The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-06-07
The old Clockmaker.

Asa Iuttle was an illustration OF
the fact that man is partly responsi.
BILE for his own conduct and partly
not; aud that the boundaries between
responsibility and responsibility are
vague, variable and mysterious.
Every Saturday night he got drunk,
went home and whipped his wife,
cursed and swore, broke something,
and had to be quelled by the police,
who took him to the calaboose. Next
morning he was sober and repentant,
and was let out. He would then 20
to church, and, after morning service
the pastor would request the elders of
the church to remain while. Ev-
erybody always knew what that
meant. With many tears, Mr.. Tuttle
would express his deep penitence, and
profess a determination to lead new
life. The pastor and elders would
forgive him, and he would be all
right again till Saturday. He would
teach in the afternoon Sunday school,
take his part in the prayer meeting,
and be to all outward appearance
most exemplary christian. But Sat.
urday he would fall again. So it
went on year after year.-The officers
of the church were sorely perplexed.
There never was man more regular
in his habits, never a man who exhib-
tied signs of deeper, more heartfelt
penitence, or promised more faithfully
to amend. A distinguished physician,
on being consulted, gave it as his
opinion that the unfortunate man had
become prey to disease which at
tackled him periodically, causing for
a time an irrestible thirst for liquor,
which being taken, placed the victim
beyond moral responsibility.
On Friday evening Mr.. Tuttle was
sitting alone opposite his work bench.
He had lain down his tools, and was
gazing musingly into the street, OBJ.
serving the hurrying passers by, and
listening to the tramp of feet on the
pavement. He sat thus while the
dusk gathered and just as the first
street lamp was being lit, he heard
footsteps on the stairs, and then the
opening of the door, and then walk.
ing on the floor, and at the same time
the room was illuminated by the glare
of the most brilliant light he had
ever seen, hardly excepting sun light.
A stranger, past middle age, in his
shirt sleeves, with spectacles on his
nose, advance to the work bench, and
sitting down his lantern, began to
handle Tuttle's tools with dexterity
that proved him to be an expert. He
gathered together a screwdriver, the
oil and pair of pliers. Then tarn.
ing to Tuttle, who was incapable Of
speech or motion, the stranger appear.
ed to use the screw-driver about Tut.
tle's head, appearing really to be ia.
king screws out of the middle of his
forehead, his temples, and the sides
and back Of his head. These screws
he laid on the table, and turning to
Tuttle, lifted off the upper half of the
clock makers skull and sat it down
on the work bencb.-Then adjusting
an eye-glass to one eye. he took up
the oil and pair of pliers, poked q
! little about his brain, shook his head
laid down the instruments and started
out, leaving his lantern. Mr.. Tuttlt
called out to him to come back and
put his skull on again, and though h'
shouted over ard over again, with al
his might the measured tread of th,
footsteps passed on and out, and dOwr
the stairs and died away on the side
walk.
In his distress, Mr.. Tuttle cast hi
eyes upward, and at once saw wha
arrested and diverted his attention
In a case were three clocks running
They were made Of precious metal
and precious stones, and glittered anC
flashed in the light of the wonderful
lamp in such a way as to dazzle ant
bewilder him. Looking under tn
case, he was startled to perceive
pair of human eyes gazing straigh
! into his own. He found there was
face and part Of body, and the feat
ures seemed very familiar. He sOol
discovered that if he had met twill
brother the resemblance to himsel
. could not have been more exact. III
deed, after little further observation
he found that he was looking into
mirror, which reflected another miro
" behind him and that he was actuall
staring into his own brains, whic
turned out to be beautiful system G
clock.work, and therein were quit
different from what he had expectet
But then he had never before bee
favored with an opportunity of seein
the inside of his own skull.
Whether something or somebod
). spoke to him, or how 1t got into h
= mind, he could not tell, but he WI
able quite clearly TO understand tbs