The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-05-25
A Strange Watch.

SOME tlme nIter Ulnner Stranger
walked into one of tho inns Of Wor-
cester, England, short time ago.
He was genteely dressed andprofess-
ed to be tired. Having taken refresh
ments, he said he would take nap
for an hour To sleep he went, in
very business like style, in his
chair, and long nap he appeared
to enjoy. Befor it expired the usual
smoke-a-pipe company began to
drop in, and among others two
strangers ma do their appearance.
One of the company remarked that
it was unpleasant to have man slee
ping in public room with valuable
property about him, such rs the
sleeper, who had a fine looking gold
guard chain displayed on his waist.
coat, an d apparently connected
with watch in one of his pockets.
To this remark one Of the strangers
replied pooh ! that's no gentl-
min, I'm sure, he's more likely one
nv them ore swell mob ~ is alwa VS.
a taking Of people in. l dare say he
has no watch ut all 4; but I'll soon
see Suiting the action to the
word, the stranger drew forth out
Of the sleeping mans pocket peicc
Of wood, round aud about the size OF
u watch. 4 thought so, SAID he,
there's pretty watch for you,
holding it up that the company
might see it and then returned it to
the owners pocket.
By-and bye tho sleeper awoke,
and callod briskly for n glass of
water. He assumed quite patron
nizing air t. the farmers, which
soon raised desire to put him
down. Accordingly, one of the semi
ors required to be informed of the
time of day
why, said the gentleman, the
fact is | had drop too much last
night, and forgot to wind up my
watch
Just so = CALCULATED the senior
you forgot to wind up. did You
You'd be puzzled to do that, | dare
say, wouldn't you, now ?
We'll sir, you seem to take moro
notice of such triile than there l.
any call for but the truth is hay,
not watch key about me, aud mino
is rather peculiar watch.
Here u burst of laughter cnsued
and q number of jokes were passed
about the very particular style o
the watch At last one Of the com,
pany roundly told him that he had
no watch ut all about him where
upon the amazed individual hastily
claspcd his hand to his waistcoa
pocket, having previously declared
that, unless the watch had been
stolen since he had been in the room
he had one. Satisfied, apparently
by the external application to hi'
pockets, he said 1T is all right
my watch is here. thought yor
had been playing trick on me.
III bet you f5 as you've NJ
watch, bawled out one of his tor
mentors another offered to bet hin
El0 and one OF the strangers sal,
he hadn't Is, but there s two sover'
eigns which he would like to dou
bic by betting in the same way.
The awakened sleeper looked n
them with astonishment, and askeC
if they were serious they all stucl
to it that he had no watch and ther
he took ont his purse and producet
five and ten pound notes equivalen
to the bets offered against him. The
stakes were posted and then tn,
thrroughly-awakened sleeper cool.
pulled out the piece of wood, a
which horse laugh arose agains
him, but the laughter was soon ol
his side, touching a spring in the bi
of wood, it flew open and pisplaye'
very handsome gold watch snugl
encased within it The gentlemen
gave a plausible reason for preferin!
80 odd looking a case for his watch
with which his dupes might feel sat
istied or not, He had received thei
money to the extent of $50 an
; they had bought a knowledge Of th
time of day.
|, Of course the very suggestiv
strangers lost nothing by the busi
ness they, in fact, were accomplice
OF this clever sharper and it is poi
sible that more than one attemr
may be made to repeat the exper
: ment.