The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-01-28
TIE WITCHED CLOCK.

!
broadcloth, might have been seen entering
Cephas Barbery's kitchen window. The
leg was followed finally by the entire per-
son of lively Yankee, attired in his Sun
day go-to- -meetin' clothes. II was, in short,
Joe Mayweed, who thus burglariously. in
| the dead of night, won his way into the
deaeon's kitchen.
! "Wonder how much the deacon made by
ordering me not TO darken his door again?'
soliloquzed the young man. "Promised
him / wouldn't, but didn't say nothin'
about winders. Winders is just as good as
doors, if there amt DO nails to tear your
trowsers onto. Wonder if Sarll come
down? The ciitter promised me. I'm
afraid to move here, cause might break
my shins over somethin' or mother, and
wake the old folks. Cold enough to freeze
a polar bear here. Oh, here comes Sally"
The beautiful maiden descended with
pleasant smile, a tallow candle and a box
of matches. After receiving rapturous
greeting, she made up roaring fire in the
cooking stove, and the happy couple sat
down to enjoy the sweet Interchange of
/
love ran no smoother in old Barberry's
kitchen than it did elsewhere, and Joe, who
was making up his mind to treat himself
TO kiss, was startled by the voice of the
deacon, her father, shouting from his cham
Der door:
''Sally, what are you getting up in the
middle of the night for ?''
"Tell him it's most morning." whispered
Joe.
81 can't tell a fib, ~ said Sally.
"l'll make it a truth, them" said joe,
and running TO the huge old fashioned clock
that stood in the corner he set it at five.
| Look at the clock and tell me what
time it is,'' cried the old gentleman up
stairs.
s'It's five by the clock,'' answered Sally,
and corroborating the words, the clock
struck five.
! The lovers sat down and resumed the
conversation. Suddenly the staircase be-
gan to crack. 'tGood gracious it's faith
| er"
| '.The deacon, by thunder ~ cried joe
glide me, Sal.''
"Where can hide you?'' cried the dis
tracted girl.
'"Oh, know" said he, '1'll squeeze into
| the clock case.''
And without another word, he concealed
| himself in the case and drew the door be-
hind him.
The deacon was dressed, and sitting
himself down by the cooking stove, pulled
out his pipe, lighted it, and commenced
| smoking it very deliberately and calmly.
"Five o'clock, eh ?'' said he. "Well l
shall have time to smoke three or four
pipes, then III go and feed the Critters
"Hadn't you better go and feed the crit
ters first, sir, and smoke afterward ?'' sug
gested the dutiful Sally.
"F smokin' Glars my head and wakes
me up said the deacon, who seemed not
a whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment.
Bur-r-r-whiz-z-ding went the clock.
"Tormented lightning - cried the dea-
con, starting up, and dropping his pipe on
the stove. ''What in creations that?"
'1t's only the clock striking five," said
Sally tremulously.
Whiz ! ding +! ding went the old clock, /
fun iously.
"Powers of mercy r' cried the deacon.
'Striking five it's struck hundred al
ready"
"Deacon Barberry r' cried the deacon's
better half, who had hardly robed herself,
and now came plunging down the staircase
in the widest state of excitement, whats
the matter with the clock ?''
''Goodness only knows replied the old |
man. cts been in the family these hum
dred years, and never did know it to act |
so before"
Whiz bang bang went the clock.
'1t'H burst itself % cried the old lady, |
be nothing left of it,
sIt's bewitched, said the deacon, who |
retained luaven of New England super
stitien in his nature. 'Anyhow," he said, |
after pause, advancing resolutely toward |
the clock, 'I'll see what's got into it,
ssOh, DON'T" cried the daughter, affec-
tionately seizing one of his coat-tails. while |
his faithful wife hung to the other.
ssDon't," chorused both of the women
together.
'Let go my raiment," shouted the dea-
con. "r amt afraid Of the powers of dark
ness.''
But the women would not let GO so the
deacon slipped off his coat and while, from
the sudden cessation of resistance, they
fell heavily on the floor, he darted forward
and laid his hand on the clock case. But
no human power could open it. Joe was
holding it inside with death grasp. The
deacon began to be dreadfully frightened.
He gave one more tug. An unearthly yell,
as of a fiend in distress, came from the in
side, and then the clock case pitched head
foremost on the floor, smashed its face and
wrecked it's proportions.
The current of air extinguished the light