The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-01
The Soldiers Watch.
a "REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR

compelled me to stop for a few days.
The busy hum of the village, as L saun-
tered through the streets, seemed for a
moment to transport me in Imagination
to the great metropolis where L had for
years resided. The street was crowded
with teams, and the sidewalks pre-
sented hustle and activity in the per-
sons who passed and repassed, and my
eye caught glance in the busiest part
of the street, where red flag was dis
played, bearing the label: "Auction
this day" l soon mingled with the
mass that had gathered together, and
stood listening to the volubility of the
auctiOneer, admiring the smOOthness of
the articles which he exposed for sale,
when suddenly was attracted by the
conversation of two youths who stood
near by.
"Oh, if it does not bring enough,
what will mother do ?" sOrrowfuily,
and in a soft tone, said one of them.
az hope it will See, brother, sister
stands by the corner anxiously wait
ing" replied the other.
turned my eyes in the direction of
theirs, and saw an interesting girl,
neatly clad, impatiently walking back
wards and forwards, every now and
then anxiously looking toward the
crowd, while her modesty prevented
from drawing nearer. Soon my at
tentiOn was drawn to the youths again
by one of of them exclaimIng, "Oh,
here it is ~ and his face frightened
with smiling and eager looks.
| turned toward the auctioneer-he
held in his hand a repeating watch
and the bidding began from the crowd.
[ watched the cOuntenances of the
youths. As the bids rose they were
lighted up with joy, but, as the auc-
tiOneer dwelt, and appeared several
times on the point of striking it of,
their countenances fell, and 1 could per-
ceive the tears start in their eyes. l
became unusually interested in the
sale of this article, and noticed one par
ticular bidder, young man, who stood
near. He waited with caution until
just as the hammer was descending,
and then raised upon the price re-
peatedly. At every rise the youths
clapped their hands with joy, and
strained their eyes with intenseness
upon the auctioneer, while occasionally
they turned with joyful looks toward
the sister down the street.
Soon, however, a gentleman on horse
back came trotting past the crowd, and
stopped a moment. At this instant /
turned to look down the street toward
where the girl had stood, but she had
disappeared.
The bids on the watch had then risen
TO sixty dollars, and 1t was just on the
point of being struck of, when the
hOrseman requested to look at it. |
watched him as it passed the crowd and
l,l 70 hi tN yrTA
he pressed the watch-the sound of the
bell seemed to be familiar to him-he
opened the case, and his cOuntenance
underwent a change. lone hundred
dollars" said he, and handed it back to
the auctioneer 1t stood at that price a
moment, when the young man Overbid
him. The horseman appeared aston
ished, but raised on the price. AL
ternately they bid, until one hundred
and fifty dollars, the last bid, was
named, when it was struck off.
"Who's the bidder ?" asked the auc-
tioneer.
81 am" said the gentleman on horse
back, handing out the money, and, with
evident joy pictured on his counte-
nance, received the watch. He was
about moving from the crowd, when
the young man who bid against him
approached, and there was an earnest
ness in his looks which spoke volumes.
[ was not near enough to hear their con-
versation, but saw them move together
down the street.
then looked for the two youths, but
they were gone. The interest l had
taken in the sale had been raised to the
highest pitch, and the next day
learned the following:
The watch belonged to a widow lady,
whose husband was an officer in the
army during the late war. He fell,
bravely defending the Union, leaving
her with two sons and a daughter. The
soldiers glory, tue soldiers honor, and
few valuable trinkets, with this
watch, was all he left. Soon want
pressed hard upon the poor widow. In
vain she and her daughter, by the
industry of their needles, tried to keep
up appearance and live comfortable.
One trinket after another had been sold,
until all were gone. The school for the
little boys, the landlords bill for rent,
the butchers, bakers, and grocer's bills
had become due, and poverty and dis
tress stared them in the face.
In the meantime, the interesting
daughter of the widow had drawn
around her several suitOrs-one in par
ticuIar-it was the young man who,
with such perseverance, bid for the
watch. He had overheard, in one of
! his visits, conversation between the
mother and daughter respecting their
situation, and the resolution to expose
the watch for sale. 1t was with pain
that he heard their regrets at being
compelled to part with this article, and
he resolved to become the purchaser,
and present it, with the price thereof,
to them. His mOdesty forbaA his
offering them assistance, or at that
| that time to become the purchaser. He
therefore waited for its exposure to
sale. His disappointment was intense
when he found the gentleman had
! thwarted his plans; but he resolved to
state the case, pay the stranger his
price, and still be the instrument of
! gladdening the hearts of those he loved.
Mrs. Morton was sitting with her
children, sOrrOwful in heart at parting
with the repeating watch, which her
deceased husband had, with his dying
| breath, consigned to a brother officer,
to be conveyed to her. 1t was now
gone from her into the hands of a
stranger, as she thought; for the youths
had, with the rapidity of the wind, con-
veyed her the Intelligence. Soon rap
was heard at the door, and Alfred, the
young man, accompanied by the gen.
tleman who had purchased the watch,
entered the house. The widow recog-
niZed him at once.
MADAM" said he, 'T once had the