The Feliciana Democrat., 1857-12-26
Tbs felitiana 1emotrat.
A YANKEE STORY.


of the bcwitchcd clock"
About half past eleven o'clock on Sunday
night, Il human leg, cnveloped in blue broad
CLOTH might have been seen entering Deacon
Ccphas Barberry's kitchen window. The leg
was followed, finally by the entire person Of Il
live Yankee, attired in his Sunday.go-tom
in clothes 1t was, in short, Joe Mayweed,
who thus burglarously won his way into the
Dcacon's kitchen.
Wonder how much the old deacon made
by orderin' me not to darkcn his door again Y
soloquizcd the young gentleman Promis-
ed him wouldn't, but didn't say nothn'
about windcrs Winders is as good as doors,
ef there aint no nails to tear your trowsers
onto. Wonder if Sally'll come down The
crtter promised me. I'm altered to move
about here, cause might break my shins over
something or mother and wake the old folks.
Cold enough to freeze Polish bear here. O,
here comes Sally"
The bcauteons maid descended with pleas
ant smile, tallow candle, and a box Of luci-
fer matches After receiving rapturouS
greeting she made rousing fire in the cook
ing stove and the happy couple sat down to
enjoy the sweet interchange ofvows and hopes.
But the course of true love ran not whit
smoother in Old Barbcrry's kitchen than it
does elsewhere, and Joc who was Just making
up his mind to treat himself to kiss, was
startled by the voice of the deacon, her fa.
ther, shouting from his chamber door:
sally what are you getting up in the
middle Of the night for! 7"
"Tel him its most morning. whispered
Joe.
II can't tell fb," said Sally
Ia a In, nd
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.
:" It's five by the clock" said Sal i; and cor
roboratng her words, the clock struck FIVE.
The lovers sat down again and resumed their
conversation. Suddenly the stair case began
to creak. Good gracious It's father" eX.
claimed Sally.
1.-The deacon, by thunder !" cried joe
Hide me, Sally Y
"Whcre can hide you!" cried the distract
ed girl.
70, know" said he, "I'll squeeze into the
clock ease And without another word, he
concealed himself in the case and closed the
door.
The deacon was dressed, and seating him
self down by the cooking stove, pulled out
his pipe, lighted it, and began deliberately to
smoke
." Five o'clock, ell ?" said he. "Wcll, l
shall have time to smoke three or four pipes
and then I'll go and feed the critters
"No; smokin' clears my head, and wakes
me up" replied the deacon, who seemed not Il
whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment
But r.r-r-rwhiz-ding ding ding-wcn'
the clock
"Tormented lightning |" cried the deacon
starting up and dropping his pipe on the stove
whatn airth's that 2"
Sally, TREMENDOUSLY
Winding ding ! ding went the old clock
furiously,
"Power Of creation " cried the Deacon
"Strikn five its struck more than hun
dred times already"
deacon Barberry y cried the deacon's
better half, who had hastily robed herself, and
now came plunging down the staircase in the
widest state of alarm, what in the universe
is the matter with the clock p
"Goodness only knows" replied the old
man, it's been hundred years in the family
and it never carried on so afore."
Whiz ding ding whz-z,z went the
clock again.
"It'll burst itself !" cried the old lady, shed
ding flood of tears, and there won't be no
thin left Of it
" It's bewitched !" said the deacon, who re.
tanned a lcayen of good old New England SUI
persttion in his nature. "Any how" said he,
after pause, advancing resolutely towards
the clock "I'll see what's going on in it,"
"Oh, don't" cried the daughter, seizing one
of his coat tails, while his wife cling to the
other Don't !" chorused both the women
together.
Let go my raiment !" shouted the deacon;
amt feered of the powers Of darkness"
But the women wouldn't let go so deacon
slipped out Of his coat, and while from thC
sudden sensation of resistance, they fell heay
ly upon the floor, he pitched forward and seiz
ed the mob of the clock But no human DOW
er could open it, for Joe was holding it from
the inside with a death grip.
The old deacon began to be dreadful,
frightened lie gave one more tug, when al
unearthly yell as of a fiend in distress, burs
from the inside then the clock case pitchee
head-formost at the deacon, fell head.long ol
bo Hoor on,o chol itc farn and wracL a1 its foi