The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-03-14
Selfrt Storp.
TIE WITCHED CLOCK.

THE WITCHED CLOCK.
About half past eleven o'clock on Sun
day night, a. human leg enveloped il
blue broadcloth, might have been seel
entering Cephas Barberry's kitchen win
dow. The leg was followed finally b,
the entire person of a lively Yankee, at
tired in his Sunday go-to.meetin' clothes
1t was, in short, Joe Mayweed, WHIT
thus burglariously, in the dead of night
won his way into the deacon's kitchen.
"Wonder how much the old deacon
made by orderin' me not to darken hi.
door again2" soliloquized the Eanng
man 4. Promised him I wouldn't, bu
didn't say nothin' about. winders. Win
ders is just as good as doors, II ther,
amt no nails to tear your trowsers onto
Wonder if Salll come DOWN. The crit
ter promised me. I'm afraid to NOV
here, cause l might break my shin
over somethin' or mother, and wake th,
old folks Cold enough to freeze po
lar bear here Oh, here comes SaIly!w
The beautiful maiden descended will
apleasant smile, q tallow candle and ',
box Of matches. After receiving o rap
turous greeting she made up a roarin.
fire in the cooking stove. and the happy
couple sat down to enjoy the sweet in
terchange of views and hopes But the
course Of true love ran no smoother il
old Barberry's kitchen than it did else
where, and Joe, who was making up hi'
mind to treat himself to kiss, was star
tied blythe voice of the deacon, her ia
ther, shouting from his chamber door. 6
'Sally, what are you getting up in the
middle of the night for ?"
"Tell him. it's most morning.. whis
pered Joe.
81 can't'telt a fih," said Sally. aasa
"I'll make it a truth, then," said Joe,
and running to; the huge, old-fashioned
clock that stood in the corner, he set il
at FIVE.
"Look at the clock ard tell me what
time it isl cried the old gentleman up
stairs.
''It's five by the clock" answered Sal.
ly, and corroborating the words, the
clock struck FIVE. foT
The lovers sat down again and aresum-
ed the conversation. Suddenly the stair
case began to creak.
.Good gracious! it's father" a =
"The deacon! BY thunder" cried Joe ;
ishide me, Sal p ~
"Where can l hide you7" cried the
distracted girl.
s,Oh, l know" said he; "rll squeeze
into the clock -case.'' .A.5
And without another word he conceal.
ed himself In thscase and drew the door
behind him.
The deacon was dressed, and sitting
lewn blythe cooking stosey pulled out
lis pipe, lighted it,and commenced smo-
King very deliberately and calmly.
aFive o'clock, eh r said he; "well, /
hall have time to smoke three or four
pipes, and then I'll go and feed the crit
ers. -
Hadn't you better 60 and feed the
'ritters frst, sir, snd smoke afterward,"
the dutiful Sally.
aNo; smokin' clears my head and
wakes me up," answered the deacon,
Who seemed not whit disposed to hur.
y his enjoyment. hue aI
Bur-r-r-whiz-z z-ding-ding! went
he clock. -. Guu g3.frsal 5a4ss-
'rormented lightningr cried the dea.
:on, starting up and dropping. his pipe
IN the oye;1"what in creations that ~
sits only the clock striking five,"
aid Sally, tremulously.
Whiz! ding! ding! ding. went the
I'D clock, furiously. u ssa 6ie al
"Powers of mercyp cried the deacon.
Striking Eve! it's struck hundred al.
eady"
"Deacon Bsrberry!" cried the dea-
,on's better half. who had hastily robed
lerself and now came plunging down
he staircase in the widest state of
llarm, "what is the matter of the
lock r..
"Goodness enly knows" replied the
I'D man. .sIt's been in the family these
hundred years, and never did know it
o carry on so before."
Whiz! bang bang! went the clock
aIt'll. burst ITSELF" cried ;the old lady,
hedding a flood Of tears, "and there
Won't be nothing left OF it. s
"It's bewitched," said the deacon, who
etained leaven Of New England su-
,erstition in his nature. "Anyhow," he.
aid, after pause, advancing resolutely
oward the clock, "IH zee what's got
nto it p sh ,as r notices t. 4s51 !
"Oh, DON'T" cried the daughter, affec-
seizing one Of his coat.tails,
While his faithful wife hung TO the other.
Don't chorused both the women
ogether. .,ss;s - s,T -
"Let 60 my raimentp shouted the
Ieacon.pe"I amt afraid of the powers
If ,fdarkness." ae' aa o.qal
Bat the women would not let go, so
be deacon slipped off his coat, and
While, from the sudden cessation of re-
they fell heavily on the foor,,
le darted forward and laid his hand on
he door of the clock case. But no hu--
nan power could open it Joe MAS hol.
ling it inside with a death grasp. The
leacon began to be dreadfulIy frighten-
ID. He gave one more tug. An mr.
'arthly yell as of a fiend in distress
,ame from the inside, and then the
,lock-case pitched head foremost on the
loor, smashed its face and wrecked its
@ ata ID
The current of air extinguished the
ight-the deacon, the old lady and
sally fed up stairs, and Joe Mayweed,
,xtricating himself from the clock, ef-
ected his retreat in the same way that
le had entered The next day all Ap-
,letown was alive with the story of how
Deacon Barberry's clock had been be-
and though many believe its
'ersion, some, and especially Joe May.
veed, effected to discredit the whole
fair, limiting that the deacon had been
rying the experiment of tasting frozen
ider, and that the vagaries Of the clock
ase existed only in distempered i'm
gination 't - s,lesb y1l i
n. :-S...5 ~ - a ...~.H -.-,l eI:.,.. glux