The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-02-06
Watches And Personal Magnetism.

"Sir, you should wear on open-faced
watch If you desire to be accurate In
your time" said q matchmaker to the
stout man you are too magnetic"
"Why, what the deuce has the case
got to do with it ?" WAS the interroga-
tive reply.
"Everything. Your watch has hunt
ing-case, necessitating steel springs for
opening and shutting: BY constant as
ISOLATION with your body those springs
become magnetized, and they generate
their condition to other necessarily steel
portions Of the watchworks, and thus
render their movements imperfect.
'Then, If I were not fat my watch
would not lose two minutes, more or
less. a day." said the puzzled stout man.
Exactly" returned the matchmaker.
IL have worn your watch for over a
week aud it has neither gained nor lost
a dozen seconds but then I am, from q
corporal point of Wow, your antithcsis.
l am exceptionally thin and slender"
The stout man mused. "Accordingly, ,
said he, "opon-faced tickers for fat men.
closed cases for thin, eh ?"
''Not at all, replied the other. "Thin
men have at times more magnetism in
their systems than fat men. Everybody
is more or less magnetic you happen
to be particularly so; I happen to be
quite the reverse hence my remarks
and advice. For tho rest, opon-faced
watches are always more accurate than
hunters. They are moro air-tiglt for
one thing. AS for the steel springs in
hunting cases, mechanical science has
not yet discovered anything else to ro-
place thcm the public like double cases.
ana there tho matter remains for the
present. There are, however, many ILL
contlivcd portions in watches, anL while
the dcmand continues for watches of n
certain price it Is impossible, from n
commercial point of view, to think of
improvements. Long-used methods ana
ingenious engines have been specially
provided to fashion and cut out cycry
ono OF the minute parts which 20 to
compose the existing instrument Every
watch consists of over 200 pieces en-
ploylng over 200 persons, distributed
among forty trades, to say nothing OF
the tool-makers for the artisans. Ii the
construction of the watch wcro ma
terlally altered, all tho trades would
have to be re-learned, new tools and
wheol-cutting engines would have to be
devised, and the majority of working
watchmakcrs become useless, The con-
sequence would be that the watch would
become enormously enhanced III value
ana Its possession a token Of wenlth.
You sec, in your complicated state OF
society even machines in the process of
tlmo come to surround themselves with
circle of vested interests which en-,
barrass attempts at Improvement.
"You nre interesting me-" remarked
the stout customer, as he placed his
watch i'll his pocket. "You have been
many years, suppose, in the business.
Of course, thero must have boon some
improvements i'll your time p
"Of course. Watches during the
past ten years have grown much in
thickness. Old-fashioncd watches are
thin and flat. I have Ind watch IN
my charge rs fiat rs trade dollar. II
is impossible 10 properly ADJUST the
works for heat, cold and position under
such circums tanccs, should .ve to
give you a long explanation of the pack
ing of mechanism to explain to you
why"
"Well, has tho increased thickness
raised the value
"No. On the contrary, watches are
now worth Is per cont less than they
were twelve years ago. That fact, you
will say, bears against my previous re-
marks. nm referring to tho cheaper
grade of watches worn by tho majority
Of people. There are watches whiol
bring 81 800, and watches which can be
purchased for $19 dozon. If you ore
willing to pny for costly work almost
anything Gun be accomplished.
II made watch for physician
which fitted into signot ring not much
larger than poa. 1t mad only second
hands. 1t was perfectly accurate, and
WAS used by the doctor to time the pulse
of his patients. That cost $400.
Watches are mado from the size OF
ten-cont piece to half dollar, and worn
as trinkets by ladies. They are also
fixed in bracelets, brooches, tops and
pencils, eyeglasses, and even umbrella
handles but they arc very luxurious
toys"
The stout man paid his bill and went
homo,
El,o 4 4 ~ IrA1u