Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-11-14
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JENNY AND THE WATCH.

In some Of the country parts of Scotland, a
custom prevails of young men giving their
watches in trust to young women for whom
they have declared their attachment 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 Il matter of
course, the pledge of sincerity is delivered upto
its original owner. This is imagined by coun-
try lasses to be an infinitely better plan of Sc
curing the fidelity of sweetheart than that of
breaking sixpence. A watch is a valuable and
highly priced article. 1t is worth at least a
couple of pounds and the loss of that sum by
an individual in humble cconditon of life is a
very serious matter. Still we believe there are
cases in which the proposed match is broken off,
and the watch abandoned forever, though doubt
less this is only in cases of great fickeness, or
when welghty reasons for desertion intervene.
The following aughable incident regarding
watch so entrusted, occurred few years ago.
Jenny Symington, well-favored, sprightly girl,
in u certain farm. house in Galloway, had been
entrusted with the watch of her sweetheart, Tam
Halliday, a neighboring shepherd, and which she
carried with scrupulous care in her bosom; but
even the most carefully kept articles will some
times disappear, in spite of all the precautions
considered necessary 10 prevent them. Jenny,
be 1t remembered, was considered first rate
hand at preparing potatoes for the family supper !;
none could excel her in beating 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, and while Jenny was busy
beating mess Of potatoes, what did the un-
lucky 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, and therefore,
continued to beat on and on at her task. She
certainly was little surprised when she felt
there was still hard potato to beat, notwith-
standing her previous diligence; but thinking
nothing Of it, she continued to beat, continually
giving the hard potato, alias the watch, good
thump with the end of the beetle. At length
she thought she had fairly completed the bust
ness and so infusing large jar of sweet mill
into the mess, she stirred all together, and placed
the vessel ready for the attack of the hungry on.
lockers.
; Behoding then the pot-a found gawsy tripod
planted in the middle of the floor. A circle
was formed round it in a trce, and holn for horn
the shearers began to stretch and strive. Many
mouthfuls had not been taken before certain
queer looks began to be manifested.
! "De'il in the tattiesw says one, " thinI
l. they've got banes in them"
s Banes " says another, they're the funnies
J banes ever saw; they're made of broken glas
1t and pieces o brass; III sup nae mair O. them
n With that, another produced a silver watch
II case, all battered and useless from his capacou
horn spoon, and universal strike among tn
d suppers Immediately ensued. It was clear tina
a watch had been beaten up with the potatoes
s. SO the good wife had nothing for ii but to orde
J. the diSgraced pot out Of the way, and to plac
r basket of oatmeal cakes and some milk in il
l. stead.
ie What wete poor Jenny's feelings during th
ot strange denouement ? On the fist appearance
Of of the fragments of the watch, she slipped he
j. hand into her bosom, and soon found how matter