The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-03-26

nv3i In antiquity, the proprietor him
SELF, an honest old German. who 50
opposite frequently, his long pipe In hi
mouth. and his eyes almost THANKING M
for the music of my bell.
Ono day lady came in and price,
me.
Il had homelike air." she said, ant
made her think of her childhood.
"She has bell" said he, winding mt
up in greedy haste, until I rang out m,
music to his satisfaction. "Shc," hi
added, meaning my humble self, ..she
can tell many tale; she hiss an an
tique."
Before night I was set up in my new
home.
"What do you suppose that picture
means. mammal" said the little boy
opening my door and peering in.
ut looks" said his mother, ..as II
the older girl were hurrying her com.
panion and saying
We must not waste our time,
For church begins at nine"
In the grim dark of night a man
opened my door, peered into my face,
aarcd candle on my works and strobe
away muttcring something about "old
trumpery."
Appreciation and encouragement
work wonders. got neither one nor
the other here, except from the lady
who bought me. A kind word or a
helping hand would have heightened
my days of usefulness. Instead, 1 be-
came a general laughing stock. My
bell in consequence refused to sound,
my pendulum to wag, my hands to
turn. The master lost his train, the
boy was late for school, breakfast was
an hour behind the prescribed time
and household temper was at white
heat.
The noon mail bore the following
note to my late owner from my pres
ent master:
SIR-Come and take your merchan-
disc. If you think you can defraud
people thus boldly in this nineteenth
century, you are as far benin d time as
your clock.
That night the good German, note
in hand, presented an excited appear
ance.
"Ycs! he averred. II am exzited!
have reason to be exzited. Do you
think" he said, II would sell bad
merchandise for good? No! l would
shop itup for firewood before would
do dot. 1 am an honest man, and
never had anything hurt me like dot
(meaning the letter).
He took me back, and manfully re-
fused tho money. Toward night the
rain beat in torrents, and splaslled
furiously against the windows of the
old curiosity shop, and there being no
depot in the neighborhood man step
ped in to wait for the next car.
He was furred to the neck like a
prince and wore a broad brigand-like
hat that made him look bushy and
fierce.
My master, after exchanging the
compliments of the weather, imme.
diatcly set about relating his griev.
anccs. The newcomer listened in.
differently at first, and watched for the
car. He turned swiftly at the sound
of my bell.
"1s that the clock?" he asked, point
ing to me and listening to my steady
ding dong, which had resumed all its sill.
very cadence.
My master nodded complacently.
God blessed the work." muttered
the stranger, pccring with caressing
eyes at my face. land it shall never
want friend"
1t was Max.
He doubled the price asked for me,
and carried me in his great arms to the
car.
The next day was FURNISHED up and
placed in the grand show window of his
wondrous business mart. Istood there
from day to day. an old rheumatic
antique. surrounded by watches, and
rings and marvels of clockwork. NJ,
master had mo twined with ivy and
wreathc,l with laurel. was decorated
with gems and people gazed in admir-
ingly ut me. but my usefulness was ig.
nored.
l gazcd contcmplatively at tho pros.
porous man and compared him with tn,
little starved outcast that worked SO
hard to make me a clock. .'Thc world
could have done without me-" muir
INJURED. "Why was ever brought into
cXistcnce?"
just then Max came in his granG
symmetrical beauty, and stood before
me.
"Poor old clock" he said, .'evcry.
thing has its beginning. You were tho
corner stone of my career; you were M,
school of practice; in you were concen
trated the hard ruts that were destined
to cultivate in me perseverance,. Poo
old clock. You and l shall never part.
have but to look at You to remember
the goodness of Cod
"Halloa," said somebody pausing n
the window, there's old Noah. dressed
out like a king! Heigho! 1 owe thu
, best half of my lifetime to that machine
1t woke me up regularly before sunrise
for twenty years"
| The speaker passed on and the world
dear reader, went turning on its axi.
, just tho same as ever.
He Liked the Paper.
Country Editor Ito far,norA- wall