The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-10-03
,hose until he has had an opportunity

4 =
! Of testing the accuracy Of the clock as
a time piece. he will leave It on trial ior
a year. Then again, if the person I'M
/ portuned refuses TO purchase upon any
Terms, he asks the privilege OF setting
up one Of his clocks until he returns, IN
order that some neighbor may have
an opportunity Of purchasing.
While riding the circui! some years
ago, | happened to stop for the night
at the house Of a man with whoml had
had some previous acquaintance.
| He was an industrious, sensible man,
but poor, and surrounded with large
family Of children.
In one corner of the cabin. on arude
shelf, stood very smart looking Yam
kee clock. Every thing else betoken.
ed poverty. His children were half
naked, and his wife performed all the
household work.
After supper asked him whether
his clock kept correct time, observing
that my watch was some minutes faster
than his clock.
eyes," he remarked, "there's, not
better Time piece in the state. I've had
the clock four years, and IFS never
been the least out of order"
then asked him what he gave for it,
and of whom he purchased it; and these
interrogatories drew from him. as cx-
pected, the history Of the clock, which
was as follows:
"About four years ago." he com
menced, "a Yankee clock ped'er cane
to our house with load of clocks. !
knew at once what he was after, but
had long before made up my mind
no, to purchase Yankee clock upon
anv terms. whatever. He tried me for
long time, offering me any terms !
might ask, but told him was deter
mined not to purchase; that we had no
use for clock; that we could tell the
time of day well enough for our pur-
poses, by the SUMMARY on the floor,
and that on cloudy days we could tell
bv our feelings when it was time TO eat.
"Wben lie found that would not
buy. he asked me to let him set up one
of his clocks until he came this way
again. But | knew that was one OF
their old tricks. and so refused TO let
him set up his clock.
"Finding he could do nothing with
me. he drove on. He had not been
gone long before he returned, saying
his horse was sick, and the roads were
so hard, and his load so heavy. he was
afraid he would not be able to get along
without he lighiened his wagon. tie
again asked me, as great favor, to lie
. him set up one of his clocks in my
house until he returned, saying he dl'
: not want me to buy the clock, but onl,
jR' wanted TO tighten his wagon as mucI
lac as possible on account OF his sick horse
ce 81 suspected HIM even then, but hI
b. horse did ook badly, and felt sorr,
mor m for the fellow, so | consented that h'
- might set up one of his clocks. upol
&C. condition that he would not ask me t.
as, , purchase ii on his return. He thanke
,do me very much, and said, that to prov
,oL he did not want me to buy the clock, h
in would give it to me If on his return, h
,ds asked me to purchase it. So he set u
m nt the clock, and set il Il running, an
est gave me particular directions how
keep it in order.
20 eAler the Yankee left us, ever
,rr thing about the house was done by tn
WI clock. My vif, regulated all her b
,he siness by the clock. The meat WI
NO. No. put in the pot to boil at a certain hou
..s, and dinner was always on the tab
" iust;s the clock struck twelve.
tad "When the clock struck nine W
tho all went to bed, and gotup as the cloe
his struck five.
ks "The preacher often preached at OF
,jsa house, because he could tell at VIII
,,s hour to commence, and when to sto
If so as to let the people get home belo
,nd dark. Every day some of the nelg
cnr bors would stop at our house to lea
;on m the time of day. In short, nolhlr
' 'on was done about the house without co
ga suting the clock. My wife went
NV far as 10 say that when was awi
~ from home, the clock was compar
I,;n, for her.
"About six months afterwards | W
o,r sitting at my door one afternoon. VIII
,rv w who should drive up but the lank
hr;. clock pedler.
oor 10 Gle said he had come for his cloc
.o .ovr ard had but n few minutes 10 stay,
be he wanted to get as far as possible
+ o( his way that evening.
49, "You never saw such a bub5ub
~ ~ there was in our house. My vile {
:,o, ~ clared she could not get along witho
w the clock. She said that she nev