The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-05-08
By F. A. Mitchell

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kings Of Spain as a reward for the
services of his distinguished ancestor.
The clock had struck for the last time
on the day the duke was born. 1t was
the next day-so run the legend-that
it got out Of order. A man was sent
up to fix it, but returned without
doing so, reporting that the damage
had been done by one of the supports
rotting away and letting down n side
Of the clock. Later the staircase lead
ing up to it fell, and from that time
the clock remained out of reach.
The duke lived to enter upon his
eightieth year. During this long period
the clock remained upon the tower,
its heavy iron parts :rusting away,
Now and again a rotted landing or q
piece Of staircase would fall, but the
iron parts Of the clock remained entire.
The minute hand finally rusted away
and fell to the ground. 1t was longer
than the tallest man. Persons gather
ed about 1t and wondered at it's size
and weight.
One night after the duke had enter.
ed upon his eightieth birthday those In
habiting the castle and those surround
ing it were awakened by the deep toned
stroke Of a bell. To those within the
castle walls the sound seemed to come
from above;, to those round; about II
seemed to come from; different direc-
lions. One said from the east, another
from; the west, another. from up on the
heights above, another from the valley
below. Every one listened for a Sec
ond stroke. 1t came. and another and
another, till there had been twelve
wheezy clangs which seemed to come
from the throat Of some monster. such
az one reads Of In ancient lore. -
Then when there came no more
strokes every one in the castle turned
out into the court. and'there was a
babel Of voices discussing from whence
the sounds could have come. An old
man, whose youth had been passed In
~superstitious times, ventured to assert
that either angel or devil had resusci-
tated the old clock and some mo-
mentous event had been foretold. A
younger person maintained that the
sound had come from the sky and was
a voice from heaven calling sinners: to
repentance. There were many the
cries, but It was generally believed
that the sounds were from some ordi-
nary cause and their Importance had
been magnifed by the Imagination.
The only person who did not come
out to discuss the phenomenon was
the duke. He was a bachelor, and,
having no family to. minister to him In
his old age. no one knew whether or
not he had heard the strokes Of, the
bell or what Interpretation .hefs put
upon them. The door Of his chamber
remained closed and all vas quiet
within. A woman who attended him,
followed by some one who loved the
old man., listened near the door, but,
hearing nothing, told the others to go
to bed. The duke had slept through
the changing, and it would be q shame
to awaken him.
Within an hour after the stroke Of
midnight all. were in bed and many
were asleep. But some there were
who could not dismiss from. their
minds an occurrence SO strange that It
surely must portend some calamity.
A few sat up till dawn debating
whether, II 1t were a warning, It came
from angel or devil. When It was
light enough to see clearly they went
to the old tower and looked up. A
support had given. way during the
night, and the clock was tilted on it,
side. II,
II told you 90" said one. st was
the clock that struck by being tilted"
''Tool!" replied another. How could
such fitting have caused twelve dis
tinct strokes?'
Have a carer cried a third 10 q
gust Of wind swept through the ruin.
Scarcely had the last words been
spoken when the old clock came tum-
bling down and lay q heap Of rotted
wood and rusty iron at the bottom.
THE duke IL dead" came q voico
from another part Of the castle.
All turned and went toward the
speaker.
The dukes door had been opened,
and BY the pallor on his face It was
known that something had happened.
"A surgeon was called, who declared
that the old man had been dead some
hours. Then It came to be believed
that the old clock tolled his knell as
he was dying as well as its own.
After the dukes death the inhabit-
ants of the castle scattered. It was
never again occupied and Don fell into
complete ruin.