Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-02-21
IN A CROWDED sTREET.
THE OLD CLOCK.


'A1l the world loves a loveri" The
words We're ringing in my ears as sat
on the cushioned seat in the deep square
window. The world was all white and
beautiful, snow covered the fields and
meadows far into the horizon, where
the sun was sinking in his crimson
glory.
1t was twilight, everything was soft
and dreamy, and the tick of the old
clock seemed to my girlish mind to re-
peat the words had heard my mother
say laughingly to my father after some
tender jest of his. ''Loves lover-tick
-tock-loves a loverl'
was in big old fashioned hall,
there were the broad low stairs leading
to the rooms above, the tall mahogany
clock with it's dear old face that was
like friend to me. What deal it
could tell of all that had come and gone
since it stood in its dim recess. Tales of
the first kiss beneath the mistletoe, of
the sweet words whispered on the
stairs, of the stories told around the
blazing Yule logs, all memories of other
days-when grandmother was young
like me.
''Tick-tocll, loves lover, tick-tockl''
I turned toward the clock; the red glow
from the outer world lighted up its
face. Surely was not dreamingl The
face seemed to be smiling at me, and
the words changed into ''little girl
little girl, y as if half plying me be-
cause I was left alone.
heaved a sigh, and before it had
well passed my lips Che old clock seemed
to say: ''I'vo seen many things, and if
little girls would keep their ears open
they could learn from almost everything
about them. We don 'tvs;ly much, % with
half point CT hand toward the big old
bookcase. which gave eroan in an
swer. ''But we watch and learn great
deal more than people give us credit for.
I can tell you abolt your grandmother
and how 1, by what you would stupid
ly call an accident, changed her whole
life
1t gave me strange feeling to hear
the clock which had loved and listened
to from babyhood speak so plainly to
me- Before this I had always known it
could tell me so much if I could only
understand, and now, quite suddenly,
L uLlGLSlOONl JtlSG do IL tuG OlIl NlOGfS
with its slow and steady ''ticil-tock,
tick-tock, " spoke in my own language
was just little nervous and did
not like to answer, but 1 guess the clock
saw the half smile ON my face, for it
went ON after a few moments. eyes, it
is many years ago when your grand
mother was young; sweeter lassie
never breathed. 1 dream sometimes in
the night, when alone of all the house
am awake, of seeing her come gliding
down the stairs in her light gray dress,
with its many yarded skirt, the dainty
lace collar fashioned with the big
brooch, her hair, with the tresses that
would not quite straighten out, drawn
down and over the ears, like curtains
of gold to set off her howerlike face.
'She would always heed me. I my
self was young then, the old clock
sighed. "I told her when to rise so as to
surprise the flowers when fresh with
dewdrop diamonds - when she must
study and read SO as to be able to hold
her own with the best. These things she
did not mind, but she would look at me
quite wistfully when would tick out,
Tick, took, 8 o'clock-9 o'clock, but
up the stairs she would disappear and
dark would be the house till the little
lady appeEed in the bright sunshine
the next morning.
Gone day there was a stir and an ex-
citement = all preparations for your
grandmother first ball. Silks and laces
were everywhere, and the flowers that
filled the little window yonder heard all
her hopes and dreams as she bent above
them in her daily care.
cas- evening drew on the sleigh bells
were heard coming across the country
to the door, there was crowd of serv-
ants in the hall, each one peering eager
ly over another's shoulder to see the lit
tie mistress in her white silk, which
rustled as she moved and set off SO well
her shining eyes.
"Ah, me- that was the beginning of
it all, for it was not the same little girl
who looked into my face next day, and
listened with all my strength as she
whispered fresh hopes and fears to the
sympathetic flowers
MANY gentlemen now came to call,
and most frequently an older and
graver one, who said little, but seemed
to bide his time There was younger
one on whom my little mistress seemed
20 Sullle, ana WHO whispered all SOrGS OF
pretty nothings in her ear; handsome
lad, but somehow liked not the shift
ing of his eyes.
MANY is the night I kept my old
frame creaking with anxiety. Some
times I would try to put in a word to
the little one as she sat where you are,
only she never seemed to hear me. A
smile was on her lips and her heart was
far away
Things went on that way for some
time, till one day heard her fathers
voice raised in sterner tone than he
had ever used to the little mistress
The heavy library door was opened
hastily by her, and as she pushed past
me up the stairs 1 saw how flushed and
hot her checks were burning
Then came time when she sat and
brooded in the window. The young
man came no more, and the elder man
was kinder than ever, but all to no pur-
pose; the young girl did not seem to
know that ne was near. Afterward she
seemed to turn to me for sympathy and
would watch my face so an1iously did
not quite like it, for often it would end
49,. - -oorF aud cIy-Iy s1ir-