Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-04-29
The Bewitched Clock.

I ABOUT halt-pa5t eleven O'Clock on sunday
night, human leg, enveoped in blue broad
cloth, might have been seen entering Cephas
Barberrys kitchen window. The leg was
followed finally by the entire person of live
Yankee, attired in his Sunday go-to-meetin
clothes 1t was, in short, Joe Mayweed who
thus burglariously in the dead of night won
his way into the deacon's kitchen.
Wonder how much the old deacon made
by orderin' me not to darken his door agin p
soliloquized the young gentleman Prom
ised him | wouldn't but didn't say nothin'
about winders. Winders is Just as good as
doors, if there aint no nails TO tear your trow-
sers QUITO. Wonder if Sal II come down?
The critter promised me. I'm afraid to move
here cause | might break my shns over
suthin' or nuther, and wake the old folks.
Cold enough to freeze polar bear here.
Oh, here comes Sally"
The beautiful maiden descended with a
pleasant smile talow candle and box of
matches After receiving a rapturous greet
ing, she made up roaring fire in the cook
ing stove, and the happy couple sat down to
enjoy the sweet interchange of views and
hopes. But the course of true love ran no
smoother in old Barberry's kitchen than it
does elsewhere, aud Joe, who was making up
led by the voice of the deacon, fssm her
chamber door
Sally, what are you getting up in the
middle of the night for ?"
Tell him it's most morning" whispered
Joe.
" | can't tell a fb," said Sally
I'm make it truth them said Joe, and
running to the huge old-fashioned clock that
stoo1 in tha cornnr ha sat "A at fua
Look at the clock and tell me what time
it is" cried the old gentleman from up stairs
" It's five by the clock" answered Sally,
t and corroborating the words, the clock struck
! five.
The lovers sat down aud resumed the con-
$ versation. Suddenly the staircase began to
$ creak
&" Good gracious it's father!n
r THE deacon, by thunder?' cried Joe,
e hide me- Sal"
5 Where can | hide your" cried the dis
e tracted girl.
: "Oh know said he I'll squeeze into
! the clock case"
And without another word he concealed
a himself in the case and drew the door behind
a him.
/ The deacon was dressed, and sitting him
: self down by the cooking stove pulled out
: his pipe, and lighting it, commenced smoking
l. very deliberately and calmly.
e s" Five o'clock, eh ?" said he. Well,
it shall have time to smoke three or four pipes
r and then I'll go and feed the critters"
/ b" Hadn't you better go and feed the critters
n first, sir, and smoke afterwards ?" suggested
5 Sally.
+ No, smoking clears my head and wakes
: me up" answered the deacon, who seemed
h not a whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment.
f whz-z-ding went the clock
: " Tormented lightning" !" cried the deacon,
= starting up, and dropping his pipe on the
T. stove. " What in creation is that?"
a 1t is only the clock striking FIVE" said
= Sally, TREMENDOUSLY
S Whiz ding ding! ding went the old
IS clock furiously.
d Powers of merey!' cried the deacon.
h Striking five? it's struck hundred al
t ready"
It Deacon Barberry!" cried the deacon's
Y better half, who had hastily robed herself
e and now came plunging down the staircase in
Is the widest state OF alarm What is the
O matter of the clock ?"
= Goodness only knows" replied the old
0 man. ." It's been in the family these hundred
s years. and never did know it to carry on so
L before"
st Whz bang bang bang went the
l. clock
= "Itll burst itself!' cried the old lady,
shedding food of tears and there won't
be nothing left of it,"
It's bewitcbed," said the deacon, who re-
=. tanned leaven of New England superstition
II in his nature Anyhow" he said, after u
7 pause, advancing resolutey toward the clock,
e III see what's got into it,
u "Oh, don't" cried the daughter, affection
} ately seizing one of his coat tails, while his
o faithful wife hung to the other.
u Don't" chorused both the women togeth-
e er.
is Let 90 my raiment y shouted the deacon,
% I" amt of the powers of darkness"
y But the women would not LET go so the
n deacon slipped off his coat, and while, from
g the sudden cessation of resistance, they fell
d heavily on the floor, he darted forward and
P laid his hand ON the door of the cloek-case.
n But no human power could open it. Joe was
"a holding il inside with death grasp. The dea-
!, con began to be dreadtully frightened. He
q gave one more tug An unearthly yell AS of
l. a iend in distress came from the inside, and
m then the clock cease pitched head foremost ON
. the floor, smashed its face and wrecked its
81 proportions,
IS The current of air extinguished the light
l. the deacon the old lady and Sally fed up
n stairs, and Joe Mayweed extricating himself
h from the clock, effected his retreat in the
y same way that he had entered. The next
e day all Appletown was alive with the story
. of how Deacon Barberry's clock had been be-
n witched and though many believed his ver-
u sion, some, and especially Joe Mayweed, af-