Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-02-10
A Strange Story.


In these days when even the scientists,
generally the most matter-of-fact people
in the world, are delving into the mys-
teries of the occult and of the spirit world
and when the leading professors OF uni
versities are examining into the wonder
full and unexplained powers OF Nine.
PaIIadino, it might prove OF interest to
read story of the mysterious and the
weird connected with the history OF Fred
ericksburg.
A family living in this city in 1862 was
compelled to fly with the other people OF
the town just before the bombardment.
After the bombardment and the evacua-
ton of the city subsequent TO the battle
of Dec. 18th OF that year, they returned
only to find that some OF Burnside's
troops, or possibly camp followers, had
destroyed or carried off most OF the furni-
ture in the house and that al exploding
shell had torn out one end 1.-THE building.
Among the wreck OF their house they
found half mutiated old clock. The
hands were gone and the works were
broken. This clock was put back against
the wall, hoping that some time they could
have it repaired. II stood in silence tor
some months. Once and only once did
it strike, for without hands and practically
without works, and never having licked
off a second in months, to strike was
something startling. Thereby hangs
tale.
In this family there was a young lady
ofexceptional beauty and attractive ways.
II followed as matter of course dur
ing the early winter of 1863, when Lees
army lay encamped near Fredericksburg,
that she, in company with many other
Young ladies of the city, should receive
the attention of the boys in gray. A
young officer, handsome, gallant and a
favorite of his regiment, won her heart
and they were married.
Their married life was OF course in
those days one Of wars alarms. The
young captain took part in the Chancel-
louisville fight and then came back to this
city TO bid his wife adieu. AdieuS were
said and the husband joined Lee in that
fateful march which was to have its end
on the bloody field Of Gettysburg.
On the day of the great fight at Gettys-
burg the family were sitting in the hall OF
their home thinking and talking OF their
friends in the army, and the young wife'S
thoughts were naturally of the soldier
husband in Pennsylvania, when suddenly
the clock struck two. The family was
startled beyond measure, for never
sound had been heard from that clock
since that city was 5ombarded. They
sat for while in silence, broken by the
statement of the young wife's mother.
Said she, C, something has happened
to your husband. Mark the day and the
hour"
Two weeks afterward All orderly rode up
to the house of this family and handed
the now bereaved wife the sword OF her
husband and the papers found on his
body, and stated that he had been killed
at Gettysburg at 2 o'clock in the after
noon OF July 3rd, in fact at the time the
clock had struck.
This story is not the dream OF dream
er or the fanciful imagination OF a writer
of tales, but is absolutely true in every
particular. II is vouched for by the rela-
tiveS of the young wife referred to in the
story, one of whom, a prominent business
man of this city, told the reporter this
story just as he has narrated it.-Fre der
ickSburg Journal.