The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-07

ould keep II ever on a. SEA

the old clock by the stars.
The twelve numbers weave them
selves ln>0 a diary, each Leaf a
tablet recording some important
family event.
A bright day in leafy June. Al
the hour one the old clock noted
the bIto OF the fist child IN tie
home, the one over which the moss
is mingled with buttercups and
daisies, kept fresh with drew drops,
like tears in the sweet springtime.
Sometime later, at two O'Clock In
the morning, when the storms were
nshering ia the spring, daughter,
like a sunbeam, came To hil the
place Of the loved and iost with heI
smiling presence.
" hen she grew TO "omanhoot I
was at ten o'clock one bright md
eummeI day when the maInag'
bells chlmed sweetly upon The
fragrant air, proclalmlng her
bride. She left the family nest,
the sweetest blrd that ever journey
ed to soutbern clmes, with m's-
Sionary husband, for the salvation
of souls in a benighted land.
Two years after at seven O'Clock
one dark, stormy morning my
salior- brother lett his home to
voyage upon the sea III quest OF
fortune and adventure. one year
later, when the earth was covered
with deep Deem Der snow, the
chilling news came over the wires,
telling OF The sinking of hl~ shll,
with the loss of all upon board
The old clock struck eight that
evening when the sad news came.
Aas his fair form sleeps beneath
the coral reefs ia a coifinIesS grave
III the mighty deep.
At nlne O'Clock, months alter, oi e
misty morning my second sintCr,
girl of sweet sixteen, left to JOIN her
married sister II her christian wOlk
IN dlstaut lani.
Shortly after departure, at three
O'Clock IN the morning one md
snmmel day tue mesoengtl Of death
came and claimed ny baby brotA,I.
How well remem ber the weeping
aud sorrnwng for the little boy
that died.
The following year, when the
orchards were made pink and white
with apple blossoms, my eide st
living broth took unto himself a
wife, bringing his charming Dude
to visit Us, entering the ball as the
afternoon sun was gliding
the sigh of It's decline upon the
wall as the clock struck SIX. How
we regret a few wee!;s after their
departure. as they left Us for their
new home away amidst slum mbeIing
III that lan'' where
magnolias bloom, in the r. eet
sunny South. When the clock
struck eleven year after, the n W.
came one mor!ng telling us an
angel had come to fold its tiny
wings within then southern nest.
At five O'Clock one antumn after
noon. at nearly the same time,
hen the leaves. stOrm-tOs>ed, were
falling upon garden and lawn, the
news came from foreign shore
telling Us of the mArrlge Of my
pretty youngest sister.
The clock struck four III the
silence of that November morning
when tue spirit Of my mother de-
parted TO seek out the place of heI
loved and lost " To bad gone before
ner TO the spirit land.
One year after, at mldni ght,
strange mystic hour, as the clock
chimed twelve my father was
taken ~ the fulne,s OF year,. Ike
shock OF corn garnered in IT sea-
son. He had lived long lite.
made up of noble deeds, l~avlng
behind an bonoted memory, a
precious legacy to his children.
1t Is a bleak winter night, with
hail aud Slert. The bare branches
OF tue linden and ash trees tap
against my window panes. With
oat t is cold and stormy; within,
curtain Closed aud warm. A bright
fire Is upon tue health; in the ab-
sence of lamphght it makes IAN
tastic shadows upon carpet and
wall. The old clock catches the
reflection and appears half light,
half shadow. the ship tossing as
if in a sea OF flame. How many
visions are connected with it as
sit gazing at 1t this lonely night.