Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-10-08

the dewy red of her full, dainfily-curv
lips. Evidently Mr.. Timothy Marshall
was quite satisfied with Marys peculiar
style of beauty.
Come, Mary, said Tim, moving his
chair where he could best watch the
flush of the freight upon her face,
and picking up the thread of the con-
versation where he had dropped it when
it became necessary for Mary to bid
him behave himself, "you might
promise. It's 9 o'clock, and your father
will soon be home"
Promise what, Tim?" said Mary,
demurely, fitting a square of red in her
patchwork, and lntently observing the
effect.
Nonsense, Nary You know what
very well. Promise to marry me before
Christmas. 1 tell you what, Mary, it's
all very well for You TO keep putting
fellow off, but can't stand it. What
with your forbidding me the house, and
that romantic Tom Stanley's coming
here every Sunday night"
Mary gave her pretty head a toss.
"As if Mr.. SANKEY'S coming here made
any difference with my feelings !"
"No; but, Mary, it isn't pleasant,
you know. I'm as good man as Tom
Stanley, if / don't own railroad shares
and keep an account In the Hamilton
vile Bank and love you, Mary, from
the bottom of my heart. Now this
matter lies between you and me only !:
no other person IN the world has a right
tointerfere betweenus. Come-promise
me-" He held her both hands in his
and looked earnestly in the liquid hazel
eyes. "Do you love me, Mary?"
"You know love you, Tim.
"Then We may just as we'll Hush !
what's that?"
There was a portentous sound of
drawing bolts and rafting latches in
the porch-room beyond, scraping of
heavy boots along the floor.
90, Tim, it's father p
"Suppose it is ?"
"But be mustn't find you here, Tim.
Hide yourself somewhere, do y
"What nonsense, Mary !" said the
young man, resolutely standing his
ground. CT haven't come to steal his
spoons. Why should creep away like
a detected burglar?'
For my sake, Tim. If you ever
loved me, do is say. Not in that
closet; it is close to his bedroom Not
through that window it is nailed tight.
He is coming. Here, Tim, quick p
And, in the drawing of breath, she
had pushed Timothy Marshall into the
square pendulum case of the tall clock,
and turned the key upon him. It was
not a pleasant place of refuge, inasmuch
as his shoulders were squeezed on either
side, and his head hattened against
springs and wheels above, and the air
was unpieasantly close but Tim made
the best of matters, and shook with sup
pressed laughter In his solitary prison
cell.
"Well, a jolly scrape to be In - were
Tins thoughts. "And no knowing
when I'll be out of it. Mary's shrewd
little puss, however, and can't do bet
ter than to leave the matter in her
hands,"
$50 you haven't gone to bed yet,
Mary" said Deacon Shermer slowly
unwinding the two yards of wooden
scarf with which he generally encased
his throat of an evening.
"Not yet, father" said Mary, picking
up the scattered bits of patchwork, with
o glowing cheek. did you have a
pleasant meeting ?"
"Well, yes" quoth the deacon, re-
flectively, sitting down before the fire,
greatly to Mary's CONSERVATION she
had hoped he would have gone to bed
at once, according to his usual custom.
"It was tol'bly pleasant. Elder Husk-
Ter was there, and Elder Hodgkins, and
well, all the church folks pretty much.
Why, how red your checks are, Mary.
Tired, amt you? Well, you needn' I
sit up for me, my dear it must be get
ting late"
The deacon glanced mechanically
round at the clock. Mary felt the
blood grow cold in her veins. Twenty
minutes past nine why, it must be
later than that Why. land O. Canaan!
the old clocks stopped" The old clock
had stopped /; nor was it wonderful un-
der the circumstances. 81 wound 1t
up this mornin', I'm sartin," said the
deacon, very much disturbed. at
never served me such trick afole in
all tine years it stood there. Your Aunt
Jane used to say it was the sign of a
death or marriage In the family before
the year was out.
There was suppressed sound like 8
chuckle behind the clock case as Dea-
con Shermer fumbled on the shelf for
the clock key.
"These springs must be out of or der
somehow" said the deacon, decisively.
"How scared you look, child There
amt no cause of being scared. 1 don't
put no faith in your Aunt James super
stition. Where in the name of all pos
sessed is that key? / could ha' declared
left it in the case"
Isn't it on the shelf, father ?" asked
Mary, guilty, conscious that it was
snugly reposing In the pocket of her
gingham dress.
"No, nor faint in my pocket, either. "
And down went the deacon, stiff1y
enough, on his knees, to examine the
floor, lest, perchance, the missing key
might have fallen there
| "Well, 1 never knowed anything so
strange in all my life, said the deacon.
cit is strange" faltered hypocritical
Mary.
"Ill have regular search to-mor-
row." said Shermer. 1t must be
somewhere around"
Yes, it must" said Mary tremu.
lousy.
1 - - I'LL