The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-01-27
A Yankee Story.

any other source. We find ia one of
them tins udicrous anecdo,e Of the be
witched clock"
About half past eleven O'clock on Sun
day night, human leg, envrloped in
blue broad cloth, might have been seen
entering Deacon Cephas Barberry's k,tch-
en window. The leg WAS follow ed, final
ly, by the entire person Of live ankee,
attred IN his sundy 90 10 meetin' clothes.
1t was, in short, Joe Mayweed, who thus
bwglarioasly won his way into the Dea
cons kitchen.
Wonder how much the old Deacon
made bv orderIn' me not to dark.n his
door again z" soiiluqnized the Young zen.
tIemsn. Promised him ! wouldn't, but
dhn say nuthrn' about wiudcrs. Win
ders is rs good as doors. ef there ain no
naAs 10 tear you your trowsers ontu.-
Wonder # SaII,fl come down. The crit
ter promised me. I'm altered 10 move
about here, cause might break INV
Sims over something or other and wake
the old folks. Cold enough to freeze 4
Polish bear here. O, here comes SaIiv.'
The Leauteous mail descended with a
pleasant smile. tallow candle, aud box
OF iuclier matches. Alter receiving a
raPturous greeting she male Il rousinp
fire in the cooking.stovc, and the happy
couple sat down to enjoy the sweet inter
change of vows and hopes. But the
course ct true love ran not a whit smooth.
er IN old Barbcrry's kitchen than i, does
elsewhere, and Joe, who was Jus, MAKING
up his mind TO treat himself TO take :,
kiss, was startled by the voice of the Dea.
con, her father, shouting from is cham
her door !:
Sally what are you getting ND in
the middle Of tue night for 2
'leIl him it's most morning. whispered
Joe.
Il cant tell fb,' said Sally.
III make 1t a truth, then said Joe and
running To the huge old fashioned clock
that stood III the corner, he set it at five.
Look at the clock, and tell me what
time it's cried the cid gentleman
Its FIVE NV the clock said Sal; and
corr"hertliug her words, The clock struck
five
The lovers sat down again anl resum
ed their conversation. Suddenly the stair
case began TO creak. 'Goodlv gracious {,
ITS father, exclaimed Sally.
'rhe Deacon, by thunder cried joe
Hide me, SaIlyH
Where can | hide you 2 cried the dis
tracted girl.
90, know said he, I'll squeeze into
tue. clock case And without aro,hcr
work, he concealed himself in III. case
;:md closed the door.
The Deacon WAS dressed, and seating
himself by the cooking stove, pulled Out
hIs pipe, lighted it, and began deliberate
ly To smoke.
Five O'clock, ell 2 said he. We'll, |
shaI! have time to smoke three or four
pipes, and then I'll go and feed the crit
lers.'
Hadn't you better feed the critters fust?'
suggested the dur:iuI Sally.
No; smokin' clears my head, and wa
kens Inc up replied the Deacon, who
seemed not win: disposed to hurry his
enjoyment.
But r-rr-r-whiz-ding! ding-ding-
went the clock.
'Tormented Iightningr cried the Dea-
con, Starting up and dropping his pipe on
the stove 'whatn airIh's tha, z
Its only the clock striking five replied
Sally, tremulous,y.
Whz ding ding! ding went the old
clock furiousy.
Power of creation " cried the Deacon.
'StrIkin' five its struck more tn au h hun
dred times already
Deacon Barberry " cried the deacon's
better half, who had hastily robed her
self, and now came pIunging down the
staircase in the widest state of alarm,
what IN the universe is The matter with
the clock 2
tfoOdness only khows,' replied the old
man, it's been hundred years in the
family, and It never carried on so afore.'
Whiz! ding! ding ! whiz-z went the
clock again.
It'll burst itselff cried the old lady.
shedding a flood Of tears, and there won't
be nothin' left Of itr
It's bewi,ched y said the Deacon, who
retained leaven of good old New EnI
land superstition in his nature. ANY
how, sad he, after a pause, advancing
resoIureIy towards the clock, I'll see what
is going on in it,
Oh, don't cried his daughter. scizine
one of his coat tails, while his wife clung
to the orher. Don't chorused both The
women together.
Let go my raimnent " shouted the
Deacon Il amt sfeared Of the powers
Of Darkness
But the women wouldn't let 90: so
the Deacon slipped out of his coat, and
while from the sudden sensation of res,s-
tance, they fell heavily upon the floor, he
pitched forward and seized the mob Of the
clock. But no human power could open
it, for Joe was holding it from the inside
with death grip.
The old Deacon began to be dreadfnlIy
frightened. He gave one more tug, when
an dnearthly yell rs Of a fiend in distress,
burst from the inside, then the clock case
pitched head foremost at the Deacon, fell
headlong on the floor, smashed its face