The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-07-31
The BeWitched Clock.

son of a lively yankee, attired in his Sun
day 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 orlerin' me not to darken his door
again?'' soliloquised the young man.
"Promised him wouldn't, but didn't say
nothin' about winders. Winders is Just as
good as doors, if there amt no nails to tear
down? The critter promised me. I'm
afraid to move here, cause / might break
my shns over sumthin' ornother, and wake
the old folks. Cold enough to freeze a po-
lar bear here. Oh, here comes Sally ~
The beautiful maiden descended with a
pleasant smile, a tallow candle and box of
matches. After receiving rapturous greet
ing she made up a 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 did elsewhere, and Joe, who was
making up his mind to treat himself to a
kiss, was startled by the voice of the dea-
con, her father, shouting from her chamber
door
"Sally, what are you getting up in the
middle of the night for?'
"Tell him it S most morning. whispered
Joe.
81 can't tell fib, said Sally.
"I'll make it a truth tho said Joe, and
running to the huge old-fashioned clock
that stood in the corner, he sat it at five.
"Look at the clock and tell me what
time it is cried the old gentleman up
stairs.
cts five by the clock" answered Sally,
and corroborating the words, the clock
struck five.
The lovers sat down again and resumed
the conversation. Suddenly the staircase
began to creak. .Good gracious it's IA
ther.'
"The deacon, by thunder?" cried Joe
hide me, Sal. ~
"Where can I hide youo" cried the dis
tracted girl.
"Oh, know" said he, "I'll squeeze in
to the clock CASE
And without another word he concealed
himself i'll the case and drew the door be
hind him.
The deacon was dressed, and sitting him
self down by the cooking stove, pulled gu
his pipe, lighted it, and commenced smok
ing very deliberately and calmly.
g Five o'clock, eh?" said he. "Well,
shall have time to smoke three or fou
pipes, then I'll go and feed the critters. -
Hadn't you better go and feed the critter
first, sir, and smoke afterwards?' suggest
ed the dutiful Sally.
"No, smokin' clears my head and wake
me up answered the deacon, who seemed
not whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment
Bur-r-r-r-whiz-z-di ng-ding went tn
clock.
"Tormented lightning y cried the dea
~. starting up, and dropping his pipe o.
the stove. '.What in creations that?"
Its only 10 clock striking five," SAT-
Sally TREMENDOUSLY.
Whiz ding ding ding went the oil
clock furiously.
"Powers of mercy - cried the deaco,
"Striking tive"' it's struck hundred al
ready"
"Deacon Burberry ~ cried the deacon
better half, who had hastily robed hersel
and now came plunging down the staircas
in the widest state of alarm. "What
the matter of the clock?''
Goodness only knows" replied the oil
man. cts been in the family these hui
dred years and never did know it to carr
on so before
Whiz! bang! bang! bang! went til
clock.
eth burst itselfr' cried the old lad
: shedding flood of tears, land there won
be nothing left of it.
cts bewitched,' said the deacon, wi
retained a leaven of New England superst
ton in his nature. "Anyhow," he sal
l, after a pause, advancing resolutely towa
the clock, "Tll see what's got into it ~
t '.Oh, don't cried the daughter, aife
d tionately seizing one of his coat tails, viii
d his faithful wife hung to the other.
e "Don't, chorused both the women
u gether.
"Let 90 my raimentr' shouted the dc
II con, 81 amt afraid of the powers of dar
If ness"
|, But the women would not let 60, so
l. deacon slipped off his coat and while, ire
lie the sudden cessation of resistance, they /
ID heavily Oh the floor he darted forward
ia laid his hand on the door of the clockca
al But no human power could open it. .
st was holding it inside with a death grasp
X The deacon began to be dreadfully friS
IL cned. He gave one more tug. An
he earthly veil as of a tiend in distress ca
nd from the inside, and then the clockc
es pitched head foremost on the floor, snla
as ed it's face and wrecked its proportions.
of The current of air extinguished the Ii
by tile ucaCOll, tllC ol' ''Niis
ri MP stairs, and Joe Mayweed, extricat
ect himself from the clock, effected his ret
mt in the same way that he had entered.
Ike next day all Appletown was alive with
his story of how deacon Barberry's clock
been bewitched and though many belle
W, its version, some, and especially Joe
y, weed. effected to discredit the whole af
Of limiting that the deacon had been trying
,n,, experiment of tasting frozen cider,
.r,y that the vagarics of the clock-case ext
mt only in distempered imagination.
-. Fire Iusnrance.-A PROSPEROUS
y, pANy.-In looking over some policie
al, sued by the Mutual Fire Insurance Co
nv of York. Pa, recently, we were for
INV struck with the large number Of Polici
wy sued by that company.
y :. W. y. A Policy dated April 26th, go, is
'''' belcd 3s, S64, and another Policy be;
sup date May 8, 90, was numbered 39,0s2
one issued May e5th No. 80. 1S5, sho
~ an issup of ,(I3 Policies in 90 DAYS. y