Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-14
Our Social Uirrle,
Written for the Green Mountain Freeman.
The Old Clock.
SKETCH FOR THE NEW YEAR.
A SKETCH FOR THE NEW YEAI


The last coal in the CRATE was slowly falling
to ashes, as the twelve strokes of the old clock
in the corner sounded the requium of 1857,
and ushered in the new and untried year of
80. The first few moments of the New
Year were spent by me in deep thought, try
ing, in vain, to comprehend that the year of
ST, with its freighted burthen of Joys and
sorrows had passed forever away, and that
the hopes and aspirations which | had indulg-
ed at the commencement Of that year, were
still umoalized; and vainly tried to pierce
the intense darkness of the coming twelve
months to learn if there too, they were 10
remain hopes, and only hopes.
looked up and saw that the clock had
stoppod-it had died with the Old Year.
One hundred years had it rang out the Old
Years, and in the New, and now as it herald
ed in the first year Of its second century, it's
quivoring tones sounded for the last time, for
it was broken past remedy.
II was nothing wonderful-was that old
time-piece, but rather, to strangers gaze,
it was very ordinary-looking clock. Its
worn tin case was battered and broken in
many places, and the dancing Miss so elabo-
rately painted upon the glass just below the
dial-plate, had suffered greatly from the wear
and tear Of time, insomuch that she had sus-
tanned the loss of one entire foot, one eve was
quite annihilated, and her once smooth face
bore marks oil numerous pin-scratches, made
there by revengeful urchins out of spite for
her never moving from that one tiresome DO.
siion Of balancing on her es;-ah, no! ii
was not even pretty clock, yet | loved it
all the better. Beside it hung a splendid lit
tie article Of modern workmanship, but the
old clock had all my love, and all my rever.
encc, for it had descended to us as an heir.
loom, through many generations.
For years and years it was the only orna.
yment that graced the "best room" of my
Grandmother's Grandmother, and many are
the tales that have beguied the wearines.
of my childish hours, which have been drawn
from the existence of that old clock, an(
linked, as it is to our family not only b,
tradition, but by every association of early
life, what wonder that the deep reverence,
with which ] hold it, almost borders upol
awe?
One of the tales which | SO well remem
Der and to the truth of which | can vouch
related to an aunt of my fathers, who forme
one of our family until l was eight years ole
when she died, at the age of eighty, and ha
been for the last forty-fve years of her lii
a maniac She was the only person 1 ha
ever seen in that situation; and with child
curiosity, watched from morning till ever
ing her singular movements and the one gres
question in the minds of us children wa
"why God made auntie so?" She woul
sit for hours gazing at that clock, and all tn
while talking to herself of something coul
never comprehend, and when it commence
striking, she would raise her finger and viii
per, Hush !" Then she would commend
and count the strokes, and if they stoppt
short of twelve, she drew deep sigh of +
lief, and said "Not twelye-he will sure
COME must be ready" .-.
She would then go to her room, and SOC