Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-18
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qae Old Clock.
Q oseeseesso 800
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Romans. Some said TINT the clock WINS
the oldest tower clock In the world.
1t had not marked tho time for nearly
century. \ few were living who
had seen Its great iron handI swing
around the circle of It's dial. but they
were very aged people. Its works
We're covered with rust. nnd there was
not cogwhccl that could he turned
without Il wrench
One night suddenly every person In
the village started up In bed One,
two, three, four, There was no bell 10
give forth this cracked Anticipated me.
tnll!c sound except the old clock In the
tower. And II 1t had returned to It's
life II must be It's dotngc, for the
hour wns II midnight and al counted
four strokes Had not some one got
III la the tower ana struck the bell
with hammer? Impossible. The
subway the last put In had fnllcn
years ago. Then. too, every one had
heard the whirrinE Of wheels II whlr
ring harsh with rust Directly nftci
the last stroke Peter ,itc!gcr. who
lived just beneath the tower. had
opened his shutter and looked out and
up To the bclfry. All was still NJ
there aud about the tower II II foot
step had fnllen on the stones beneath
he would have heard It,
Some of the villagers got out OF bed
and talked to each other from behind
their half opened doors: some lay
awake wondering: some went To scc,.
again. Only little children slept OH
without having heard IL sound. "Ah.
the children" said old Cnspnr Steiner.
the innocent chlltlrcnl If they bud
been awakened | should not think
there was evil In II, tut they are In.
sensible to evil" Cnapur was the phi.
iosonhcr of the village, ana hls words
struck deep Into the souls of those who
heard hl.n All looked for some GU.
tastrOphc
There was one person ara only one
Tot II child who Ind not heard tho
ghnstlv strokes That wns Gretchen.
tie granddaughter OF old Becker. the
millc.. Gretchen WINS to be- married in
few days TO Inns IIuntsmnn. II
young fellow about her own ngc. who
loved her md she loved him dearly
Gretchen laughed at the fears of the
villagers. When they told her what
old steiner had said she replied thu [
shc Ind not heard the strokes, nnd she
wna not n child. therefore the philoso.
phcr's words were not true.
While the Older people were whisper
Ing together, shaking their heads aud
giving way to their dread. the younger
ones We're preparing for the wedding.
No one lad been married In the villnge
for long while. for there were few
people there, nnd the boys as they grew
up went out into the world, leaving the
glrls with no one u marry them. But
Gretclcii's lover would not go without
her. He loved her better than even
success In llfc. This was not remark.
able. for every one loved her. She was
gentle and aminhlo md kind. Dut no,
TIL later did those who knew her real.
lie that, much as they priced her, they
had not known her true value.
All tho preparations were made. md
tho wedding was To he tomorrow. One
nun who hnd been sailor predicted
that tho sun would shlnc. BY common
consent tho older ones ccnscd to Talk
about the mysterious strokcs OF the old
clock and. for the young couples sake
assumed q cheerful mir. Tn to &c
o'cloclt tho younger people were laugh
INK md singing then wcro still.
There were people In tho village who
lay awake TIL after midnight fnncying
drcadlng, that they would hear the old
clock strike again Why they feit this
way Mt this tlmo they did not know
Scarcely any % the older ones bu,
wished the wedding over lest some
thing might happen to mnr It, But they
were disappointed In hearing the clock
1t did not strike again. After mllnlgh,
one after another they fell asleep.
While they We're dropping OF light
appeared In the house OF the miller
Presently lie emerged hurrlcdly from
the door and called his next nclghbor
Then. enc by one, the villagers began
Co stir. passing from one house to nm
other, and MI looking nnxiously at
| Becker. Gretchen Ind been taken sud.
denly Ill.,
The anxiety, the running of people
In and out OF the house, Increased rap
idly. At q O'Clock one came out nnd
said. III she doesn't get relief very
soon she Will die" At half past z
another came and said. "Shc IL sink.
Ing" At 4 o'cloch old Rcckcr wrune
his hands and said, "Shc is dcad!"
The people stood In groups In the
street, saying TO one another. THE old
clock predicted thla calamity, even to
the hour and minute II woulh occur. "
Then came old Caspnr Steiner, and one
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