The Press., 1899-06-08
THE OLD CLOCK.

HE OLD CLUCK.
 ssAll the world loves loveri' The words were ringing in my ears as I sal 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.
 It 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 a lover-ticl -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 its dear old face that was like a friend to me. What deal Ii could tell of all that had come and gone since it stood in it's dim recess. Tales o1 the first kiss beneath the mistletoe, o1 the sweet words whispered on tht stairs of the stories told around tht blazing Yule logs, all memories of othe1 days-when grandmother was young like me.
 "Tick-tock, loves lover, tick-tock r I turned toward the clock; the red glow from the outer world lighted up it face Surely I was not dreaming! Th' face seemed to be smiling at me, an( the words changed into little girl little girl" as if half pitying me be cause was left alone.
 heaved a sigh. and before it hat we'll passed my lips the old clock seemed to say "Ive seen many things, and i little girls would keep their ears opel they could learn from almost everything about them. We don't say much, witt a half point of hand toward the big olt bookcase which gave groan in an swer "But we watch and learn a grea deal more than people give us credit for I can tell you about your grandmothe and how I, by what you would stupid ly call an accident, changed her who'll life."
 It gave me strange feeling to hea the clock which had loved and listene' | to from babyhood speak so plainly t. me. Before this had always known i could tell me so much if l could onl.. understand, and now, quite suddenly I understood just as if the old clock with it's slow and steady "tick-tock tick-tock, '' spoke in my own language I was just little nervous anl dit not like to answer, but guess the cloc saw the half smile on my face, for i went on after a few moments ''Y es, is many years ago when your grand mother was young; sweeter lassi never breathed. dream sometimes il the night. when alone of all the hous am awake, of seeing her come glidin down the stairs in her light gray dress with it's. .nsapy yarded skirt, the daint lace collar fashioned with the bi brooch, her hair, with the tresses tha would not quite straighten out, draw down and over the ears, like curtain of gold to set off her fowerlike face.
 ''She would always heed me. I my self was young then," the old cloc sighed. II told her when to rise so as surprise the flowers when fresh wit dewdrop diamonds - when she mus study and read so as to be able to hol her own with the best. These things sh did not mind, but she would look at m quite wistfully when I would tick out
 Tick, tock, 9 o'clock-9 o'clock, bu up the stairs she would disappear an dark would be the house till the littl lady appeared in the bright sunshin the mex: morning.
 "One day there was a stir and an ex citement - all preparations for you
 were everywhere, and the flowers tha filled the little window yoDder heard a. her hopes and dreams as she bent abov them in her daily care.
 'sAs evening drew on the sleigh bell were heard coming across the countr to the door, there was crowd of sery ants.i in the hall, each one peering eager ! ly over another's s shoulder to see the lii tie mistress in her white silk, whic rustled as she moved and set off so we
 her shining eyes.
 | ''Ah, me- that was the beginning ( | it all, for it was not the same little gil
 who looked into my face next day, an
 I listened with all my strength as sh
 whispered fresh hopes and fears to th l sympathetic flowers.
 | "Many gentlemen now came to cal
 and most frequently an older and ! graver one, who said little, but scene to bide his time. There was younge
 one on whom my little mistress scene
 to smile, and who whispered all sorts (
 pretty nothings in her ear; handsom
 lad, but somehow liked not the sniff ing of his eyes.
 l Many is the night I kept my ol frame creaking with anxiety. Some times I would try to put in word the little one as she sat where you art | only she never seemed to hear me. . smile was on her lips and her heart ws far away.
 l "Things went on that way for som | time, till one day heard her father voice raised in sterner tone than h had ever used to the little mistress The heavy library door was opene
 hastily by her, and as she pushed pas me up the stairs saw how flushed an hot her cheeks were burning "Then came time when she sat an brooded in the window. The youn man came no more. and the elder ma CAIN ET ECu