Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-06-05
(OlleCtlng q Crowd.

\ gentleman passing by an unattrac-
tive -huw window the other day stopped
and began looking at an old-lashioned
square clock exhibited for sale (pricc
$40. II 50 closely rcsemblcd the time
piece that he had so many times gazcd
upon with affection in bis old home.
that hc began 10 examine it. musing
meanwhile on the many scenes Of his
hoYhoOd days that would come back To
his memory. He seemed 10 absorbed in
what was before him that another gen
tlcman passing thought hc would take "a
look, and likewise came 10 IA standstill
in front of the window: an old woman,
going 10y with a basket, had her feminine
curiosity aroused. and partly TO rest, sat
down her burden. and. adjusting her
shaw. turned her eyes in the direction
of the big square clock couple Of small
boys, rolling hoop. next stopped 80 see
what was going on and all The time the
nucleus of the gathering was undoubi-
cdly ruminating on the happy past. un-
conscious Of his surroundings In about
fyc minutes q crowd of twenty five peo-
PIE from the different walks in life had
halted before that same window, all
eagerly stretching their ncrk- to get =
peep at what was the central object of
view. The crowd grew larger each
succeeding minute. aud the man inside
rushed down to the hack Of the store 10
black his boots and smooth down his
hair, In anticipation of big rush 81
trade. and the original cause uf the COM
motion was still revolving in his mind
the JOYS oi his buyhood. utterly ohliyi-
Gus If the rapidly gathering multitude.
who 10y this time had begun To- push and
crowd each other in order TO sec what
was the matter. In a moment more the
clerks In the various stores near by had
started on dead run for the spot. and
the fever spreading five hundred or more.
men. women and children. all broke into
canter bound 30 reach the scene Of
disaster in time to get good scat Every
team that came down that street reincd
up. and. in less time than il takes to tell
IL the street and sidewalks were one surg
ing mass Of humanity. horses and
wagons. yelling. swearing and fighting.
and the first man that stopped was still
indulging in "reminiscences Of the days
Of his pastoral simplicity. just then a
policemen strolled in sight. and, motto
ing something a little unusual, became
little nervous and somewhat mixed.
pulicd the fire alarm hastily. and
another guardian Of the peace down the
corner of the block let drive in the same
way. pulling i'm an alarm from another
box. Whane, whang. whang. went
the fire bell, box 4-Il-H, and every other
conceivable number. The fire depart
ment started out in three different dircc-
tions. with tho entire town at its heels,
yelling. Where's the fire." and the
black smoke from the steamers. and the
rumhling Of the heavy wheels. with the
eongs and bells of the hosc-carTiages and
hook and ladder trucks. made up bed
fanatic compound If rackets that would
have awakened the dead, if ii were pos
sible but the man that was the prime
cause Of all the hubbub had his eyes
fixed unmovedly ON the object that first
attracted his attention. apparently
dreaming of the golden days Of the past.
Amer time the confusion came 10 an
end, and he walked of. having won r
bet of five dollars that he could stand still
and draw bigger crowd than any
walking-mptch in the country. - Netc
Hdren Register.