Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-01-04
TIE STORY.
Told by a New Years Clock.

Yes, there were grand times here in
the old hall in masters day, and it is
hard, l say, to outlive ones usefulness.
TO be sure l go on ticking away the
hours when any n attends to me reg
ularly, but no one seems to remember
that u clock has habits and requirements
as well as other creatures. Why, when
my master. the Colonel, lived here at
the Burs, his own hands wound me up
tight just as certain as nine o'clock came
on Saturday. OF course l stop, get out
OF order and forget to strike right when
they wind me at odd times, and some
times neglect me altogether. 1t was a
sad time to us all when he had that
stroke Of paralysis, and could only sit,
like a beaten old hulk, yonder in his
armchair, and in a weak, altered voice
gave directions about his affairs. Then
Miss Agnes sat by him like q shadow,
wheeled him about, opened the mail
bag, read him his letters, cut flowers
every morning for his plate ut break
fast, and silently anticipated every want.
1t was she now who climbed upon q
hassock Saturday night to wind up the
clocks. She had to get Dorkins, the
butler, to hold a chair for her when she
attended to the hall clock, a great lum-
bering old thing q hundred years old,
more or less, that put on frightful airs
because it had stood in the hall when
master was born. when old master, the
Colonel's father, died, and when young
Master Roland was born. But it cot to
striking wild when the shadow OF evil
hung over the Burs and making the
servants and the ~housekeeper shake in
their shoes. Master would turn white
and smile in u queer way when he heard
it, and would allow no one to correct it.
Master Roland was hot and heavy set
against it, and often talked about hav-
ing it carried away altogether, but his
father would not hear OF it.
THAT clock has sounded every mo-
ment OF my life, sir, and l want it to
mark every hour until 1 am gone. 1t
Will De time enough then to send it
away from the old house: but if I have
my W way it shall never be moved
until the last Edgeworth passes away"
which was as good as law. No one
dared to dispute Colonel Edgeworth's
VIII as long as those piercing black eyes
mad power to dart anger and scorn or
his lips franc words of bitterness and
command.
remember well the night Miss Agnes
came. She was a wee white thing IN a
long gown with the wondering gray
eyes you see in the pictures of saints,
and Heaven gave them to her. She
was brought in by Mrs. Cowperthwait,
the housekeeper, in q basket, which had
been left Just inside the big Yestibule
doors at dusk one night by a forlorn
Young thing as hadn't the nerve to ring
the bell and say: "Take care of my
oaoe; her name is Agnes, and she is a
lawful child, and I, her wretched
mother cannot keep her, and curses
llSht on them that do her such q wrono
as have suffered" But she writes f
IN a tine lady-like hand, and pins it on
enc little things bosom, along with q
lock OF her hair, a very pretty tress it
was and hung about the baby's neck.
and there it was always shining, day
ana night; and often wet with her tears.
although all that any cherished daugh.
Ter could have had from master she had.
III V forget his words to Mrs.
oowperthwait rs she brung her to him.
rs ne sat by this very fireplace listening
70 sne olrch logs swapping on the brass
andlrons, while l was lust about r.
strlko nine, and it was Christmas Eve.
anu tne clouds lowering all day, had
opened and the white snow was drift
lng oo"n on the lawn and the avenue
Use hv. well. Mrs. Cowperthwait.
Hou TOOK away my little girl, and now
ile mas sent me another. AS l deal bv
ne!' SO Heaven deal by me-"
ana IT ever there was an oath kent
I~eiislousiy, Colonel Edgeworth kent
ms one. But there was dark blood
iann,ngg in the Edgeworths. Master
h'eW u well, and the harm that came
" 0tls" Agnes fell through him at LAST.