Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-09-19
JENNY AND THE WATCH.

JENNY AND THE WATCH.
In some of the country parts Of Scot
land, custom prevails of young men Civ
ing their watches in trust to young women
for whom they have declared their attach
ment. The watch is kept and carried in
the bosom Of the fair one, until the anxious
couple are united in the bonds Of wedlock.
when, as a matter of course, the pledge Of
sincerity is delivered up to its original own
er. This Is imagined by the country lass
es to be an infinitely better plan for secu-
ring the fidelity Of sweetheart, than that OF
breaking sixpence. A watch is valua-
Bile and highly priced article. 1t is worth
at least a couple of pounds; and the loss of
that sum by an Individual in humble con-
dition Of life, is very serious matter
Still, we believe, there are cases in which
the proposed match is broken off, and the
watch abandoned forever; though doubtless
this is only in cases Of great fckleness, or
when wcighty reasons for desertion inter-
vene.
The following laughable incident regard
ing watch so entrusted, occurred few
years ago. Jenny Symngton, "a well favored
sprightlv girl, in a certain farmhouse in Cal
loway, had been entrusted with the watch
Of her sweetheart, Tam Halliday, neigh
boring shepherd, and which she carried with
scrupulous care in her bosom; but even the
most carefully kept articles will sometimes
disappear in spite OF all the precautions con-
sidered necessary TO preserve them. Jenny
be il known, was esteemed first rate hand
at preparing potatoes for the family supper;
none could excel her in serving them up,
beaten and mashed in the most tempting
style. On one occasion, in harvest, when
the kitchen was crowded with number Of
shearers, waiting for their evening meal, land
while Jenny was busy beating mess of
potatoes, what did the unlucky watch do,
but drop from her bosom, chain, seals, and
all, Into the pot among the potatoes! Jenny's
head being turned away at the moment, she
knew nothing of the disaster, land therefore
continued to beat on at her task. She GER
tainly was little surprised when she felt
there was still hard potato to beat, notwith-
standing her previous diligence; but thi nix
ing nothing of it, she continued to beat, &C.
casionally giving the haTdd potato, :.s the
watch, good thump with the end Of the
beetle. At length she thought she had
fairly completed the business; and so infu-
sing large jar of sweet milk in the mess,
she stirred all together, and placed the yes.
sci ready for the attack Of the hungry on
lockers.
Behold, then, the pot-.a round gawsy
tripod-planted in the middle of the floor.
A circle was formed round il in trice, and
horn for horn the shearers began to stretch
and strive. Many mouthfulls had not beer
taken, before certain queer looks began tc
be manifested. "DeiPs in the tatties,'
say one; '' think they We got banes ir
them" Banes!" says another, .'they're
the funniset banes ever saw; they're made
O. broken glass and pieces o. brass III
sup nae mair o. them" With that. another
produced silver watch case all battered
and useless, from his capacious horn spoor
and universal strike among the suppers
Immediately ensued. 1t was clear that &
watch had been beaten up with the pota
toes; so the good wife had nothing for j,
but 10 order the dsgraced pot out of the
way,and to place basket Of oatmeal cak es
and milk in its stead
What were poor Jenny's feelings udrrng
this strange denouement! On the frs, up.
pearance of tie fragments of the watch, she
slippe d her hand to her bosom, and soon
found how matters stood. She had the for
titude, however, to show no symptoms OF
surprise; and although every one was won
dering where the broken watch had come
from, she did not disclose her knowledge of
how il had found its way into the pot. AS
it had belonged to no one in the house, the
materials were not identified; and as Jenny
was young woman Of great prudence and
modesty, and had never shown any one that
she had watch in her possession, no one
teased her about. In n short time the noise
of the circumstance died way, but not till
it had gone over the neghborhood that the
family had found watch in the potato pot;
and among others, it came to the ears Of
the owner. Tam Halliday. who was highly
pleased with the conduct of his beloved
Jenny; for he thought that if she had cried
or sobbed, and told to whom the watch be-
'onged, 1t would have brought ridicule on
them both. Tam was, in short, delighted
with the way the matter had been man.
aged, and he thought the watch was we'll
lost, though it had been ten times the
value.
Whatever Tam's ideas were on the SUBJ
Ject, Jenny felt conscious that it was her
duty to replace the watch. Accordingly.
next time she met her lover, she allowed
no time to elapse before she thus addressed
him:-Now. Tam, we ken very we'll how
| have demolished your good silver watch,
but it is needless 10 regret what cannot be
helped. shall pay you for it, every far
thing The one half will give YOU when
| get my half years wages at Matthias, and
the other half soon; as my brother is avn
me three pounds, which he has promised to
pay me afore the next Eastern's cen fair.''
" My dear Jenny" said the young man.
taking her kindly by the hand, &" beg YOU
will say nothing about that ridiculous affair.
do not care farthing for the loss of the
watch; mair by token, have gotten rise
in my wages frae the new laird; for maun
tell We, I'm now appointed chief herd in the
Cas- Hope. However, to take any paw
ment from you, to rob you of your hard
won penny fee, would be disgraceful. No.
no will take none Of your wages; butt
= IL. 7