The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-03-26

solitary prison cell.
Well jolly scrape to be in,"
thought Tim, "and no knowing when
I'll be out of it, Mary's a shrewd little
puss, however, and L can't do better
than to leave matters in her hands"
$50 you haven't gone to bed yet,
Mary z" said Deacon Shermer, slowly
unwinding the two yards of woole en-
scarf with which he generally encased
his throat of an evening.
"Not yet, father" sad Mary, pick
ing up the scattered bits of patchwork
with glowing cheek. "Did you have
pleasant meeting ?"
"Well, yes," quoth the deacon, re-
aectively, sitting down before the fire.
greatly to Mary's consternation-she
had hoped he would have gone to bed
at once, according to his usual custom
cit was tolbly pleasant. Elder
Huskler was there, and Elder Hopkins,
and-well, all the church folks pretty
much. Why, how red your cheeks are,
Mary Tired, amt you? Well, you
needn't sit up for me, my dear; it must
be getting late."
The deacon glanced mechanically
round at the clock. Mary felt the blood
grow cold in her veins. "Twenty min
utes past tnine-why, it must be later than
that Why, land O. Canaan! the old
clocks stopped !'' The old clock had
stopped nor was it wonderful, under
the circumstances. "I wound it up
this mornin', I'm sartin," said the
deacon, very much disturbed. "It
never sarved me such O trick afore, all
the years it stood there. Your aunt
Jane used to say 1t was a sign of
death or a marriage in the family be-
fore the year was out.
There was q suppressed sound like
chuckle behind the clock-case as
Deacon Shermer fumbled on the shelf
for the clock key. "These springs
must be out of order somehow" said
the deacon, derisively. "How scared
you look, child There amt no cause
for being scared. Idon't put no faith
in your Aunt James old-time supersti-
ton. Where, in the name of all pos
sessed, is that key 1 could ha' de-
clared l left it in the case"
"Isnt it on the shelf, father ?"
asked Mary, guiltily, conscious that it
was snugly reposing in the pocket of
her checked gingham dress.
"No, nor faint in my pocket
neither. Aud down went the deacon,
stiffly enough, on his knees to examine
the floor, lest perchance the missing
key might have fallen there.
"Well, L never knowed anything so
strange in all my life." said the deacon.
"It is strange" faltered hypocriticai
Mary.
"Pll have regular search to-mor-
I &C \
be somewhere around"
eyes, it must" said Mary, tremu-
lcusly.
"Only," the deacon went on slowly,
resuming his place before the fire,
"kind O. don't like to have the old
clock stand still a single night. When
I wake up, you know, it seems like it
was sort O. talking to me in the still
ness. The deacon looked thoughtfully
at the fiery back log. Mary fdgeted
uneasily about the room, Strengthening
table covers, setting back chairs, and
thinking-oh, if he only would go to
bed
AS he sat there, his eyelids began
to droop, and his head to nod somno-
lently. Mary's eyes lighted up with 8
sparkle of hope.
"Child," he said, suddenly straight
chair, "you'd better go to bed. I'll
sit up awhile longer TIL the logs burn
out"
"But, father, I'm not sleepy"
eco to bed, my child p reiterated
the deacon, with good humored author
ity that brooked no opposition; and
Mary crept out of the room, ready to
cry with anxiety and modification.
elf Tim will only keep quiet little
while longer" she thought. sitting on
the stairs where the newly-risen moon
streamed in chilly splendor. "Father
sleeps so soundly- and he is sure to go
to sleep III his chair. could just steal
in and release him as quietly as pos
sible."
She sat there, her plump fingers in
terlaced, and her eyes fixed dreamily
on the floor, while all the time her ears
were strained to the utmost capacity to
catch every sound in the kitchen be-
yond. Hark was that the wall of the
wind ? or was it something to her liter
ally "nearer and dearer." Yes; she
could not be mistaken now; it was actu-
ally snore."
Mary rose softly to her feet with re-
newed hope. Surely now was the ac-
cepted time. Noiselessly as the float
ing shadow, she crossed the hall,
opened the kitchen door, and stole
across the creaking boards of the floor.
The candles were burned out but the
shifting lustre of the freight revealed
her father nodding before the fire, with
closed. eyes, and hands hanging at his
sides.
With a heart that beat quick and
fast, like the strokes of a miniature
hammer, drew the key from her dress
pocket, and proceeded in spite of the
nervous trembling of her fingers, to fit
it into the lock. So absorbed was she
in her task, that she never noticed the
sudden cessation of the heavy breath
ing-never saw the deacon sta,t sud
denly into wakefulness, and look around
him. Love is blind, and it is equally
true it is deaf. The deacon rose quiet
ly up with a shrewd twinkle in his eyes,
and Mary gave a little frightened
shrek as hand fell softly on her arm,
possessing itself quietly of the key.
"Let me help you !" said Deacon
Shermer. ...
Father, II found the key" falter-
ed Mary.
"Found the key, Ell ?" returned the
deacon. swell, that's lucky and now
we can find out what's the matter with
the clock. (" -------------.---1---
Mary's heart, throbbing so wildly a
moment or two ago, seemed to. stand
absolutely still as Deacon Shermer