Litchfield enquirer., 1864-04-07
JOE MAYWEED'S COURTsHIP

have been seen entering old Cephas Barbary's kitchen window. Ihe leg Was followed by the entire body of Yankee attired in his Sunday-go tomeeting clothes. It was in short Joe Mayweed, who thus burglariousy won his way into the old deacon's kitchen.
 Wonder how much the old deacon made by ordering me not to darken his door agin, solil- oquized the young gentleman. Promised him l wouldn't, but dld not say any thing abeu windows. Windows are as good as doors if there an't no nails to tear trousers onto. Won der if Sally will come down. The eritter promised me. 1 am afraid to move about here, might break my shins over somethin or another and awake the old man. Cold en ouah to freeze polish bear here. o, here comes Sally.
 The beauteous maid descended with a smile 5. tallow candle and bsx of lucifer matches.
 After receiving u rapturous greeting, she made rousng fire in the cooking stove, and the happy young couple Sat down to enjoy the sweet interchange of hopes and vows.
 But the course of true ,ye ran not bit smoother in Barbary's kitchen than elsewhere, and Joe WAS just making up his mind to trea. himself to a kiss, when he was startled by the voice of the deacon, her father, shouting from the door of his chamber.
 sall ! what are you getting up In the middle of the night for?
 Tell him it is morning whispered Joe May weed.
 l cant tell him a fb, said Sally.
 I'll make it a truth then. said Joe And running to the huge old-fashioned clock that stood ia the corner, he put the hands at five.
 Look at the clock and tell me what time it is, cried tAe old gentleman.
 It is five by the clock, said Sally, and cor rohoratirg her words the clock struck five.
 The levers sat down again and resumed their conversation. SuAdesly the stairs began to creak.
 Good gracious! it is father.
 Tue deacon by tI,nn,ier cxslaim >d .'ne. Hide G,.. Sally.
 Where ean iida you? exclaimed le di:- tracted girl.
 o, know, said l:s, will squeeze into tie clock case
 And without Ii word le curer;,le,! himself in tiIc case "::t} c!">td ihs deer.
 I'uo a.uc,"s ,>>:s tg,s>cd, ;nd seating Li..- self hv sh,' :;uya. s9vd ont lis pipe. ila':.A IT, and ee;,}. :s,.h.rstel* tu snoka
 Five u clock E,u.: sniI h". Well si,ail is,;9c lu siinS" ii'>,. t,ur pipes, atId thea w;;l go n,; f.',- tue critters,
 Hadn't y.,u '',!"r gu aa! ise.l tie eii;!,rs first. suggra!".t Sally.
 No si?.Hklus clears my head =nd wakes lie ap, replies. i. deacon. who seemed no: ~hi; disposed tp bury ar tie enjoyment of his pipe.
 Bur r-r-r w.iz, ding, ding, ding, went the clock.
 Tormented lightning, cried the deacon, start tug up aud dropping Lis pipa on the stoye whst'n earth is that!
 It is only the clock striking five, replied Sul- ly. uemaiousiy.
 Power of creation, cried tue dsacon. stri- kin Eve Ii has struck more than a hundred already.
 Deacon Barbary, cried the deacon's wife, who had hastily rebsd herself. and now came plugging down stairs, in the widest state of alarm, what in the universe is the matter with the clock
 Goodness oui5 knows, replied the old man. It is hundred yrats in tho family, and nev- CT knew it to carry on so afore.
 Whlx, ding went the sIock again.
 ltil bust itself, cried the old ludy, shedding a flood of tsags, and there won't De nothing left of it.
 It's bewitched. cried the old deacen. who contained leayen of New England supersti- ton in his nature. Anyhow, said ho, after a pause, advancing resolutely toward the clock, I'll see what's going on in it.
 Ou, uoH h, Stieo HIS uauS ee', ss'%'hS oae oi his coat tails while his wife caught the other.
 Don't, cried both women together.
 Let go, my raiment, shouted the deacon. am not afraid of the powers of darkness.
 But the women wouldn't let go, so the dea- con slipped cut of his coat, and while from the sudden cessation of resistance they fell heavi. ly to the floor, he pitched forward and seized the knob 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 dreadful!y frightened. He gave ous more tug, when en unerthly veil as of Gend in distress, burst from the inside, the clock pitched headfore most at the deacon. aud wrecked it's fine pro- portions The current of ar exlinguished the cande-the deacon, the old Lady and Sally flew up stairs, and Joe Mayweed, extr;catine himself from the closet, effected his escape 1T the same way in which he had entered.
 The next day all Appleton was alive witt the story of how old Deacon Barbary's clock had been bewitched, and although many be lieved his version, yet some, and especial!