The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-10-13

Wncrc We cOutu see nOSct lace Pisah
ly. The puzzled expression that passed
over it and fingered moment was in
describable. Flora had not moved
from her place, and sat. with one hand
upliited from the piano keys, listening
intently and wonderingly to the meas,
ured striking, which now seemed
louder than ever Then We saw
Rogers lips move, and Flora turned
bushing and said something which, OF
course, we could not hear. Whatever
it was, they did not seem to under
stand each other any better than we
did.
All of a sudden both faces turned
toward the sitting-room door. Father
was coming! In a moment he was in
the room, in his dressing-gown, and
holding a lamp. as if he had been
searching the house over for the cause
of this unseemly disturbance. What
he said We did not hear. 1t must have
been something severe, for Flora
blushed rcdder than ever, and des-
perate CLEAN came into Rogers eyes.
Fred and l began to realize that we
were in something Of scrape. But
VIC were bound to enjoy it while we
could. and we managed with q sharp
ened stick to pry up the window SO
We could hear what was going on.
"What on earth does this mean.
FlOra?" shouted father.
Poor Flora had buried her bushes in
her hands. and gave no answer.
Father looked from Flora to Roger
and back to Flora again, and said
louder than before:
II want an answer; what does all
this meanp"
"Oh. fatherr' cried Flora. II don't
really know. unless the sitting-room
clock is bewitched.
IL have stopped every clock in tho
house" replied her father In stentorian
tones
ROGERS face turned white and red by
turn; but he did not attempt to say
any thing. Father turned TO him:
"Mr. Pettijohn, can you tell me What
this unearthly din in my house at near.
ly midnight means?'
Roc had disjointed his flute, and
laid each bright silver section carefully
in its place In the ebony box which he
had himself made for it. As father
finished his question. Roger snapped
down the cover of the box and r..
torted. stifly:
If YOU allude to the duet which
Miss + ora and have been practicing.
| must at least thank you for as much
of your compliment as includes myself.
II YOU alludc to the misfortune which
seems to have overtaken your clock,
excuse ME il | tell you that you OF
some Of your household know more
about it than do. wish you YER,
gooJ-cvening, Mr.. Shaw. GOod-eveH.
Ing. Miss Shaw"
Andth wratlful Mr.. Pettijohn turned
on his heel, and moment later the
front door shut behind him with nc
uncertain sound.
".Miss Shawl | whispered tt
Fred. That's murderous! He's fear
full mad. or he never would say Mis-;
Shaw"
Roger did not whistle as be walket
briskly down the gravel path. w
could Just see his form as he passed il
the darkness.
When We looked again into the par
lor Aunt Elizabeth, prim and straight
in her morning wrapper, candle II
hand and her eyes swapping ant
cleaning like cats back in the dark
stood between father and Flora, look
ing inquiringly from one to the other
Mother had also come into the room
her face the picture Of bewildermen
and despair.
We thought it WAS time TO draw tn
curtain ON our joke. We carefully
lowered the window. and, taking ,
last look at the distressful tableau. hur
ried into the kitchen. twitched of on
boots, and fastened upstairs. In ;
minute we were we'll abed. The clOcl
was still striking As we dropped off t.
sleep.
Our experiences next morning do no
need to b. described. We were fOun.
out. Of course. Flora wore an injuret
air for week. Father was stern, bu
we half suspected that he inwariiy ap
proved our course. Roger Petujohn
ring did not disturb our door-bell 70
months.
When it was certain that Flora hat
vanquished all competitors for the hea'
Of her class. Fred aud managed to le
him know how misfortune" cam
upon our clock. We put the work
back in the case, and with proper cere
mony made him present Of 1t. and i
was given an honored place in hi
room When at the academy com
mencement Flora bore off the valedic
tory, her largest bouquet had Roger
card neatly attached with a blue rib
bon.
4 The funniest part of the affair wa
that when the clock began to strike OIL
that memorable evening Aunt Eliza
beth began counting the strokes, &C
cording to her invarisbls habit. on,
although she went down into the par
lor and returned to her room after hal
an hour. she averred that she ha.
counted every stroke, and the elocl
had struck exactly 500 times Min
hundred and ninety-six O'Clock becam
= family by word. Chicago Herald.
l They Never Strike.