Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-08
The Bewitched Clock.

night human leg, enveloped in blue broad
cloth, might have been seen entering Deacon
Cephas Barber's kitchen window The leg
was followed by the entire body of a live Yam.
kee attired in his Sunday-go-to meeting clothes
1t was in short Joe Mayweed, who thus won
bis way into the Deacon's kitchen.
Wonder how much the old Deacon made
by orderin me not to darken his door again."
soloqused the young gentleman. Promised
him | wouldn't, but didn't say nothin' about
winders-Winders is as good as doors, if there
amt no nails to tear your trowsers onto. Won
der if Sally will come down ?-the critter
promised me- I'm afeerd to move about here
cause might break my shns over sunthn' or
mother, and wake the old folks Cold enough
to freeze Polish bear Oh, here comes Sal
ly."
The beauteous maiden then descended with
pleasant smile, tallow candle, and box
of lucifer matches After receiving raptur-
Gus greeting, she made rousing fire in cooking
stove, and the happy couple sat down to enjoy
the sweet interchange of hopes and VOWS. But
the course of true love ran not awit smooth
er in old Barbers kitchen than it does else
where, and Joe, who was just making up his
mind to treat himself to q kiss, was startled by
the voice Of the old Deacon, her father, shou
ting from his chamber door:
Sally what are YOU getting up in the mid
die of the night for? p
Tell him it is most mornin',' whispered
Joe.
Il can't tell him fb," replied Sally.
"Ill make it a truth then said Joe. and
running to the large old-fashioned clock that
stood in the corner, he SET it at five.
Look at the clock, and tell me what time
it is,7 cried the old gentleman.
It's FIVE by the clock" replied Sally and
Immediately corroborating her words, the clock
struck FIVE
The lovers sat down again and resumed their
Suddenly the staircase began
to cEeak. GOOD gracious it's father coming
down exclaimed Sally.
The Deacon, 10y thunder :" cried Joe.
1" Hide me, Sail"
Where can hide you?' cried the distract
ed girl.
20, | know" said he, "I'll squeeze into
the old case" And without another word, he
concealed himself in the case and closed the
door
self down by the cook ing-stove he pulled out
his pipe, lighted it, and began deliberately to
smoke
Five O'Clock, eh" said he "Well, | shall
have time to smoke three or four pipes, aud
then I'll 90 and feed the critters.
Hadn't you better feed the critters frst?"
suggested the dutiful Sally.
No, smokin' clears my head and wakes
me up" replied the Deacon, who seemed not
a whit dis posed to hurry his enjoyment
Bur-r-rr, whiz, ding ding went the old
clock
"Tormented lightning !" exclaimed the dea-
con, starting up, and laying his pipe on the
stove. what on airth is that p
Its only the clock striking five replied
Sally TREMENDOUSLY.
Whiz. ding went the old clock furiously
Power of creation - cried the deacon
" strikin. FIVE, eh It's struck over hundred
already"
q" Deacon, Barber - cried the deacon's bet
ter half, who had hastily robed herself and
now came plunging down the staircase in the
widest state of alarm, what in the univarSe
is the matter with that clock =
Goodness only knows" replied the old
man. it's been a hundred years in the family
and never acted so before :"
Whize, ding bnr-r-r-r, went the old clock
again.
It'll bust ITSELF cried the old lady she'd
ding food Of tears, " and there won't be
nothin' left of it
Z" It's bewitched." said the deacon, who re-
tanned Ieayen of good old New England sup
erstition in his nature nd now" said be,
after a pause, advancing resolutely towards
the clock, q" III see what is going on in it"
"Oh. don't" cried his daughter, seizing one
of his coat-taiIs, while his wife clung to the
other. Don't" chorused both the women
" Let go my raiment," shout the deacon.
Il amt afeered of the powers of darkness
Bat the women wouldn't let go, so the dea-
con slipped ont Of his coat, and while from the
sudden cessation Of resistance they fell heavily
on the floor, he pitched forward aud grabbed
the knob of the clock door But no human
power could open il, for Joe was holding it
from the inside with death-grab
The old deacon began u be dreadfully
frightened He gave one more tug, when an
unearthly yell, as Of iicnd in distress. burst
from the inside then the clock case pitched
head foremost at the deacon, fell headloag on
the floor, smashed It's face. and wrecked its
fair proportions nS-The cnrreut of the air ex-
tin-aiShed the li-ht-the deacon, the old lady
and Sally fled up stairs, aud Joe MayWee,l ex-
tricated himself from the clock, and effected
escape in the same way he entered
The next day all Appleton was aliVc with
the story that Deacon BARRIERS clock had been
bewitched, and although MANY believed his
version. yet some, and especially Joe Mayweed
affected TO discredit the whole affair and hint
cd that the deacon had been trying the ex-
pertinent of tasting hard cider, and that the
vagaries of the clock only existed in his dis
tempered Imagination.
However, the intertlict being taken OF. Joe
was allowed TO resume his c1artiug, anil Won
the assent of the oil people to his union with
Sally by repairing the old clock till i went az
we'll Is ever