The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-04-10
gretifat
THE BEwITCHED CLOCK.

| About half past eleven o'clock on Sun
day night, a human leg, enveloped in
blue broadeloth, might have been seen
entering Cephas Barbcrry's kitchen
window. The leg was finally followed
by the entire person live yankee at
tired, in his Sunday go-to-meeting'
clothes. 1t was in short, Joe Mayweed
who there, buglariously in the dead of
the rfight, won his way into the deaeon's
kitchen. 80 uG g IS hW
"Wonder how much the old deacon
made by orderin' me not to darken his
door again ?" solioquized the young
gentlemangss Promised him wouldn't,
but didn't say nothin' about winders. -
Winders is as good as doors, II there amt
no nails 10 tear your trowsers on to-
Wonder If Sal'll come down? The crit
ter promised me. I'm afraid to move
here, cause | might break my shins
over sumthin' or nuther, and wake the
old folks. Cold enough to freeze po-
lar bear here. Oh, here comes Sally y
The beautiful maiden descended with
beautiful smile, IA tallow candle and a
box of matches. After receiving a rap
turous greeting she made up roaring
fire In the cooking stove, and the happy
couple sat down to enjoy the sweet in
terchange of views and hopes. But the
oourca nf frua Iox,a RON No cronnfbor ,,
old Barberry's kitchen than it does else
where, and Joe, who was making up his
mind to treat himself to kiss, was star
tied by the voice of the deacon, her
father, shouting from her chamber
door,
''Sally, what are you gettingup in the
middle of the night for 2"
'sTell him it's morning." ..f
~ can't tell fib," said Sally.
"I'll make it truth them" said Joe,
and running to the huge old fashioned
clock that stood in the corner, he set it
| five.
"Look at the clock and tell me what
time tits, cried the old gentleman up
stairs. aaas
"It's five by the clock, answered Sal
ly, and corroborating the words the
clock struck five."
The lovers sat down again and re-
sumed the conversation. Suddenly the
staircase began to creak.
"Good gracious . it's father.''
"The deacon, by thander ~ cried Joe,
''hide me Sal J"
"where can hide you" cried the dis
tracted girl.
"Oh, 1 know" SAID he, "l1l squeese
into the clock CASE" 5ltlE4
And without another word he con-
cealedl himself in the case aGd drew the
door behind him.
The deacon was dressed, and sitting
himself down by the cooking stove,
pulled out his Pipe, lighted it, and COM
menced smoking very deliberately and
calmly.
Five o'clock, eh ?" said he. swell,
| shall have time to smoke three or
four pipes and then I'll go and teed the
critters. fti
"Ha,ln't you better go and feed the
critters first, sir, and smoke afterwards
suggested the dutiful Sally. EH
"No, smokin' clears my head and
wakes me up," answered the deacon,
who seemed not whit disposed 20 hur-
ry his enjoyment. .arIt
Whiz ding ding! ding! went the
clock.
"Tormented lightning!' cried the
deacon, starting up, and dropping his
pipe ON the stove. "What in creations
that ?"
"It is only the clock striking five,
said Sally tremulously.
Whiz! ding !! ding! ding! went the
old clock furiously.
"Powers of mercy!' cried the dea-
cons bet.er-half, who had hastily robed
herself and now came plunging down
the staircase in the widest state of
alarm. "What is the matter of the
clock?"r ssu p r.fr
'Goodness only knows" replied the
old man. ''lt has been i'll the family
these hundreds years and never did |
know it to carry on so before"
Whiz? bangl bang! bang! went the
clock. 1<.f
"1tll bust itself !" cried the old lady,
shedding fload Of tears, "and there
won't b, nothing left of IT,
"lt is bewitched," said the deacon, who
retained leayen of New England SUI
perstition in his nature anyhow"
he said, after a pause, advancing reso-
lutely toward the clock, "I'll see what
has got into it !" .. ~
"Oh, DON'T" cried the daughter, af-
fectionately seizing one of his coat tails,
while his faithful wife hung to the other.