Rock Island Argus., 1911-09-09

warrant the taking Of any risk. II
Gretchen were q witch she should be
got away with before she could prop0
gate her witchcraft- And were not
here two good witnesses, who had
seen evidence Of her sorcery? The
result was that he ordered her back to
prison and directed the jailer to put
q grating over the chimney that she
might not fly away. That day week
she was to be burned at the stake.
The morning after this sentence
young Ludwig Zweigier, a nephew OF
him who had made the clock and was
keeper Of the town time. entered his
uncle's shop. Old Zweigler looked up
at him and. seeing that he was In
great distress, asked him what was the
matter.
My beloved Gretchen" said the
young man, has been condemned by
the judge to be burned for a witch.
Old Frau Becker wished her to marry
her son, for, since the death of Frau
Schoenberger. Gretchen is possessed Of
a fortune. Hans and his mother have
brought this suit for revenge. Gretch-
en- loves me and win marry none 9TH
er."
The timekeeper of the town paused
in his work and appeared to be think
ing. Finally he asked:
When Is Gretchen to be burnedT
I'm six days"
81 can do nothing to avert this hor-
ror," said the old man. but 1 may
stave 1t OF"
"HowP asked Ludwig eagerly.
- n1,or a. ~
the town clock 30 that its hands viii
not mark the hour regularly or will
stop altogether. Then I Will not be
able to certify TO the day or the hour,
and all acts done without this certih-
cate win be illegal"
Help me, uncle" pleaded the young
man, catching at the straw offered
At that season the sun rose at Zweir-
hofen at o'clock, and most burghers
rose with 1t. The morning after
Zweigler had talked with his nephew
old Simon Shucker got out Of bed
and, as was bis custom, looked out OF
his window at the clock to'assure him
self that he had not oversight The
SUD was shining brightly. and the hour
hand Of the clock stood at 10. Simon
hastily put on his breeches and, run
ming to the house of his friend, Gottlieb
Zimmerman, knocked loudly on the
foor.
Get up, Gottlieb," he said. '9The
town is bewitched. 1t is 10 O'Clock,
and everybody is still asleep"
Zimmerman came out in his night
gown and cap and, seeing the clock
registering the hour OF 10, went about
knocking on every door, arousing the
people.
Gretchen Dagner," he said. "who
was the day before yesterday con
demned, has bewitched the town Get
up burgflers and go about your work
Later Ludwig ran into his uncle's
shop excitsdly and said:
"Oh. uncle. your tampering with the
clock has been laid by the people TO
Gretchen. They claim that she has be
witched it, and they are crying for her
to be burned at once"
ZweigIer went out into the square
and looked up at the clock. Many per-
sons who were doing the same thing
crowded around him and asked him
what was the matter with it
1.-The clock Is bewitched," he told
them
Yes, yes, so we all say. Gretchen
Dagner has bewitched IL. She should
be burned at once"
'Tt is not Gretchen who has be-
witched the clock. Gretchen is not
witch. II Is old Frau Becker"
Frau Becker7 Why do you think
thatT
Because the hour hand Of the clock
Is just sixty minutes ahead Of its prop
er place, and Frau Becker Is sixty
years Old"
The crowd esped first at the speaker.
then at the clock.
"And there Is an accessory" contin-
ued Zweigier, zone who Is twenty-five
years old"