The Osceola times., 1880-03-27
REMARKABLE CLOCKS.
Some Notable Time pieces and Their Pecu-
liarities.


Longfellow, in his Hyperion, tells us
| that on the belfry of the Rauthaus in
| Coblentz is huge head, with a brazen
| helmet and a beard, and whenever the
| clock strikes, at each stroke of the ham
mer this giants head opens its great
jaws and smites its teeth together as if it
would say, Thine was-Time is-Time is
pastW This figure is known in all the
country round as The man in the Gus
tom House." and when a friend from the
country meets friend from Coblentz,
instead of saying, "Ilsw are the good
people IN Coblentz?" he saws, "llow is
| the man in the Custom House,"
Another very remarkable clock is
found at Prague, built probably by some
OF the old Nuremburg artists, 1t stands
near the old Hussite Church. The
clock itself forms part of the original
tower, while the face or dial Is exposed
to the street. The dial is six or eight
| feet in diameter, and has a great number
of hands-recording hours, minutes,
days, months, years and even centuries.
The dial is set in an elaborate frame
work, about eight feet high and fifteen
| long, and this metal framework is orna-
mcnted with many curious and quaint
| devices. One of these is connected with
| the striking of the hours.
In Venice may he found another Won
| derful clock. On the dial plate of this,
| in st. Marks Cathedral, the twenty-tonr
| hours are marked with signs OF the Zod
lac and the phases of the moon. Above
| this Is the Madonna, sitting in state upon
platform beneath two doors. On grand
religious festivals the door on the hight
of the Virgin opens, and out walks an
angel with big trumpet, which he
blows, and then, bowing to the Madona,
passes on. lie is followed by three men,
representing the three wise men of the
East, one of whom is as black as night.
| These all pause and bow before ther Nir-
gin, and then pass through the door on
the left, which closes after them. On
the platform is a huge bell, beside which
stand two giant figures, who strike the
hours with sledge-hammers, while above
all is the Lion of st. Mark, with out
stretched wings.
In an old record is found the following
account of remarkable japanese time
keeper
This clock, in a frame three feet
| high and five long, represented a noon
| landscape of great loveliness. In the
| foreground were plum and cherry tiees,
and rich plants in full bloom; in the
rear hill, gradual in ascent from which
flowed cascade, admirably initiated in
crystal, From this point thread-like
stream glided along, enclrcllng in its
winding rocks and tiny island, but pres
entity losing itself in far-off stretch of
woodland. In The sky turned golden
sun. indicating rs II passed tie striking
hours, which were all marked on the
frame below, where a slowly creeping
tortoise served as hand. A bird of eX
quisite plumage, resting on a plum-tree
branch, by Its wings proclaimed the ex-
piration Of each hour. When the song
ceased a mouse sprang from grotto
near by, and running over the hill hastl-
ly disappeared"
But it is said that Droz, a mechanic
of Geneva, produced clock which ex-
celled all others in its marvellous busi-
ness. On it were seated negro, a shep-
herd and dog. When the clock struck
the shepherd played six tunes on his
flute, the dog approached and fawned
upon him.
The King of Spain came to see this
wonderful invention, and was delighted
beyond measure.
"The gentleness of my dog" said
Droz, sis his least merit. If your Majes-
ty touch one of the apples which you
see in the shepherds basket, you will
admire the animals fidelity"
The King took an apple, upon which
the dog flew at his hand, barking 50
loudly and so naturally that another dog
which had come into the room began to
bark also. The courtiers became terri
fed, thinking this must be an affair of
whichcrait, and crossing themselves,
hastily departed. Only one ventured to
remain, and Droz requested him to ask
the negro what time it was. He did so
in Spanish, but received no reply Droz
remarked that the negro had not learned
Spanish, and the question was repeated
in French, when the negro Immediately
replied. This frightened ,he questioner
quite out of his wites, and he, too, beat
hasty retreat, sure that the whole thing
must be of the devil.