West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-06-26
Tho Iiewitched Clock.

About half past eleven o'clock on Sun
day night, n human leg, envclopcd In blu
oroadcloth, might have been seen enterin,
Cephas Barberry's kitchen window. Tn,
leg was followed finally by the entire per
son ot lively Yankee, attircd i'm his sun
day gO-tO-mcetin' clothes, Ii was IN
short, Joe Maywccd who thus burglariously
in the dead of the night, won his way iutc
the dcacon's kitchen.
wonder how much the old deacon
made by orderin' me not 10 darken hi,
door again 7" soiloquized the Young man.
Promised him | wouldn't but didn't say
nothin' about wiDdors. Winders il lust as
good as doors ii there amt no nails to teaI
your trowscrs onto Wonder II Sal m
come downI The crittcr promised me.
I'm afraid TO move here, cause might
break my shins over somthin or other. and
wake up the old folks Cold enough 10
freeze polar bear here oh, here comes
Sally ~
The beautiful maiden descended with n
pleasant smile, tallow candle, and n box
OF matches. After receiving rapturous
| greeting, she made up roaring fire i'm the
cooking stove, and the happy couple sat
| down TO enjoy the sweet interchange of
views and hopes. But the course of true
| love ran no smoother In old Barbcrry's
kitchen than IL did elsewhere, and Joe
who was making up his mind to treat him
self to kiss, was startled by the voice OF
the deacon, her father, shouting from her
chamber door:
sally, what are you getting up in the
middle of the night for 2"
"Iell him it's most morning, " whispered
Joe
81 can't tell Gb, - said Sally
IN make It truth, them said Joe,
and running to tho huge od-fashioned clock
That stood in the corner, he set il at FIVE.
Look at that clock and tell me what
time 1t is, cried the old gentleman up
stars.
"lrs five by the clock, " answered Sally,
and corroboratiug the words the clock
struck five.
The lovers sat down again and resumed
the conversation Suddenly the staircase
began to creak
Good gracious It's father!n
The deacon, by thunder!" cried Joe.
Glide me, Sail
Where can l hide you ?" cried the dis
tracted girl
ooh, | know, said he, 'TI squeeze
into the clock CASE
And without another word, he concealed
himself in the case and drew the door he
hind him.
The deacon was dressed, and sitting
himself down 10y the cooking stove. pulled
out his pipe, and lighted Il, and commenced
smoking very deliberately and calmly.
Give O'Clock, eh ~ 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 crit
ters first, sir, and smoke afterwards" sup
gestcd the dutiful Sally.
me up, " answered the deacon, who seemed
not whit disposed to hurry his enjoyment.
Bur-r-r-r-whiz-z-d -disg-d -dingl went the
clock.
"Tomenting lightniDg" cried the dca-
con, starting up and dropping his pipe on
the stove. "What in creations that2"
Its only the clock striking five" said
Sally tremulously.
Whiz ding ding ding went the old
clock furiousy.
"Powcrs of mercyl" cried the old dca-
con. Striking five It's struck hun
dred already"
deacon Barbcrry ~ cried tho deacon's
better half, who had hastily robcd herself,
and now came plunging down the staircase
in the widest state Of alarm. "What is
the matter with the clock 2"
Goodness only knows" replied the old
man. 'Its been In the family these hun
drcd years and never did know II 10 carry
on 80 before"
Whiz bang bang bang went the
clock.
at u burst itself l' cried the old lady,
shedding a flood OF tears, land there won't
be nothing left Of it,"
OTIS bewitched," F." said the deacon, who
retained leaven OF New England supersti-
ton in his nature. Anyhow, - he said,
after pause advancing rcsolutely toward
the clock. 'I'll sec what's got INTO itp'
"Oh, don't, cried the daughter aifec-
tionately seizing one Of his coat tails, while
his faithful wife clung TO the other
Don't chorused both the women to-
gether
'Ict go my raiment % shouted the dea.
con, 81 amt afraid Of the powers Of dark
ness"
But the women would not let 90, so the
deacon slipped of his coat and while, from
the sudden cessation Of resistance, they fell
heavily 10 the floor, he dartcd forward and
! laid his hand on the door Of the clock-case
| But no human power could open It. Joe
was holding it inside with a death grasp.
The deacon began 70 be- dreadfully fright
ened. lie gave one more tug. An un-
earthly yell as Of icnd i'm distress came
\ from the inside, and then the clock case
/ pitched beadforemost on the floor, smashed
It's face and wrecked It's proportions.
The current Of air extinguished the light
Tho deacon, the old lady and Sally fed
I upstairs, and Joe Mayweed extricating
himself from the clock, effected his retreat
in the same way that he had entered The
next day all Appletown was alive with
/ the story Of how Deacon Barbcrrys clock
had been bcwitchcd and though many
believed its version, some, and especially
Joe Maywccd affected 30 dlscrcditthe whole
affair, limiting that the deacon had been
trying the experiment OF tasting frozen
| cider, and that the vagarics Of the clock
case existed only in his dislempcrcd imagi-
nation.
Hod Bot Itoms