Connecticut western news., 1878-10-30
The BeWitched Clock.

day night, human leg, enveloped ln blue broadcloth, might have been seen entering Cephas Barberry's kitchen win dow. The leg was followed finally by the entire person of a lively Yankee, at tired in his Sunday go-to-meetin' clothes. It was in short, Joe Mayweed who 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 his door again?" soliloquised the young man. Promised him 1 wouldn't, but didn't say nothin' about winders. Win ders is just as good as doors, if there ain't no nails to tear your trowsers onto. Wonder If Salu come down? The crit ter promised me. I'm afraid to move here, cause I might break my shins over sumthin' or mother, and wake the old folks. Cold enough to freeze polar bear here. Oh, here comes Sally P
 The beautiful maiden descended with pleasant smile, tallow candle and box of matches. After receiving rap- turous greeting she made up roaring fire in the cooking stove, and the happy couple sat down to enjoy the sweet ill., terchange of views and hopes. But the course of true love ran no smoother in old Barberry's kitchen than it did else where, 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 chamber door
 "SallY, what are you getting up in the middle of the night for?'
 ''Tell him it's most morning." whis- pered Joe.
 II can't tell ib, said Sally.
 "I'l make it a truth then" said Joe, and running to the huge old-fashioned clock that stood in the corner, he sat it at five.
 "Look at the clock and tell me what time it is" cried the old gentleman up stairs.
 "It's five by the clock" answered Sally, and corroborating the words, the clock struck five.
 The lovers sat down again and re- sumed the conversation. Suddenly the staircase began to creak. "Good gracious it's father"
 "The deacon, by thunder?" cried Joe; "hide me, Sal l"
 "Where can hide you?" cried the distracted girl.
 ooh, know," said he, "I'll squeeze into the clock case" And without another word he con- ceeled himself in the case and drew the | door behind him.
 The deacon was dressed, and sitting himself down by the cooking stove, pulled out his pipe, lighted it, and con- menced smoking very deliberately and calmly.
 "Five o'clock, eh p said he. "Well, I shall have time to smoke three or four pipes, then I'll go and feed the critters. |"
 "Hadn't you better go and feed the critters first, sir, and smoke after wards? suggested the dutiful Sally.
 "No, smokin' clears my head and wakes me up," answered the deacon, who seemed not whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment.
 Bur-r-r-r-whiz-z- -ding-ding went the clock.
 Tormented lightning!" cried the deacon, starting up, and dropping his pipe on the stove. "What in creations 8 that?"
 "It's only the clock striking i've, said Sally tremulously.
 Whiz ding ding ding went the old clock furiously. "Powers of mercy !" cried the deacon. ','Striking five! it's struck hundred already"
 "Deacon Barberry!'' P cried the dea- cons better half, who had hastily robed herself and now came plugging down the staircase in the widest state of alarm. "What is the matter of the clock ?"
 "Goodness only knows," replied the old man. "It's been in the family these hundred years and never did I know it to carry on so before."
 Whiz bang bang bang went the clock.
 "It'll burst itself!' cried the old lady, shedding 8 flood of tears, "and there won't be nothing left of it..
 "It's bewitched," said the deacon, who retained leaven of New England superstition in his nature. "Anyhow," " he said, after pause, advancing reso- lutely toward the clock, "I'n see what's got into it p
 "Oh, don't," cried the daughter, af- fectionately seizing one of his coat tails, while his faithful wife hung to the other.
 "Don't," chorused both the women together.
 "Let go my raiment p shouted the deacon, "I ain't afraid of the powers of darkness.
 But the women would not let go so the deacon slipped off his coat and while, from the sudden cessation of re- sistance, they fell heavily on the floor, he darted forward and laid his hand on to the door of the clockcase. 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 tiend in distress came from the inside, and then the clockcase pitched head foremost on the floor, smashed its face and wrecked its proportions.
 The current of air ex+inguished the light-the deacon, the old lady and Sally fled up stairs, and Joe Mayweed