Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-10-19
great distress. asked him what was the

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. Crotch
IN loves me and will marry none 9th
er."
The timekeeper of the town paused
n his work and appeared to be think
ing. Finally he asked:
when is Gretchen to be burned?"
"In six days."
II can do nothing to avert this hor-
ror," said the old man, but I may
stave it off,"
"How?" asked Ludwig eagerly.
Il can disarrange the mechanism of
the town clock so that its hands will
not mark the hour regularly or will
stop altogether. Then 1 will not be
able to certify to the day or the hour,
and all acts done without this certif-
cate will be Illegal"
Help me, UNCLE" pleaded the young
man, catching at the straw offered.
At that season the sun rose at Zweir-
hofen at Z o'clock, and most burghers
rose with it. The morning after
Zweigler had talked with his nephew
old Simon Shucker got out Of bed
and, as was his custom, looked out of
his window at the clock to assure him
self that he had not oversight. The
u was shining brightly, and the hour
hand Of the clock stool at 10. Simon
hastily put OF his breeches and, run
ming to the house Of his friend, Gottlieb
Zimmerman, knocked loudly on the
| door.
Get up, Gottlieb," he said. 1.-THE
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 burghers and go about your work.
Later Ludwig ran into his uncle's
shop excitedly 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"
Zweigler 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.
"The clock is b~ewitched," he told
them.
eyes, yes, so we all say. Gretchen
Dagner has bewitched it. She should
be burned at once"
"It is not Gretchen who has be-
witched the clock. Gretchen is not a
witch. 1t is old Frau Becker
"Frau Becker? Why do you think
that?'
Because the hour hand Of the clock
is just sixty minutes ahead Of it's prop
er place, and Frau Becker is sixty
years old"
The crowd CAPPED first at the speaker.
then at the clock.
"And there is an accessory" contin-
ued Zweigler, "one who is twenty-five
years old"
"Why do you think that?"
Because the minute hand is just
twenty-five minutes ahead Of where it
should be-"
There was more gaping. and finally
some n said:
"Hans Becker is twenty-five years
old"
At this moment Gottlieb Zimmerman
approached and was told what Zwei-
gler had said.
THAT'S absurd" said Zimmerman.
There is no proof that it is true"
what proof" asked Zweigler. lis
there that Gretchen is a witch?'
"She has been seen to vomit crooked
pins and fly out Of the chimney on a
broomstick.'
"Who saw herr"
Frau Becker and her son."
81 have better proof than that Re
lease Gretchen and arrest Frau and
Hans Becker and I think the clock will
go Alright"
This divided the crowd into two fac
tions, the one opposed to and the other
in favor of Zweigler's plan. But it af,
forded q test. and tests were what the
people Of that age required on which
to base their decisions. Indeed. if it
was ridiculous it was a trife less ri.
diculous than believing an accusation
manifestly made for revenge. So those
who wished to make the experiment
prevailed. Gretchen was released and
her accusers arrested.
Meanwhile Zweigler had sent his
nephew up into the clock tower with
orders at a certain signal from him to
put the hands of the clock in their
proper places. When Gretchen was re-
leased and Hans Becker and his moth
80 --lz - 49,