Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-06-16
Sir Matthew. who put the clock here


his oldest son, and precious little faith
in his youngest. So at his death he
made it q condition that the clock
should be stopped until the first earth
was cast upon his coffin, and then the
first one of the Mayhem name and
blood who started the clock going en-
tered upon possession of the property.
Besides that, if from any cause the
clock stopped during the lifetime of
the possessor and any other Mayhem
happened to set it going the property
passed at once. It had to be done in
the presence of three witnesses. You
see the clock is rather important"
Il should think that you must come
of very quarrelsome stock. I wonder
that any of you are left alive.' Miss
Dunn looked up laughing~then seated
herself on the top step and patted the
floor. ''Please sit here and tell me
more.''
A'Oh, there are as many legends as
years to the house. And as for ghosts!
You'll! find when you live here that
not servant will enter this hall alone
a. ~er dark. They think that the spirit
Of bad Sir Thomas prowls in front
of the clock. I've watched many times
to catch him, but never did. Some sort
of ghost antitoxin in" my blood, I
Think
1How dandy! What did the bad Sir
Thomas do?' questioned Miss Dunn,
eagerly.
Lots of things, and every one of
| them quite improper in a respectable
| country gentleman. But he only had
| the title and the other estate, so when
the master of Mayhem died he stood
guard over the clock for three days
| and nights sword in hand and below.
! ing at the others that were trying tc
i dislodge him. When the bell tolled
as the first earth fell on the coffi1
three cousins whipped out their swords
and there was a glorious old battle
Sir Thomas ran one through and
wounded the others, and in a fasl
hit the pendulum with his sword hilt
The first tick was so loud and ON
nous that the beastly uproar stopped
at once, it is told, and there was {
long pause; then came the second anl
the third. All sounded like blows OF
an empty coffin. At the third Sil
Thomas drew himself up with a terri
Bile look on his face, brought up hi
| sword in salute, stood thus as on,
might count five, then pitched forward
dead
| ASplendid! Go on!' she exclaimed
softly, her eyes shining and her hand,
tightly clasped.
There are stories of how three ga,
young bloods of the Mayhews gamble.
Tor the right to set the clock going b,
the candle lights Of the bier, and how
"hen one of them, by cheating. wo1
the right, the dead man called hi
name and sat up, then fell back again
u and he was so scared that he confesse,
and promptly forsook his evil ways
and hled him unto monastery. Their
over on the third step of the stairs i
where Richard Mayhem fell fightin
with MS brother. The housekeepe
: always shows visitors the bloodstain
IN the wood, but believe she pu
/ them there herself. There is anothe
t story of how a despised and cruell
, treated wife took her revenge on he
husband by shutting him up in th
: clock, where he nearly starved t
death, and certainly was insane all th
rest OF his life. My uncle got the hous
as a wedding gift and set the cloc
2 going after his father had stopped i
| with all the guests hurrahing. I cam
, down the stairs at 9 o'clock on th
) morning my uncle died, the wors
, frightened boy you ever saw. an
r opened the case and stopped the Der
l dulum- I don't know whether 7 b,nt
= bered or shivered the more. but th
t hall was all sliding shadows and ouf,
cry splatters of moonlight, and ther
was winding sheet in the candle an
t the housekeeper was gasping an
moaning, Lord, ha' mercy! Lord
5 What is that?' Then. after the funera
f for L am the last of the Mayhews
J started the clock as the bell rang.
!. has never stopped since then" =
Il Il wonder that you don't hate me-
Perhaps you do" Miss Dunn bega1