The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-04-23

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~W-hat nonsense, Mary" said the
young man. resolutely standing his
ground. u haven't come to steal his
spoons, why should creep away like
detected burglar ?"
"For my sake, Tim. Oh, Tim, if
you ever loved me, do as 1 say. Not
in that closet, it is close to his bed
room not through that window, it is
nailed down tight. Hes coming-he' s
coning-here, Tim, quick !"
And in drawing of a, breath she
had pushed Timothy Marshall into
the square pendulum case of the tall
clock and turned the key on him. 1t
was not q pleasant place of refuge, in
asmuch as his shoulders were squeezed
on either side, and his head hattened
against springs and wheels above, and
the air was unpleasantly close; but
Tim made the best Of matters and
shook with suppressed laughter in
his solitary cell. slr.az.
well, jolly scrape to be in" thought
Tim, iand no knowing when I'll be
out of it. Mary's shrewd little puss,
and can't do better than to leave
matters in her hands" - ,5-.
g So you haven't gone to bed yet,
Mary 2" said Deacon Shermer, slowly
unwinding about two yards of woolen
scarf with which he generally encased
his throat of an evening.
''Not yet, father" said Mary, pick
ing up her scattered bits of patch
work with glowing cheek. g Did
you have a pleasant meeting ??
g Well, yes" quoth the Deacon,
refleclively, sitting down before
the great fire, greatly to Mary's
consternation she had hoped he
would have gone TO bed at once, ac-
cording to his usual custom-.'it was
tol'able pleasant. Elder Huskler was
there, and Elder Hopkins, au-welI,
all the church folks, pretty much
Why. how red your cheeks are Mary I
Tired, amt you? Well, you needn't
sit up for me, my dear it must be get
ting late"
The Deacon glanced mechanically
around at the clock. Mary felt the
blood grow cold in her veins. e5.
Twenty minutes past nine-why,
it must be later than that! Why, land
o. Canaan the old clocks stopped ~
The clock had stopped; nor was it
wonderful under the circumstances
E'I wound it up this morning, I'm sar-
tin," said the deacon, very much dis
turbed. SIT never served me such a
trick before, all the years it's stood
there. Your Aunt Jane used to say it
was a sign of death or a marriage in
the family before the year was out"
There was suppressed sound like
a chuckle behind the clock case as
Deacon Shermer fumbled on the shelf
for the clock key. ''The springs must
be out of order some how" said the
deacon, deeisively. Chow scared you
look, child There amt no cause for
being scared. don't put no faith in
your Aunt James old time superstition
Where in the name of all possessed is
the key? l could ha' declared I left
it in the case,"
"Isn't it on the shelf, father 2" asked
Mary guiltily, conscious that it was
snugiy reposing in the pocket of her
checked gingham dress.
mo, nor it faint in my pocket, nei-
ther.n and down went the deacon,
stifly enough, on his knees, to exam-
inc the floor, lest perGhance the miss
ing kew might have dropped there.
"Well, L never knowed anything so
strange in my life, said the deacon.
''It is strange" faltered hypocritical
Mary.
"I'll have regular search to-mor-
row." said Deacon Shermer. "It must
be somewhere around"
eyes, it must" said Mary tremu-
lousy. f.f.
"OnIy," the deacon went on, slowly
resuming his place by the fire, 81 kind
o. don't like to have the clock stand
still singlenight. When | wake up
you know it seems as if it was kind O.
talking to me in the stiffness" The
deacon looked thoughtfully at the
fiery backlog. Mary fidgeted uneasi-
ly about the room, strengthening table
covers. setting back chairs, and think
ing-0h, if he would only go to bed
As be sat there his eyelids began to
droop and his head to nod solemRly-
Mary's eye lighted up with a sparkle
of something like hope.
Child" he said suddenly straight
ening himself up in the stiff-backed
chair; you'd better go to bed. I'll sit
up a while longer till the logs burn
out.a
..But, father. I'm not sleepy r.5-
$50 to bed, my child" reiterated
the deacon, with good humored au-
thority that brooked no opposition !;
and Mary crept out ready to cry with
anxiety and modification.
'If Tim will only keep quiet a little
Ionger," 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 in his chair. L could just
steal in and release him as quietly as
possible" She sat there, her plump
fingers interlaced, and her eyes dream
lily fixed on the floor, while all the
time her ears were strained to the ut
most capacity 10 catch every sound in
the kitchen beyond. Hark was that
the wall of the wind 7? or was il some-
thing to her literally nearer and dear
err
Yes ! she could not be mistaken now
it was actually a sDore.
Mary rose softly TO her feet with
renewed hope. Surely now was the
accepted time. Noiselessly as the
floating shadow crossed the hall,
opened the kitchen door, and stole
across the creaking boards of the floor.
The candles were burned out, but the
shifting luster of the frelight revealed
her father nodding before the fire,
with closed eyes and hands hanging
at his side.
''He is certainly asleep" thought
Mary. With neart that beat quick
and fast like the strokes of minia-
ture hammer, she drew the key from
her dress pocket, andNproceeded, in
spite of the nervous trembling fingers
to fit it into the lock. So absorbed
was she in the task that she never no.
ticed the sudden cessation of heavy
breathing - never saw the deacon
start suddenly into wakefulness and
look around him. Love is blind, and
it is equally true it is deaf, The dea-
con rose quietly up with shrewd
twinkle in his eyes, and Mary gave a
little frightened shrek as a hand fell
softly on her arm, possessing itself
quietly of the key.
''Let me help you? ?" said Deacon
Shermer.
"Father, IL found the key" fall
"Found the key, eh ?" returned the