Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-07-14
the heavens.

WOuueEeu. AZ IL was tuey ulu not
know what to make of 1t. SO great was
their faith In their timepiece that in
stead Of thinking 1t wrong they laid
the blame on the sun. though many Of
them preferred to believe that the
devil had got into the belfry and had
interfered with the mechanism. A
committee Of three was appointed to
sit up and watch the hands to see when
the change took place. The dial was
lighted by full moon, and they could
see it distinctly. By 10 o'clock they
had drunk so much schnapps that they
saw marvellous sight. The hands
spun round like the spokes Of a rapidly
revolving wagon wheel, first forward
and then backward. stopping at 0. This
settled the matter. The devil was at
work In the belfry.
When twelve days had passed the
burghers began to notice that each
morning the clock was getting nearer
their rising hour, though now it SEEM
ed to be gaining instead of losing.
and before four weeks had passed it
had come right again. Then they con-
Guided that the devil had tired Of fool
ing with it and had let it alone, for it
went on steadily for twenty -four days
after it had commenced it's antics.
Meanwhile the date of Hieleger Van
Tromp's execution approached. The
morning of the execution Anneke Van
Wrinkle went to the judge of the court
and said:
"Your worship, l have a confession
to make"
"What is 1t, AnnekeT' asked the
Judge.
1T is In connection with the hanging
of Hieleger Van Tromp. What day was
he sentenced to be hanged?"
"Friday; that Is today"
'"This is not Friday, your worship; it
is Saturday."
"What is the matter with you, An
neke? Has the loss Of your lover made
you mad?"
mo, your worship. say it is Satur
day, because We have lost a day. Ev-
cry night for twenty-fo days l ha We
climbed to the belfry of the church and
turned the hands Of the clock back an
hour"
did you do that Anneker
"Yes."
The Judge began to puzzle his brain
over the question as to whether q day
had been lost or not by the setting
back Of the clock. But, not reaching
any conclusion, he sent word to the
sheriff not to execute the prisoner until
further orders. Then he called in the
most prominent citizens and stated the
case to them, asking their opinion
whether, Anneke having set back the
hands Of the clock twenty-four hours,
the day on which Hieleger Van Tromp
was to be executed had passed.
The question struck those to whom it
was propounded as the most difficult
they had ever been called upon to solve.
After an hours babel, during which
some maintained one side and some an
other and frequent shifting from one
side to the other. It. was decided that
the matter was too important to be de-
cided In hurry. and they all adjourn
ed to place where they could procure
schnapps and tobacco
When the hour of noon came-the
time the hanging had been ordered
the debate was still going on and had
extended to every person in the VII
age. Never had there been such ex-
element in the sleepy old town since
the day Of the great Indian fight In
1880. A man would be of one opinion.
while his wife took the opposite view.
They quarreled. Fathers and sons.
mothers and daughters contended. and
before ntghtfall alt the lovers In town
were estranged.
The next morning. there being doubt
whether the day was Saturday or Sun.
day, the trouble broke out afresh.
Some called on the domino to hold
service; others declared that the churct,
should not be opened. This caused a
riot at the door Of the sanctuary, those
trying to get in being attacked by those
trying to keep the church shut
During the afternoon q man was
seen crossing the Mohawk river In
boat 1t was agreed that this person.
who doubtless came from the Long
house, be asked whether the day was
Saturday or Sunday. When he came
near enough for the people to disttn.
guish his features he was seen to be
Martin Smith, the "murdered'' man.
Every man and woman and child, be-
Ing more interested in the date than
the legal aspects involved in Smiths
return. met him with the question,
what day Is this?'' He was so star
tied that he could not tell them till he
had examined memoranda he had In his
pocket; then he declared that It was
Saturday.
The question Of the hanging was set.
tied not only by the return of the sup
posed victim, but from the fact that
the day set for the execution had
passed The people were beside them
selves with Joy that they had not hung
H1eleger and took Anneke, whose wit
had saved him, on their shoulders and
carried her to the Jail, where her lover
was set free, and they insisted that q
wedding service be performed imme.
diately.
So the domino was called, and the
pair were married.
Uncertain.
Better stop the car" said the own
er. There are three women crossing
the street" .-- ~
II think can dodge through" sug-
ReSted the chaufeenr