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THEDEVILINTHEBELFRY
Whato’clockisit？_OldSaying_。
EVERYBODYknows，inageneralway，thatthefinestplaceintheworldisor，alas，wastheDutchboroughofVondervotteimittiss。Yetasitliessomedistancefromanyofthemainroads，beinginasomewhatout-of-the-waysituation，thereareperhapsveryfewofmyreaderswhohaveeverpaiditavisit。Forthebenefitofthosewhohavenot，therefore，itwillbeonlyproperthatIshouldenterintosomeaccountofit。Andthisisindeedthemorenecessary，aswiththehopeofenlistingpublicsympathyinbehalfoftheinhabitants，I
designheretogiveahistoryofthecalamitouseventswhichhavesolatelyoccurredwithinitslimits。Noonewhoknowsmewilldoubtthatthedutythusself-imposedwillbeexecutedtothebestofmyability，withallthatrigidimpartiality，allthatcautiousexaminationintofacts，anddiligentcollationofauthorities，whichshouldeverdistinguishhimwhoaspirestothetitleofhistorian。