The Democratic advocate., 1880-02-28
Two Wonderful Clocks.

One OF the most curious clocks ever made
was completed not many years ago by Karl
Ketler, German miner, Of PennsyIyania.
IL SO nearly resembles the famous Stras-
burg clock as to seem almost an imitation:
but ketler declares that he has never seen
the great clock Of Strasburg, and that be
never even heard Of il until his own work
was nearly completed. At any rate, some
account OF Ketlers clock will be Of inter
est to American boys aud girls, as the first
piece OF mechanism Of this sort our own
continent has produced.
Ketler was occupied three whole years
in the construction Of his wonderful time.
piece, during the last of the three working
at il day and night, aud often SO absorbed
10 his undertaking as to forget both food
and sleep. He was man Of very limited
education, without any Of the advantages
OF travel or wide observation, aud the
whole work Of this curious clock wps per-
formed with no other tools than two com
mon jaek-knives.
The clock is eight feet high and four
broad, has sixteen sides, aud Is surmounted
BY globe, over which is cross. There
are four dial-plates, all carved in curious,
emblematic figures Of most unique design.
One Of the dials shows ths day of the
month; another the day Of the week; a
third, the minutes and seconds; and the
fourth, the hour Of the day. Above the
dial-Plates, gallery extends about half
way around the clock, aud in the centre
Of this gallery is a carved wooden figure of
the Saviour, while at each end is a small
door opening into the body Of the clock.
Over the right door Is an eagle, and over
the left a rooster Twice day, that is at
noon and midnight, there is a sweet chin
ing Of bells, during which the small door
at the right opens, twelve wooden figures.
personating the twelve apostles, march 10
procession, with st. Peter at their head
all along the gallery Each ia turn, as he
passes the Lord, bows with face toward
him, and then, resuming his former posi-
tion, walks slowly forward till he reaches
the door at the left, which they all enter.
When Peter salutes the Lord, the cock
crows; and when Judas, who is 10 the rear.
with one hand shielding bis face and the
other grasping bag, reaches the cock, it
crows twice. At the extreme corners OF
the clock, placed on pedestas, are beauti-
fully carved statues Of Moses aud Elias,
and in the rear are two obelisks of the
Egyptian style, inscribed in hieroglyphies,
and designed to symbolic the ancient pe
riod of history. The clock will run thirty.
two hours, and, by special attachment
the procession Of the apostles may be re-
peated whenever desired.
But the most astonishing thing ever
heard Of in the way of time piece is a
clock described by Hindoo rsjah, as be-
longing to native prince Of Upper India,
and jealously guarded as the rarest treas
ure Of his luxurious palace.
In front Of the clocks disk was gong
swung upon poles, and near it was pile
Of artificial human limbs. The pile was
made up Of the full number Of parts Of
twelve perfect bodies, but all lay heaped
together 10 seeming confusion.
Whenever the hands Of the clock indi.
Gated the hour Of one, out from the pile
crawled just the number of parts needed
to form the frame Of one man, part join
ing itself to part with quick, metallic click
and, when completed, the figure sprang up
seized mallet, and walking up to the
gong struck one blow that sent the sound
pealing through every room and corridor
of that stately castle. This done, he re-
turned to the pile and fell to pieces again.
When two o'clock came, two men arose
aud did likewise; aud SO through all tie
hours of the day, the number Of figures
being the same as the number of the hour,
till at noon and midnight, the entire heap
spraug up, and marching to the gong,
struck, one after another, each bis blow,
making twelve in all, and then fell to
pieees.-lS. Nicholas for February.