
ter the spite game agin, arye? Jist go on
ef you like it-but dar' to strike hundred
this time, and, ding me ef you don't kctch
hell" " My threats didn't scare her one bit
she struck away, 'pearcd livelier than ever
She went it so peart, she soon got up to
ninety-nincty-o ouc--two-- three--four-
fve-six-'l sec yer gwyin it, sA l, and
cocks the old musket, ch.r-r-ring-I puts it
to my shoulder-ch-r-r-ring-I takes sight
-ch-r-r-ring-I lays my finger on the trig-
ger-ch-r-r-ring, sez she, stouter an ever,
and was starting with another chee-when 1
lums away, and in half a seckin finds my
self fat on my back, in the middle of the
floor. As I picked myself up, I head the
L