The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-27
A Mlstinkered Clock.

have always clung aifectiorately tc
'he theory that no poor man should
ever hire anybody else to do what he
himself can do about his premises.
am opposed TO hiring tramps to eat up
the substance of a hard working indi-
vldual, like an editor, hence l never
allow one to saw wood for his break
fast at my place.
Ihe other day tramp called at my
house. He had kit of tinkering in
struments, and displayed burning
desire to heal tie eccentricities of our
clock which never could be satisfied
unless ii was from four minutes to
three days slow. l was at first dis
posed to let him give it two or three
experimental links, but when he in
formed me that his time was very val
liable and the wear and tear of his
brain very severe in the performance
OF such Offices of human benefaction, l
concluded to do the job myself.
That afternoon | went down town
and paid 81 to hardware man for the
necessary labor saving machinery. l
felt that 81 was not an eXtravagant
price to pay for set of tools that
would tinker me for the entire period
of human life, so hurried home and
went for that clock.
My wife spread white paper on the
dining table for me, and it was not
long before [ had the viscera OF that
clock scattered about me like the shat
tered remains of brass foundry after
a cyclone had toyed with it. No won
der it was slow Every clog and jour-
nal was clogged with dirt and stiffened
with oil. L rubbed up the parts care
fully, and then my wife leaned loving
ly over my shoulder and remarked
that she could not comprehend how in
the world | would ever get all that
stuff into it again. l replied that it
took a high order of genius to do that,
and drawing myself up proudly, as
sured her that was fully equal to the
Then began to put the clock to-.
gether, and soon had it full, but there
were wheels and eccentrics and levers
enough to make another clock. felt
proud of my grand achievements.
had often heard that ECONOMY is
wealth." and had saved enough of
that clock to pay for a new hair spring
in my watch. put on the hands and
wound up the rejuvenated timepiece,
and started it. 1t went off like the
gong at railway eating house, where
a fellow stops twenty minutes to get
robbed. When was little boy go
ing to school my teacher, tender
young soul of forty-twO summers and
twice as many winters, used to write
''Time flies" in my copy book, but
ne yer fully realized the scope and in
tent of the remark until that clock re-
,umed business at the old stand. Ire
Allied in a moment that / had con-
1uered the perverse disposition of that
clock to play along the road. 1t
seemed infused with renewed vigor and
vas punctual to fault.
The hour-hand got around the dial
,nce each hour. while the minute-hand
got around sixty times in the same
oeriod, and the bell sounded every
second. On close inspection l dis
covered that had accomplished what
lad never been done before. 1 had
urned time backward, and longed to
lave the poet who sang: Backward,
urn backward, o time, in your flight"
present, that L might show him that
lis wish was gratited. The hands
we're going the wrong way, and my
wife smiled sweet, sad smile of hope |
g she remarked that in about four
lays we would be boy and girl in
chool again. 1 was pleased for mo-
nent at the thought, but as a faint
Vonder what would become of our five
hildren In such an event stole upon
1e, hope gave place to fear that it
yould leave blemish upon our young
yes to return to the good old times,
nd l jammed the screw driver into
lie rapidly revolving wheels and put
5op to their mad career. One of these
avs am going to pull the nail out
nd go back to the Garden of Eden and
,e Eve feed Adam apples. -F.' E. Hud-