Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-07-15

broadcloth, might have been seen entering
Cephas Barberry's kitchen window. The
Leg was followed finally by the entire per-
son of lively Yankee, attired In bis Sun
day go-to-meetin' clothes, 1t was, in
short, Joe Mayweed who thus burglariously
in the dead of the 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 ~ SoliIoquized the young man.
Promised him / wouldn't but didn't say
nothin' about winders. Winders Is Just as
good as doors, if there amt no nails TO tear
your trowsers onto. Wonder IL Sal I'll
come down? The critter 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 to
freeze polar bear here. Oh, here comes
Sallyl" + = .c-
The beautiful maiden descended with O
pleasant smile, tallow candle, and boa
Of matches. After receiving a rapturous
greeting, she made up roaring fire In the
cooking stove, and the happy couple sat
down to enjoy the sweet interchange Of
views and hopes. But the course OF trEe
love ran no smoother in old Barberry's
kitchen than it 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 i'm the
middle Of the night for 7"
Tell him it's most morning, whispered
Joe.
81 can't tell fb," said Sally.
''I'll make it a truth, then, said Joe,
and running TO the huge old-fashioned clock
that stood in the corner, he set it at FIVE.
''Look at that clock and tell me what
time 1t is" cried the old gentleman up
stairs.
''It's five by the clock" answered Sally,
and corroborating the words the clock
struck Eve. 20
The lovers sat down again and resumed
the conversation. Suddenly the staircase
began to creak.
'tGood graciousl It's father!"'
THE deacon, by thunder!" cried Joe.
''Hide me, Sail"
"Where can / hide you 2" cried the dis
tracted girl.
''oh, I know" said he, 'TT squeeze
lulO ClOCk-CdS6.
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, and lighted il, and commenced
smoking very deliberately and calmly.
Give o'clock, ehG" said he. 'FWell, /
shall have time to smoke three or four
pipes, then I'll go and feed the critters. /"
Hadn't you better 90 and feed the crit
tiers first, sir, and smoke afterwards" " sug-
gested the dutiful Sally.
'tNo, 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-d -dingi went the
clock.
''Tormenting lightninGl" cried the dea-
con, starting up and dropping his pipe on
the stove. "What in creations that Z"
'1ts only the clock striking five" I" said
Sally tremulously.
Whiz ding ding ding! went the old
clock furiously.
'Powers of mercyl" cried the old dea-
con. Striking five It's struck hun
dred already"
Deacon Barberry I" cried the deacon's
better half, who had hastily robed herself,
and now came plunging down the staircase
in the widest state of alarm. f'What Is
the matter with the clock ?"
Goodness only knows, replied the old
man. sits been in the family these hun
dred years and never did know it to carry
on so before.
Whizl bangl bang bangl went the
clock.
'It III burst itself ~ cried the old lady,
shedding a food of tears, ''and there won't
be nothing left of it,"
fGt's bewitched, /" said the deacon, who
retained leaven of New England supersti-
tion in his nature. Anyhow, he said,
after a pause advancing resolutely toward
the clock. '1'll see what's got into 1t ~
"Oh, don't" cried the daughter affee-
tionately seiZing one of his coat tails, while
his faithful wife chung to the other.
''Don't chorused both the women to-
gether.
'sLet go my raimen. I" shouted the dea.
con, 81 amt afraid of the powers of dark
ness"
But the women would not let go, 80 the
deacon slipped off his coat and while, from
the sudden cessation of resistance, they fell
heavily to the floor, he darted forward and
laid his hand on the door of the clock-case.
But no human power could open 1t. Joe
was holding it inside with death grasp.
The deacon began to be dreadfully fright
ened. He gave one more tug. An un-
earthly yell as of flend in distress came
from the inside, and then the clock case
pitched headforemost on the floor, smashed
its face and wrecked it's proportions.
The current of air extinguished the light
the deacon, the old lady and Sally fed
upstairs, and Joe Mayweed extricatlng
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 Barberry's clock
had been bewitched; and though many
believed its version some, and especially
Joe Mayweed, affected to dlscredit the whole
affair, limiting that the deacon had been
trying the experiment of tasting frozen
cider, and that the vagaries of the clock
case existed only in his distempered imagi-
nation.
Red Hot Items.
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