Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-17
WATCHES AND MAGNETISM
An 'sOpen-Face'' Considered Indispen.
sable for Accurate Time.
From the Philadelphia Press.


sable for Accurate Time.
From the Philadelph.a Press.
'Sir, you should wear an open-faced watch If
You desire to be accurate in your time" said a
matchmaker on Chestnut street to the stout
man; you are too magnetic"
Why, what the duece has the case got to do
with IT, was the interrogative reply.
''Everthing. Your watch has q hunting asA.
necessitating steel springs for opening and shut
ting. BY constant association with YOUR body
those springs become magnetized, and they
generate their condition to other necessarily
steel portions OF the watch works, and thus
render their movements imperfect
Then, if were not fat my watch would not
lose two minutes, more or less, q day." said the
puzzled stout man.
Exactly" returned the matchmaker 81
have worn your watch for over a week, and It
has neither gained nor lost dozen seconds; but
then am, from a corporal point OF view, your
antlthesis. am exceptionally thin and slender. :"
The stout man mused Accordingly" said he,
"open-faced tckers for fat men," closed cases for
thin eh?'
Not at ALL" replied the other s'Thin men
have at times more magnetism in their systems
than fat men. Everybody Is more or less mag
netic; you happen to be particularly so happen
10 De quite the reverse; hence my
remarks and advice. For the rest, open
faced watches are always more &C
curate than hunters. They are more alright
i0r one thing. AS for the steel springs in hunt
ing cases, mechanical science has not yet dis
covered anything else to replace them;
THE PUBLIC LIKE DOUBLE CASES,
and there the matter remains for the present
There are, however. many ill-contrived portions
in Watches and. while the demand continues for
watches OF certain price, it is impossible from
commercial point of view to think of i'm
prOvements. Long-used methods and ingeni-
Gus engines have been specially provided to
fashion and cut out every one Of the minute
parts which go to compose the existing instru-
ment. Every watch consists of over 200 pieces
employing over 200 persons, distributed among
forty trades, to say nothing Of the tOol-makers
for the artisans. II the construction of the
watch We're materially altered all the trades
would have to be re-learned, new tools and
wheel-cutting engines would have to be devised
and the majority of working watchmakers be-
come useless. The consequence would be that
the watch would become enormously enhanced
IN vaiue and its possession q token Of wealth.
You see, In your complicated state Of society
even machines in the process of time come to
surround themselves with a circle of vested
interests which embarrass attempts at improve
ment"
'You are interesting me-" remarked the stout
customer, as he placed his watch in his pocket.
You have been many years, suspose, in the
business. OF course there must have been
some improvement In your time p
''Of course. Watches during the past ten
years have grown much in thickness. Old
fashioned watches are thin and fiat. have had
watch in my charge as fiat as a trade dollar.
1t Is impossible to properly
ADJUST THE WORKS FOR HEAT, COLD AND
POSITION
under such circumstances. I should have to
give you long explanation of the packing
mechanism to explain to you why"
''Well, has the increased thickness raised the
value %
mo. On the contrary. watches are now
worth % per cent less than they were twelve
years ago. That fact you viii say, bears against
my previous remarks. [ am referring to the
cheaper grade of watches worn by the majority
of people. There are watches which bring
81 500, and watches which can be purchased for
SlS dozen. IfyOu are willing to pay for
plished.
I'll made watch Tor physician which fitted
into signet ring not much larger than pea.
1t had only second hands. 1t was perfectly &C
curate, and was used by the doctor to time the
pulse OF his patients That cost 300. Watches
are made from the size Of ten cent piece to
half dollar, and worn as trinkets by ladies.
They are also fixed in bracelets, brooches. tops
OF pencils, eyeglasses, and even umbrella
handles; but they are very luxurious toys"
The stout man paid his bill and went home.
Saturday Smiles.
Shovel and pick brigade-a party of Ameri-
cans at dinner.-Burtiagton Free Press
Eggs will soon be cheaper, for there is d.
vinity which shapes our hens Whitehall
Times.
How natural that inventors should get scant
justice in the law courts, since necessity is the
mother OF invention, and necessity knows no
law, and good lawyers fight shy of case Of ne
cessity.-Iurners Falls Reporter.
The average age of different men Is put down
thus: Merchants SIS. physicians and lawyers IS,
farmers 81, clergymen 81, and great geniuses Is.
1t Will be observed from the above that the
journalistic profession tends to longevity
Rochester Post Express
It's no use. II on the day the plumber fixes
your kitchen sink you give your pretty cook a
days leave of absence. and temporarily secure
the services OF hOmely negress, the knight Of
the soldering iron stays just as long and charges
you extra to pay for his disappointment
ton, Post.
Mrs. Lille DeyereuX Blake asks: els 1t q
crime to be wOman?" 1t certainly is when
there is great necessity for dressing In a
hurry. Philadelphia Chronicle.
The papers are discussing the origin Of the
word mashing." We believe it grew from the
very heavy manner in which a very fat young
woman sat down on the delicate consumptve
youth who was trying to teach her how to
skate.-Philalelphia Chronicle.
In town not many miles from Boston man
stepped into neighbours house. where he saw
the head Of the family lying upon his back on
the floor, and his wife standing over him. as he
thought. with threatening air. He was about
to withdraw, when the PROSTATE man shouted:
"Come along in Steve she is only chalkine
me out pair Of pants" Some men are mighty
ready witted and quick with an excuse.-Boston
Post
Lent and it's uses: Conversation overheard
IN street car: First young debutante-.sOh.
I'm 30 sorry Lent is here" Second ditto-sOh.
how wicked; I'm real glad, for my ball dresses
were getting frghtfully shabby and, besides.
mamma says am looking a little worn with
the late hours and brilliant lights, and am to
60 to bed early and stay good deal during the
day In the dinlly lighted church. Lent Is really
great comfort to me-" and the dear thing
sighed piOusly .-Boston Herald.
Concealed deadly weapons: Wolf met a
nice, tender Goat In quiet, retired spot on the
Mountain one Day In the soft Summer time and
Immediately picked up his Knife and Fork and
began looking over the Bill OF Fare. '.What
would you dos" asked the Goat, with much
trepidation. II would discover what sort of
layout this Caravansary can spread" replied
the Wolf "Are there no Fire escapes?" INQUIRED
the Goat. IL do not Know; nor do care. as
Expect to take but one Meal here" "But-
Int ~ <ho