Connecticut western news., 1885-12-30
AN OLD CLOCK.

It was bright, breezy June day, and in the big kitchen of a comfortable look ing house on the outskirts of the little town of Springvale a young girl in 8 purple calico dress, with her round arms barred to her shoulders, was churning.
 She was tall, and rather slender, with quiet, thoughtful face and earnest dark eyes; but there was nothing melancholy in either her appearance or manner; and, as she raised and let fall the dasher, she hummed the air of hymn she and John Henderson had sung together in church the evening before. She was engaged to John, and he took her to prayer- meeting every Thursday evening, as Q matter of course. It was only what was expected of every young man in Spring vale under the same circumstances.
 John and Pruden;e had been keeping company" as the Springvale people termed it, for five years, and still there seemed no prospect of their marriage; i; for Johns farm WIS old and overworked; ; he had no monsy to spend in enriching the soil, and he ha his sister Thrza to support. But Prudence Dennison, being of a gent'e, patient disposition, did not grumble or fret over the delay. She loved John with al her heart, and thought h:m well worth any number of years of waiting.
 Her mother did not agree with her in this. She was anything but patient and amiable about the matter. She thought Prudence could do better than marry John Henderson, and felt sure that there We many other young men in Springvale who would come forward as suitols if John would only take him self out of the way. She treated her daughter's lover very coldly in conse- quence, and made no secret of her dis like to him.
 She was sitting by the kitchen table, pairing apples for pies while Prudence churued. She was an old woman with rusty gray hair, sharp blue eyes, and a thin, stopping figure. Prudence did rot bear the ightest resemblance to her. She was ''her father over again." the country people said.
 Neither Prudence nor her mother ever talked much, and this morning the si- lence of the kitchen was unbroken for a long time, save by the loud ticking of the old clock in the hall, and the occa- sional snatches of hymn which Pru- dence hummed softly to herself.
 Mrs, Ionnison was the first to speak
 'iexpect John Henderson's to you bout that girl Miss Peck's took tn boards 2' she sa d, as she rose and went into the pantry for some pie-pans.
 "No." answered Prudence, pausing in her churning; "he didn't mention her. Who is she2"
 'Dear knowsI" said Mrs. Dennison. Miss Pecks so close mouth, nobody kin get word out'n her. Pears to me I'd ask John bout her if was you. Miss Barker was tellin' me yestidday that he'd 6een up to see her most every day since she come. They say, she awful pretty, an puts on lots of style Seems strange John didn't say nothin bout her. Miss Barker was sayin' a. how it didn't look none too we'll fol him to be runnin' up there 50 much It'd be jes' like him to give you the go by, now he's took new fancy. Men are mighty unstable. You can't place no dependence on lem and there's no de nyin' you're gettin' on. You can blame men for ikin' what's young and pretty" and Mrs. Dennison drew lone sigh as she walked slowly across tho room to the stove, and deposited a pit in the capacious oven.
 Prudence made no reply, and her fac, was hidden from her mothers gaze She was bending over the churn, adjust Ing the lid, which she had lifted moment before in order to see the con dition of the butter.
 Ms. Dennison did not speak again When the pies were all in the oven, sh left Prudence to attend to them ant went up stairs. Prudence presentl heard her moving about in the roor overhead.
 The girl continued to churn steadily but she did not sing any more; and ther now.
 A shadow fell across the kitchen foo and, raising her head, Prudence Saw iauntily dressed man standing in th doorway. He wore gray tweed SUI and an enormous watchchain, and th hand with which he was twisting th ends of a long, red mustache was adorne with an enormous amethyst ring.
 "Good morning." he said. with To bow, and smile which shovel all h teeth. "Pm round ssafter old clock and woman living little way back ( here told me you had one. Want to SC itf
 'No, answered Prudence. q woul not think for a moment of selling m clock. It belonged to my grandfather.
 ''Let me see it." said the stranpe 'Tm interested in these old clocks. Th folks in the large cities have taken notion to lem lately, an I'm buying 'el up for firm in Harrisburg"
 "He entered the kitchen as he spok, and Prudence, after a moments hesiti tion, led the way into the hall.
 The clock stood at one side of th hall door. It was eight feet tall. wit enormous wooden ornaments on the to resembling antlers, and door half wa down the case, that, when opened, dis closed two great iron weights on chai pulleys, and big brass pendulum tha swung slowly back and forth with solemn ''tick ticki' that some people alone in the house, would have foun nnbearable. But Prudence liked it. Sh