Connecticut western news., 1874-03-27

scarf with which he generally encased his throat of an evening.
 "Not yet, father," sad Mary, pick ing up the scattered bits of patch work with glowing cheek. "Did you have pleasant meeting ?"
 ".Well, yes," quoth the deacon, re- hectively, 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 Git was tol'b1y pleasant. Elder Huskler was there, and Elder Hopkins, and-well, all the church folks pretty much. Why, how red your cheeks are, Maryl Tired, ain't you? We'll, 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 nine-why,i it must be later than that Why, land O Canaan! the old clocks stopped P 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 trick afore, all the years it stood there. Your aunt Jane used to say it was a sign of a death or marriage in the family be- fore the year was out"
 There was Q suppressed sound like a 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 ain't no cause for being scared. Idon't put no faith in your Aunt Jane's old-time supersti- tion. Where, in the name of all pos sessed, is that key I could ha' de- clared left it in the case."
 "Isn't it on the shelf, father ?'' asked Mary, guiltily, conscious that it was snugly reposing in the pocket of her checked gingham dress.
 "No, nor 'taint in my pocket neither. And down went the deacon, stifly enough, on his knees to examine the floor, lest perchanoe the missing key might have fallen there.
 "Well, never knowed anything so strange in all my life" said the deacon.
 "It is strange" faltered hypecritioal Mary.
 "I'll have regular search to-mor- row." said Deacon Shermer. "It must be somewhere around" .
 "Yes, 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 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, straightening 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 a sparkle of hope.
 Child," he said, suddenly straight ening himself up in the stiff backed chair, "you'd better go to bed. I'll sit up awhile longer till the logs burn out."
 "But, father, I'm not sleepy"
 "Go 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. If 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 in his chair. I 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 vail 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 &C., cepted time. Noiselessly as the float. ing shadow, she crossed the hall, opened the kitchen door, and stole across the creaking boards of the foer. The candles were burned out but the shifting lustre of the frelight revealed her father holding before the fire, with closed eyes, and hands hanging at his sides.
 With heart that beat quick and fast, like the strokes of 8 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 stat 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 shrewd twinkle in his eyes, and Mary gave little frightened shriek as 8 hand foll softly on her arm, possessing itself quietly of the key.
 "Let me help you 1" said Deacon Sherner.
 "Father, IT found the key," falter- ed Mary.
 "Found the key, eh ?" returned the deacon. "Well, that's lucky; and now we can find out what's the matter with the clock"
 Mary's heart, throbbing so wildly a moment or two ago, seemed to stand absolutely still as Deacon Sherme1 turned the key and opened the tall door of the clock case.
 Halo l" ejaculated Deacon Sher- mer, as MT. Timothy Marshall tumbled laughingly into the room. "So you ,Oas the matter with the old clock, eh?''
 "Yes sir," said Tim, composedly, "I hope haven't seriously interfered with the works of the clock"
 "You've seriously interfered with me /" said the deacon, waxing lndig- nant. "What do you mean, sir, by hiding in my house like thlet."
 Indeed indeed father," cried Mary, bursting into tears, cit wasn't his fault. He didn't want to hide, but I mt him there"