Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-04-08

|
self an honest old German. who sal
opposite frequent his long pipe in his
mouth, and his eyes almost thanking me
for the music of my bell.
One day lady came in and priced
me. .#
Il had homelike air." she said, and
made her think of her childhood.
"She has BELL" said he, winding me
up in greedy haste, until / rang out my
music to his satisfaction. "She," he
added, meaning my humble self, "she
can tell many a tale; she hiss m an
tique."
Before night 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 if
the older girl were hurrying her COM
panion and saying
We must not waste our time,
For church begins at nine"
III INC grim vain VI H'Shb q lhah
opened my door, peered into my face,
fared candle on my works and strobe
away muttering 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
helping hand would have heightened
my days of usefulness. Instead, l be-
came 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 us far benin time as
your clock,
That night the good German, note
in hand, presented an excited appear
ance.
Yes 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 l would
do dot. | am an honest man, and
never had anything hurt me like dot
(meaning the letter..
He took me back, and manfully re-
fused the money. Toward night the
rain beat in torrents, and splashed
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 q
prince and wore broad brigand-like
hat that made him look bushy and
fierce.
My master, after exchanging the
compliments of the weather, imme-
diately set about relating his griev,
ances. The newcomer listened in.
differently at first, and watched for the
car. He turned swiftly at the sound
of my bell.
"Is 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, peering 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. stood there
from day to day. an old rheumatic
antique, surrounded by watches, and
rings and marvels of clockwork. My
master had me twined with ivy and
wreathed with laurel. was decorated
with gems and people gazed in admir-,
ingly at me, but my usefulness was ig-
nored.
gazed contemplatively at the pros
porous man and compared him with the
little starved outcast that worked so
hard to make me a clock. THE world
could have done without me-" | MUIR
INJURED. why was ever brought into
exstenceP"
Just then Max came in his grand
symmetrical beauty, and stood before
me.
Poor old clock" he said, every.
thing has its beginning. You were the
corner stone of my career; you were my
school of practice; in you were concen,
trated the hard ruts that were destined
to cultivate in me perseverance,. Poor
old clock, you and | shall never part.
have but to look at you to remembe,
the goodness of Cod
"Halloa," said somebody pausing al
the window, there's old Noah, dressed
out like a king! Heigho! I owe the
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 axis
Just the same as ever.