Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-02-10
a Yankee Story.

The funny columns in the English pa
pers derive more Of their .stuns Tor smiles
from Journals In this country, than from any
other source. We find in one of them this
ludicrous anecdote of the "bewitched clock"
About half past eleven o'clock on Sum
day night, human leg, enveloped in blue
broad cloth might have been seen entering
Deacon Cephas Barberry's kitchen win
dow. The leg was followed, finally, by the
entire person of live Yankee, attired in
his sunday-go-to- clothes. 1t was,
in short, Joe haywood, who thus burglari-
ously won his way into the Deacon's kitch-
en-.
"Wonder how much the old Deacon
made by orderin' me not to darken his
door again z" soliloquized the young gen
tleman. Promised him | wouldn't, but
didn't say nothin' about winders. Win
ders IS as good as doors, eff there amt no
nails to tear your trowsers onto. Won
der if Sally'll come down. The critter
promised me. I'm altered to move about
tyglei esgEei cause might break my shins over
o, here comes Sally
The beauteous maid descended with a
pleasant smile, tailow candle, and box
of lucifer matches. After receiving rap
turous greeting, she made a rousing fire in
the cooking stove, and the happy couple
sat down to enjoy the sweet interchange o.
vows and hopes. But the course Of true
love ran not whit smoother in old Bar
berry's kitchen than it does elsewhere, anc
Joe, who was just making up his mind tC
treat himself to kiss, was startled by the
voice of the Deacon, her father, shouting
from his chamber door:
"Sally what are you getting up in tn
middle of the night for 2"
''Tell him it's most morning." Whispered
Joe.
81 can't tell fb," said Sally.
'I'll make it a truth, then" said Joe, an
running to the huge old fashioned eloc
that stood in the corner, he set it at five
"Look at the clock, and tell me whit
time it is" cried the old gentleman.
"It's five by the clock said Sal; an
corroborating her words, the clock struc
five.
their conversation. Suddenly the stair cas
began to creak, "1oodly gracious! j
father exclaimed Sally.
'The Deacon, by thunder" cried 10
"Hide me, Sally !"
"Where can | hide you ?" cried the di
tracted girl.
| 20, know" said he, "I'ff squeeze in
2 the clock case" And without anoth
: word, he concealed himself in the case al
, closed the door.
i The Deacon was dressed, and seati
: himself by the cooking stove, pulled 9
a his pipe, lighted it, and began deliberate
t to smoke.
: give o'clock, eh +? said he. "Well,
:, shall have time to smoke three or tc
d pipes, and then I'll 90 and feed the critter
g Hadn't you better feed the critters fls
d suggested the dutlful Sally.
No; smokin' clears my head, and '
of kens me up" replied the Deacon, "
le seemed not whit disposed to hurry
I'd enjoyment.
$ But r-r-r-r-whis-ding ding dins
Is, went the clock.
at "Tormented lightning" cried the D
an con, starting up and dropping his pipe
IL the stove; ''what'n alrth's that p
ng "lt's only the clock striking five"
piled Sally, tremulously.
av Winding ding ding went the
", clock furiously.
nd "Power Of creation!" cried the Dea
'Strikin' five it's struck more than a |
to dred times already
hle deacon BarberryF Y cried the deac
better halt, who had hastily robed her
and now came plunging down the stair
er- in the widest state OF alarm, what in
7ss' universe is the matter with the clock
"Goodness only knows" replied the
she man, it's been hundred years in the
in ly, and it never carried on so afore."
ood Whiz! ding ding whiz-z-z went
rev clock again.
hen "It'll burst itself?' cried the old
ON, shedding food of tears, ''and there
fire, be nothin' left of it p
oh ats bewitched p said the Deacon,
hu- retained a leaven Of good old New En-,
uperstition in his nature. aAny