The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-24
Jenny Lind says the odor of flowers
is injurious TO a singers voice.
The Missing Matches-A True Story.

There, it has stopped again! Ifear
there is no help for it, but go it must
to the watchmaker's; though | never
feel happy when it is out of my own
keeping, ever since my dear sister gave
it to me Well, will be going to V
next week, and l will take it myself to
Smith "
During the above words, my friend
had been looking with affectionate anX-
iety at beautiful watch; but not be-
ing ito the manner born, - no amount
of opening and shutting the case, or
| looking at the works, would set them
going again. or disclose to her what was
amiss.
There is no one in V / could
trust it to except Smith, she contin-
ued, as she finally snapped the outer
case of blue enamel surrounded with
| pearls, las not only is it perfectly
unique as watch, but it was specially
left to me by my dear sister at her
death"
Some few days later the watch was
placed in the hands of leading iewele.'
in V, who said the whole of the
mischief lay in want of cleaning, and
that it would be ready again for its own
er in weeks time.
At the end of fortnight, as my
friend was unable to go herself, she sent
a servant for it, and in return had
note from the jeweler saying that, much
to his regret, the watch was not ready,
but would, he hoped, be so in a day or
TWO. The same thing occurring a sec
ond time determined my friend to go
herself, when to her horror and dismay,
SAith told her that her watch was
gone.
Taking her into his private room, he
said: 81 hung it on this hook, madam,
among other watches needing repairs,
and labeled it myself, ready for q
trusted iourneyman the following day,
and locking the door, as l always do
myself, went home. On my return
the next morning the watch was gone.
Among all my men there is no one
whose honesty l doubt IN the least,
neither have missed anything else.
} have mentioned my loss to the po-
lice; and if can not recover it, l
} am quite prepared to make the watch
good"
With assurances from my friend that
this would be perfectly impossible, and
promises from the ieweler that he would
spare nothing which could possibly
lead to the recovery of the missing
property, we departed. 1t certainly
was most inexplicable; and, notwith-
standing Smiths high character, and
that which he gave of his work people,
it was difficult to keep suspicious from
rising in our minds.
A month passed without any further
news, when my friend had request
J from Smith that, if she was driving into
V the next day, she would favor
him with call
OF course we went, and were re.
ceived with such radiant face that we
felt at once good news must be in store
for US.
Having safely ensconced us in hi:
private room. Smith at once began:
q am delighted to say, madam
that not only can | explain the mystery
of the disappearance of your watch
: but also hope to give it to you before
you leave my shop. About fortnight
since large, old-fashioned silver watch
of no special value was brought here
for repairs, and was hung, as your,
had been, among several others which
had been brought for similar pur
pose. The following day, when came
to look for it, it had disappeared a.
: yours had done. OF the four or five
others hanging near it, and most o
) them of far greater value. not one haG
, been touched. | sent at once to thu
police office; and the detective. whC
: had up till then worked so fruitlessly
for me, came To my surprise, he be
7 gan examining the skirting around thu
$ room, and said:
Are you sure you have no rat
here?'
"'Ratsr | replied. Yes, plenty a
Q times; but as there is nothing here TO
Q them to take, we do not trouble abou
Q them
Pm not SO sure they do not fint
something to take, said the man; s,
let's have carpenter, and have
s look
Firmly convinced in my own mint
that such a proceeding would prov
= only labor in vain, ] did the detective
d bidding A carpenter came at one
!, and was set to raise the boards of m,
room immedialy below where the watch
: es hung. To my amazement, when tn
: first board was raised. there was tn
9 large, old-foshioned silver watch, per
: fectly safe and as had lert it-no, no
\ quite as I had left it, for the SINAI
: parchment label containing the invoic
number was missing from the handle,