Piedmont High School - Tris Yearbook (Piedmont, WV)

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lrl The igztnitnzbzh Qllurk It was in Pikesville on a Sunday night at about half past eleven o'clock that a human leg might have been seen entering Deacon Henry Culpepper's kitchen window. The leg was followed finally by the entire person of a live- ly youth. Joe Sikes, thus in the dead of night, won his way into the deac- on's kitchen. Formerly the deacon had told Joe not to darken his door again. Joe promised him he wouldn't, but the deacon didn't say anything about the windows, so Joe took the advantage. When he landed in the kitchen it was as cold as an iceberg and all the lights were out. Joe could not move for fear that he would wake the old folks. So he stayed in the same position waiting for Sally, the deacon's daughter, to arrive. A Finally, the beautiful maid descended the stairs with a tallow candle and a box of matches. After greeting Joe, Sally made a roaring fire in the cooking stove, and the happy couple sat down to enjoy the sweet interchange of hopes and views. But the course of true love ran no smoother in old Culpe4plper's kitchen than it did elsewhere, and Joe, who was making up his mind to treat himself to a kiss, was startled by the voice of the deacon shouting from up- stairs: Sally, what are you getting up in the middle of the night for ? Joe whispered: Tell him it is morning. I can't tella fib, said Sally. I'll make it the truth then, said Joe, and running to the huge, old fashioned clock that stood in the corner, he set it at five. Then from above the voice of the deacon was heard again. Look at the clock and tell me what time it is. Sally responded, It is five by the clock, and corroborating the words the clock struck five. The lovers sat down again to continue their conversation, when sud- denly the staircase began to creak. Good gracious, it's father, cried Sally. Hide me, Sal! Hide me quick, cried the nervous Joe. Oh! Where can I hide you ? cried the distracted girl. I know. said Joe. I will squeeze into the clock case. Without another word he concealed himself in the case and drew the door behind him. The deacon came down fully dressed, and seating himself by the stove, pulled out his pipe and lighted it, and commenced smoking very deliberate- ly and calmly. Five o'clock, eh ? said he. Well, I shall have time to smoke three or four pipes, then I'll go and feed the critters. The dutiful Sally suggested: But pa, hadn't you better feed the crit- Page eighty-eight l

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g rw: Consequently the door keeper of the cave had not been told of my ar- rival with the Rider and as I started in the door he drew his sharp ax to stop me, but as the ax was descending I lost consciousness and did not re- cover for some hours later. When I recovered I saw the Black Rider, changed in his black robe, seated on a high chair or throne. As I opened my eyes he came toward me and said: You are fortunate to be found in this pit alive. He showed me the skeletons and bones of a few people who were killed by him many years before. I wondered what he could want with me. He glanced angrily at me and said between his teeth: You think you shall get off lucky, but wait until to-morrow and I will make use of you. To-morrow I am going to make a new town. I shall warn the people to hold their tongues and you will keep the pit in company with my lion, 'Bravo.' How do you think you will like that ? I did not answer but stood stupified. The next day I was left alone. I thought the Black Rider had just told me I was with a lion to scare me, so I decided to explore the pit. It was light in the room where I was now, but traveling back in the darkness with a hope to find a place to escape, I could see no sign of a door except a small hole in the top of the roof. I had just about given up hope when I heard a strange sound. Just then a lion came leaping toward me. I ran to my room with the lion leaping after me, but fortunately I got the iron trap door closed before it rushed in. I hunted around in the room to see what I could find. After a few hours of hunting I found the faithful sword of the Black Rider. It was hidden in an old box which took the place of a trunk. I was looking at the sword when the Black Rider came in. He was filled with rage. He dashed toward me, but I had a thought and soon used it. I struck him with the sword, knocking him to the floor of the pit. He kick- ed the door open as he hit the ground and in jumped Bravo, growling and roaring at me with rage. He sprang at me, but I struck him with my sword, killing him instantly. After this act I left the pit, avoiding all the small fellows who guarded it, for they were fast asleep. When I entered the town and told the people of the Black Rider's' death, everyone rejoiced, while many of the town folks later explored the pit merely for curiosity. I was satisfied for I had gotten my revenge. GRACE KN OTT ' 26 Page eighty-sewn

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l. We rl ters now ? But the old man, who seemed not a whit disposed to hurry with his work, replied: No, Smoking clears my head and wakes me up. Bur-r-r-whiz-z-ding-ding! went the clock. Tormented lightning ! cried the deacon, staring up and dropping his pipe on the stove, What in the creation is that ? Whiz-ding! ding! ding! went the old clock, furiously. Sally, who was trembling from head to toe, said: It is only the clock striking five. Powers of mercy I cried the deacon, striking five? Why, it has struck a hundred already. Deacon Culpepper, cried the deacon's wife, who had hastily dressed herself, and-' now came plunging down the stairs in the wildest state of a- larm, what is the matter with the clock ? The goodness only knows, replied the old man. It's been in the fam.ily over a hundred years and never have I known it to carry on so before. Whiz-Bang! Bang! Bang! went the old clock. It will burst itself, said the old lady, shedding ag flood of tears, and there won't be nothing left of it. It's bewitched, said the deacon, who retained some New England superstitution in his nature. Anyhow, he said, I am going to see what's got into it. Oh, don't! cried his daughter affectionately, seizing one of his coat tails, while his wife hung to the other. Don't, cried Hooth of the women to-gether. Let go of my coat, shouted the deacon. I ain't afraid of it. But the women would not let go, so the deacon slipped off his coat, while from the suddenness of the jerk the two women fell to the floor, he darted forward and laid his hand on the door of the clock case. But he could not open it, because Joe was holding it with a death grip. The deacon now became dreadfully frightened. He gave one more tugg an unearthly yell, as of a fiend in distress, came from inside, and then the clock case pitched head foremost on the floor, smashed its face, and wrecked itself. The current of air put out the light. The deacon, the old lady and Sally fled upstairs, and Joe Sikes gathered himself from the clock and went from the deacon's house by the same way he entered. The next day all Pikesville was alive with the story of the deacon's clock, and though many believed the versions, some and especially Joe, af- fected not to believe the whole affair, hinting that the deacon had been tasting some cider, and that it was all imagination about the clock. LORNA C OLE '27 Page eighty-nine