The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-04-08
nomaaG,e History OF a CLOCK.


A highly romantic story Of the discovery
~ an immense fortune is told by the San
Francisco Herald :: tf.,..
In q quiet country town in New hamp
rhire, near the Maine line, stands an an
eient mansion, whose appearance aud sur
roundings indicate its occupation TOT many
generations. Tall trees have grown up
around it, and wealth Of tangled shrub
bery and yines lends 1t an air of homelike
quiet 80 common in New England rural
scenes. Ike place is an old homestead of q
family named Blasdell, who. for four gem
erations, have called it their home. Within
this dwelling and forming a prominent
feature of its antique appointments, stands,
ike grim sentry ia his box, an old-fasf-
tined eight-day clock. To a casual obser-
yer there is nothing remarkable in the ap-
pearance Of this ancient time-piece. for 1t IS
ancient as the inscription across its face
Nicholas NBlasdell. maker. Glasgow, 1888"
plainly tells Such clocks are not rare In
che old settled communities at the East, but
q peculiar value is attached to this partCu-
lar clock. Not only had it been in the
family for upwards Of a century, but it was
the hand work of their remotest ancestor in
America. Nicholas Blasdell. who made
that clock in 1888, came to America with
three brothers in 1910, and brought the
clock with them. Nicholas had been a
clock-maker in Glasgow, and had acquired
q little property But Tie brothers were
young, enterpFising and ambitious. Glas
Cow offered no inducement to active enter
prise, and the news from the far-off land OF
America was well calculated to stimulate
their youthful ardor. They determined to
seek their fortunes in the colonies, and
packing up their effects, including the new
clock, they crossed the Atlantic and settled
in New Hampshire Three of the brothers
died unmarried, but Nicholas took to him
self wife, and was blessed with family.
Before leaving Scotland he Lad acquitted a
piece Of land near the city Of Glasgow, bu.
as it was Of no great value at the time, he
made no efforts to dispose If it. This prop
erty was frequently made theTsuhject OF
conversation in his family; and, after his
death, even down TO the present generation,
the story Of his having left behind him
piece Of land near Glasgow has Oe6n told
about the family hearth with many curious
specuations regarding it. But the children
now living thought but little of the story,
Sitting by the fire in the old Homestead,
with the old clCck staring down upon them,
never pausing in its ticking, they had heard
their mother and grandmother tell about
the land that still stood in the name OF
Nicholas Blasdell, near one of Britain's
largest cities but the thought of attempt
ing to gain its possession never entered their
heads. Their Yankee predictions we're
averse to rumma ging over the musty path
IN search of fortune. when in a new country,
rich with unGeveloped wealth of every
description and so they dealt actively with
the living present, aud the story of the
Glasgow property was nearly forgotten. Ia
the meantime, the city of Glasgow had been
spreading with wonderful stlides. It's pop
uIation had increased rapidly, its CONNER
cal interests expanded, immense manutac-
turiss had sprung up, and from the quiet
seaport Of 1910, it had become the second
commercial city of Great Britain. Far
beyond the former limits Of the city stately
piles had been erected, and the suburb
were now the centre Of the city. Had Mich
olas Blasdell been sleeping Rip Van Win
kle slumber. aud upon awakening endeaY
ored to find his lot, it would have puzzled
him greatly. Yet there it was as he left 1T,
still standing in'his name, and reserved for
the right heirs whenever they should claim
it. Around its limits, and far beyond, the
busy hum Of trade would have greeted his
ears; immense buildings would have met
his eyes on every side, and he would have
changes that had taken place, and very
likely would have heen slow in apprecia-
ting that it was not all a dream. When the
property became valuable. and was neetied
for building purposes, capitalists began to
make inquiries eoucerningitS ownership. The
records showed its title, but the owner could
not be found. Search was instituted and con-
tiuued for years. until it was definitely as
certaued that he had come to America. A
lawyer, sharp and keen as a detective, was
sent to the United States some years since,
to endeaVor to find the heirs Of the estate
Blasdelis were plenty throughout the length
and breadth of the land, and the task, as
may be supposed, proved difficult one
The genealogy of each Blasdell whom he
net had to be investigated, aud perhaps at
ter mouths of anxious search it would be as
certained that the family was not the one he
sought In the course of bis inquiries, he
learned of married lady living in Illinois,
whose maiden name was Blasdell, and ne
was not long in finding her. He made
known the object of his search, and was re-
warded by the intelligence that be had at
last found solution of his difficulty.
The lady Immediately told the lawyer of
the old clock which her grandfather had
made and brought over from Scotland with
him, and the family tradition concerning
the property near Glasgow. The mystery
was explained at last. The lawyer sped to
the homestead in New HAMPSHIRE, and
there, in its accustomed place. stood the old
clock its hands slowly revolving about the
dial, and its huge pendulum swinging back
and forth. T
Through days of sorrow and of m;rth,
Through days of death and days of birth.
Through every swift vicissitude
Of changeful time, unchanging it has stood;
And as If, like God. it all things saw,
1t calmly repeats these words Of awe.
Forever-Never !-Never-F Forever
The old clock had solved the knotty pro-
blem. Musty documents. that had remain