Haunted Mansion- Tale of the 13-Hour Clock

Enthralled with the various ghosts and ghouls to be seen within the Mansion, many guests fail to notice the unusual time piece. It is located against a back wall, as if forgotton, ticking away the hours just outside Madam Leota's seance room.

Tale of the 13-hr Clock

Name: David Von Braun

Born: August 26, 1749

Died: June 16, 1804

            David von Braun was a very ambitious man. His sole desire in life was to gain power and influence. In pursuit of this goal he worked like a demon. Yet try as he might he just couldn’t accomplish all he wanted in one day. “Oh what I would give for but one extra hour”, he exclaimed, “I would sell my soul for two!”

            That night he was visited by an old woman who, without a word, presented him a card. “Come to Le Bat en Rouge- New Orleans”, it read. David dismissed the woman with an oath not to waste his time and went about his business.

            Over time things did not improve and Mr. von Braun seemed further than ever from his dreams. Several months after the visit he found himself at New Orleans’ busy seaport trying to hurry the loading of a cargo of fineries. To his astonishment there appeared the selfsame old woman. He was about to vent his frustrations upon her when she lightly touched his arm. Suddenly the whole world stopped. There was no movement from neither man nor beast, all sound died, even the waves seemed frozen as in the far arctic. The aged wench edged closer and took David’s arm in an iron grip. Together they walked through the statuesque city and into Le Bat en Rouge.

            A short balding man addressed him roughly, “Monsieur, time is very valuable and you have wasted much of mine. You offered to buy two hours a day…do you honor your request?” A million possibilities raced through David’s mind. He wasn’t religious and didn’t believe in anything he couldn’t touch or see so what did it matter if he promised his soul. Still in shock and disbelief he answered, “By my faith Sir, yes! What are the terms?”

“I will give you one extra hour in every 12. You may do with it as you wish. During that time the world will be, for you, as it is right now. You will pay for it with 3 hours taken from the end of your life, and after, you may be called upon to perform some small service for me. Is this acceptable? Consider carefully, you will gain much now for almost nothing later.”  

            David was giddy over the thought. A full hour in twelve in which he could do…anything. He could learn his competitor’s secrets, steal their products, destroy their name, even kill. Oh yes, this was acceptable. The short end of a 3-for-1 trade be damned.

“Deal”, he said with an evil grin and held out his hand.

“Look at this long clock Monsieur. It is of my own design and manufacture. I am very proud of it. Notice, there are 13 hours upon the face. As the day progresses through 12 it will operate as any other timepiece. But when this clock strikes 13, all the world will stop. During that hour you may indulge yourself. May I suggest you use it for your most…private business dealings?

“So how do we begin?”

“I will set the clock as we are fast approaching 1. It is wound and ready. If you will set the pendulum in motion…3…2…1…Now! So, our deal is struck. You must remember 3 things Monsieur: First, if the clock ever runs down then the deal is broken and payment will be due immediately. Second, never allow the clock to be damaged. That too will bring about an end. Third, and most important, no one must see you as the hour begins or ends. If you are in a person’s sight at those times, then things may be altered in disastrous ways. I will have the clock delivered to your hotel. Protect it, Monsieur”

I need not tell of all the vile acts perpetrated by this man in his stolen time. From simple thievery and dishonest trades he soon moved to assault and all other forms of insult to Man and Woman. For almost 25 years he gloried in his power and amassed untold wealth. The clock was well cared for and traveled with him always. Only once did he forget to wind it. That terrible anguish of feeling his heart wind down with the spring. It was a wild chase after an hour of debauchery which he barely won.

By the dawn of 1804, David had begun to grow bored and weary. He needed greater thrills to sustain his life. True piracy was his answer. He would outfit a ship and take to the seas! The plan was simple: As the appointed hour drew near he would approach his victim. When all was in his power it would be easy to row to the other ship and slit the throats of captain and crew. When his men revived they would claim the other vessel as derelict and take possession of ship and all.

The following 6 months were bathed in blood and David’s murders rivaled those of the great Jean Lafitte.

On June 16 of that year the plot was once more unfolding. This captain was better than most and warily denied von Braun the chance to come close. When the 13^th hour struck the two ships were far separated and David had no choice but to take to a longboat. The row was hard and 54 years of riotous living had begun to tell on David’s strength. There were scarce 15 minutes left when he reached the deck. Proceeding with his sanguine task, he had his knife at the captain’s throat when a loud chime of one echoed through the cabin. Young Captain Gracey came to life and David von Braun turned hard as granite. Seizing the bizarre moment, Ambrose threw David overboard to the ever present sharks. The pirate crew feared this man who had bested their devil captain and surrendered at once. Thus Ambrose came into possession of David’s wealth, clock and all.

Among the loot were treasure maps, promissory notes, deeds to land and property, title to an old mansion above New Orleans and a hundred other instruments of finance. There were also many odd trinkets which seemed mysterious and valuable. A ruby hilted sword caught his eye as well as a silver knife. This was a king’s ransom. Ambrose Gracey was now a rich and important man.

After repairing the home, Ambrose moved in his new bride and installed the unusual clock as a memento of his good fortune.

As for David’s ghost…he still had a debt to pay. The ambitious and strong-willed man was at the command of Mr. D’Thave for all time. Only while the clock was in the 13^th hour was his will his own and during that time he continually tried to hold back the hands and free his soul from the ill-advised deal.