Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-09-16
HIS NEW WATCH.
from the GraDhic.1

| IAO OdSu-UOHlQ du( pune ulSSlug from one
hind wheel. AS the auctioneer raised his
known that horse all his days, and had made
the circuit of the world in that buggy, the
owner of the outfit leaned against the vehicle
and wondered how any one could tell such a
bold lie and still preserve such placid ex-
preston OF cCuntenance.
lie was young man. He had seen har-
vest apples and watermelons come and 90
about twenty-four times. His whiskers were
| soft, and fuzzy, and orange-colored, his pan
| falcons were thrust into his boots, and it was
as plain as a white dog at midnight that he
had come in from the agricultural country to
sell the rig and fatten his wallet. He veri-
fled the statements of the auctioneer that the
horse was sound, kind, gentle, docile, ami
able, ambing and tcnder-hearted, and that
the buggy would continue to roll on until
time should get tired of trying to reduce it to
a state of general uselessness.
Z" Forty -fve-fifty e-sixty-seventy
five; going-last call-quick- dwell
-g-o-n-e." cried the auctioneer.
'Gosh to snakes!" exclaimed the guileless
young man, as he settled up, pocketed the
remainder and left the corner.
He felt good. None of us feel good when
our pockets are empty. | said to myself that
he would buy hair-ojl a cocoanut, bottle Of
perfumery, a jack-knife, a dollar chrome, a
two-dolar !,} diamond, a pair of pantaloons
with 4 stripe down the legs; but was de-
ceived. thought l could read him as
boot-black spells out the big words on a
Fourth of July poster, but he couldn't be
read. He made a becline for jewelers..
The gulleless young man haG never owned
a watch in his life, but he entered the store
like man who had pulled a watch from his
pocket million times day for fifty years.
He went right by the case containing the
greene sleeve-buttons, on past the case of
sllverWare, right up to the case where hun
dred watches rested in velvet cases or on
velvet-lined trays. The jeweler handed out
key-Wlnders, stem -winders, stnn-watohes
watches corpulent with machinery, watches
thin and gaunt, but ticking regularly and
merrily: The y,oung man soliloquized. He
said to himseN:
81 dunno. talunno It's darned purity,
but it's a hull horse and buggy"
The jeweler battered him d little, and urged
guarantee that the watch was all right; and
the young man soliloquized another soliloquy
He said:
'"Think of me walking up to Susan with
this ere watch kicking minutes into hours!
And won't the other fellows skulk around the
cider-mill when this ticker SHES up to their
old bulls-eyes and vanished cases! There's
hoss-barn full of style and dignity right
here; but then it makes me sigh to think of
putting horse and buggy into my vest
pocket"
He laid the watch down, picked it up, laid
it down again, and then started for the door.
Hating midway, he said to himself:
''1'll have it-by golly, I'll have that ticker
if the old man never looks me in the face
again
He handed over the money, the jeweler
gave him cord for nothing, and be hurried
out of the store as if fearful that he might
change his mind. Going around by the Post
Office, a boot-black asked him if he would |
have shine. There was his opportunity. |
He pulled out the watch with majestic air,
sprung open the case, and loftily replied, Il
haven't time!"
Say, you! cried the boy, ''but that's a
nice ticker!'
''See there! see there!" whispered the
young man with orange-colored whiskers;
''when me and the old boss and buggy was
rolling along here nobody said nothing.
Now they just come for me in crowds"
AS he walked up the street to point from
whence he could view the City Hall clock,
his heart gave jump. He trembled as he
pulled out his watch to compare time, but
after glance his face cleared, he slapped
lis leg and the boys heard him saying
'She's right to tick, and feel zif could
loller like droyer."
He wanted to go home, and yet he had
planned to remain all night. He was unde-
;ided, when small girl with wart on her
lose, bareheaded and barefooted, approach
RI 1.cIh A.. A.. of 1n1,
"Certainly, certainly he replied, as he
pulled his watch from his pocket; ''it's just
exactly ten minutes and second and half
o 12 O'clock
She passed on, and he kicked one foot out
behind, poked himself in the ribs and whisp-
red:
''See there. That watch just brings folks
round me like calves around salt-barrel."
he decided to remain. He went to hotel,
nd as he Informed the clerk that he wanted
Inner, he pulled out the watch and compared
lme. Tie went to the wash-roOm and pulled
ut the watch to see how long it would take {
Inn to comb his hair. AS he sat down in the
fhce 1t seemed to him all at once as if the ,
lme- piece had stopped. He pulled it out,
eld It to his ear, and smile travelled clear
round to his back collar-buttOn as he heard
ticking away. :
'Oh, yes, this ere watch stops, it does' {
e whispered; ''it haint worth an old white
oss and quill-wheel buggy, it haint!'
lie looked at the watch as he sat at the {
abie; he compared time after dinner; he S
niled 1t out as he rode on the street car. I
'hen night came the young man from
chool District No. had gigantic con-
en,?. tor all men who didn't wear watches. ,
' hen he went to his room he made up his l
lind to sit up all night and ''watch' for i
lleveS. Some one had trailed him to the |
otel, without doubt, and would murder him {