The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-25

Yes. my dear, it was Eliza Muir.
ply, was her name, and she was up
stairs girl, my dear. and came with .
good character as ever you read, my
dear, though, to be sure, my missus
did say as it was singular it waa
spelt so poorly by a lady as lived il
the Fifth c n and had gone to
Europe for her 'clth. But that's
something / don't know anything
about, my love, for ever bad spellin
always did come hard tc me on &C
count of . distance ID my edai
I'm eubjsct to; but The character
was good, Know, and Il said as
how Eliza was a good worker and
handy and obliging, and very pious'
and, why, bless your art, | hap
prove of p~iousness in this wicked
world where there's such need of it.
a wicked, wicked world indeed. as
you canitDuy apound Of beef in il
without being cheated; and measure
your calico, after you fetch it home,
Why it will turn out 'alf n quarter
dear.
Well, 'owever that may be, it was
of a Monday night as Eliza brought
her box, and there che SAL oppesite
me, as serious as you please, with q
blue worsted stocking to knit, when
she had nothing else to do, and her
bymn-book and Bib'e on the dresser.
Well, she was as neat as q new
pin, was Eliza, and we all liked her
and there was her character, as
said, but she 'adn't been in-tLe 'ouse
a week, nv love, before ihings began
to go mysterious like, and now 1t
was a napkin and now it was a
'ankerchief, and now it was my , prom
and missus's cuffs, but you couldn't
suspect Eliza. She was hallway the
6rst to find out the loss, and it vas,
"Ho dear ! whatever shall do? this
is gone :" or "Ho, dear, what will
become of me, new to the 'ouse and
SIGH things 'appeningp WDg5IW
And she'd think it might be the
soapfat man was q thief, or may be
the ice-man wasn't honest-and
though the things did so we never
laid it on Eliza. Missus said such a
COED, pious person, and SO steady,
cba oonl1n,t Sncnact
So we turned away the man that
came to fix the heater, and the woman
that did odd scrubbing, but the change
didn't 'elp us things kept a goin.'
At last, / know it was Wednesday
evening, because that was the even,
ing as Eliza always begged to go TO
meetin' when, all of a sudden, things
having been going so fast that | was
quite upset in my wits, | heard Eliza
calling ont: = 4
ooh, cook, cook, what have you
done with the clock 7"
And |, being at the refrigerator at
the time, came flying in, and says |:
with the clock! and whatever
should | do with l., Eliza?"
Says she: Say you've hid it to
Brighten me, cook"
Says [: Far be it from me to do
SIGH an action but the clock is not
there on the wall, Eliza and where is
it 2"
1t was q little round clock as you
could put away without stopping it,
and it was hanging on the wall at
six, for I'd looked at it.
But now it was gone, and the door
fastened and all, and it frightened
me so that | went off into Mysteries,
and missus heard them, and down
she came, and there she stood in her
black silk, with a big panier, and
there was Eliza, with her gray me-
rino aud as big a panier, and her hat
and shawl on, all ready for the meet
ing.
"And what 'as 'appened." say mis-
Esus.
And saws /: "Ob, | believe the
kitchen is bewitched mum z"
And says Eliza:
Saving your presence, mum, be-
lieve Satan is abroad, mum. And
however will you believe me honest,
comin'int this house a stranger,
when things go like this. The clock
is gone, mum" Missus looks at the
wall and looks at me.
"Them's the keys of my box, mum"
says /, handing them out.
"And there's mine," says Eliza.
And if you'll do me the favor to
look in my pocket. mum, IN feel
obliged, for my conscience is clear,
and they'll speak of me as knows
me,r
"Oh, dear" said misus. 81 don't
suspect any one-but who has been
here ?n
"Not o SOUL" says j.
mot a SOUL" says Eliza.
"And I'm so glad" says Eliza,
''it 'appened afore I went out. |
might hare been suspected. But
when a body does right why | think
the angels watches 'em mum. And
may l go out as usual, mum, for eff !
don't have my evening at meeting |
shan't be able to control my evil
passions as I'd like when cook scolds
me-
"Ob, yes; go, Eliza" said missus.
"1'm glad you're so anxious to i'm
prove yourself ; but about the clock.
Do you think-harkl nEO
II said bark J" too; for oil Of a
sudden we heard o kind of q whirr-
q clock some
where.
Eliza turned pale, and sat down
on a chair.
Two" says the clock-"three-
four-fve-six." 1t was our clock.
/ knowed its yoice-for a clock has
voice of its own, as you may say,
like q human beiDg-but where did
it come from? Seven" ssys the
and all of a sudden | knew
i. was. 1t was under ELIAS
dress, my dear, tied in the panier,
and when she stole it, my love, she'd
about the striking. I'm a
woman when I'm aroused,
and have a will of my own. Eliza
take nv taking of that pasier
very quiet. but / took it all the same.
and / sot it before missus, and 1