The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-10-20
Curious Time-Keepers.


An american traveller once saw rare
japanese time keeper, which. has been de-
scribed in an old record. This clock, In
frame three feet high and five long, repre-
scented a noon landscape of great LONELINESS.
In the foreground were plum and cherry
trees, rich plants in full bloom; in the rear
a hill. gradual in ascent, from which flowed
a cascade, admirably initiated in crystal.
From this point a thread-like stream glided
along, encircling in its windings rocks and
tiny islands, but presently losing itself IN
far-off stretch Of woodland. In the sky
turned golden sun, indicating as it passed
the striking hours, which were all marked
upon the frame below, where slowly
creeping tortoise served as hand. A bird
of exquisite plumage, resting by its wings,
proclaimed the expiration Of each hour.
When the song ceased, mouse sprung
from grotto near by, and running over
the hill, hastily disappeared.
In the South Kensington Museum, at
London, is small watch, about one hun
dred years old, representing an apple, the
golden case ornamented with grains OF
pearl. Another old Nuremburg watch has
the form of an acorn, and is provided with
a dainty pistol, which perhaps served as an
alarm.
In London is an eagle-shaped watch,
within which, when the body of the bird
is opened, a richly-ornamented face is seen.
They are sometimes found in the form Of
ducks or skulls.
The Bishop of Ely had watch in the
head Of his cane, and Prince of Saxony
had one in his riding saddle.
A watch made for Catharine |. of Rus
STA, is repeater and musical watch.
Within it is the Holy Sepulchre and the
Roman Guard. By touching spring,
the stones move away from the door, the
guard kneel down, angels appear, and the
holy women step into the tomb and sing
the Easter song that is heard in the Rus
sian churches. King George Ill, OF
England had a watch not larger than a
fve-cent piec, which had one hundred and
twenty different parts, the whole not weigh
ing as much as a ten-cent piece.
Clocks and watches must usually be wound
upevery day, though some clocks viii run
eight days without winding, and few
even longer than that. But there was
century clock at the great Centennial Elk
hibition at Philadelphia The man who
made it says it willrun hundred years with
out winding, though it is hard to believe
this.
There was another kind of clock at the
Centennial. Itwas fxedin carriage, and
tells just how many times the wheel turns
round on journey, and just how many
miles have been travelled, and how long
the carriage has been in making the trip.
Felix Meters famous clock, which is
said to eclipse even the one at Strasburg
is the result of ten years of labor and the
expenditure of $1,000. 1t is eight feet
high and eight wide, and weighs 1000
pounds. The framework is of black wal
nut, elegantly carved. Above the body Of
the clock is a marble dome, upon which
Washington sits in his chair of state, pro-
tected by canopy, which is surmounted
by gilded statue of Columbia. On the
four corners of the body are black walnut
inches, containing human figures, emble-
matte of the March of Life
ThecIock has an astronomical and mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation which, ifkeptup, would
show the correct movement Of the planets
for 200 years.
The inventor has crank attached to
the clock by means Of which he can hasten
the work Of machinery in order to show its
movements to the public. At the end of
every quarter-hour an infant, in his niche,
strikes with tiny hammer upon label which
he holds in his hand. At the end of each
haIf-hour youth strikes, and at the end
of each hour the Graybeard Death and
winged cupid follow, large music-box
begins to play, and surprising scene is
enacted upon the platform beneath the
canonv