The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-10-13
IT WAS 1896 O'CLOCK"
SO Said Mr.. Shaw's Time-P Piece
Upon q Notable Night.

1t was not until fathers patience had
ceased to DO polite virtue that Fred
and decided to carry out our plan.
He had said SO many times at break
fast. Just as he laid down the carving
knife and fork. after waiting Oh us all:
'Flora, my daughter. ton o'clock is
late enough for any young man to stay
on an evening call" And Flora had
As Often looked up imploringly. her
pretty face on fire. and said: "Why,
papa, how can l help itp" q
To this defensive inquiry father
would not deign to reply. while mother,
Aunt Elizabeth and we boys maintained
a.profound silence, each doubtless pom
dcring how the difficult question might
be solved.
Roger Pettijohn was n sophomore in
the college town in which we lived.
He lied his class" was the son Of his
father, Judge Pettijohn, and general
favorite with the young people. Fred
aud I rather liked him; his boats were
always at our service. and ii was one
OF our choicest pleasures to spend an
hour in the study which he had fitted
up in one Of the college dormitories. to
.'be with the boys" There was no ond
of curious things there. for Roger was
not mere ''dig." but an enthusiastic
student Of nature and famous good
pitcher in the college nine. Besides q
wcll-stooked aquarium and large col
lection Of stuffed birds, his room was
decked out with fencing-foils, patent
oars, boxing gloves, fine pair Of
sniiers sent him from Texas, and q
good many things that would interest
boys. t"V -A
But the one draw back to our enjoy
ment of Roger Pettiiohn was that he
came TO see our sister Flora not less
than three evenings in week, and the
town clock usually struck eleven rs he
went whistiing h0meward. Not that
we boys or the household were at all
put out by his long calls. We never
heard any thing from the parlor, save
the subdued murmur Of talking and
reading, and now and then the melOdi-
Gus tones Of piano or flute. But 1t was
one Of cur little domestic secrets that
Fiors was working for the. valedictory
in her class st the academy, and we
all knew she could take it il she could
ret time to study at home. But with
all the nnmberlcss housekeeping
duties which she took upon herself,
there WINS often not much of u study
hour left her. So Roger Pettijohn' 3
calls. enjoyable ~ they might be. were
not so cordially thought Of or men,
toned in tse family circle as they
would have been had they been fewer
or shorter. N@
All this accounts for the plan which
Fred and I determined to carry out.
We said that Roger Peftiioha should
he made swsTe q the flight of time. u
such . thing were possible. 1t was
several days before We hit upon .
scheme that suited u.s. ANY humble,
of rude joker that might easily be
worked out came into our minds. bu,
We were not sare We shOald enjoy rude
jokes ourselves
One dsy q scAoel Fred looked up
from his algebra With peculiar grin,
In few minutes I saw q note work.
ing it's way from desk to desk toward
me. At 1ass 4 came. and 1 eagerly
opened n almost In plain sight * thu
argus-eyod Mr.. Winter. who. VI
thought, spsns more Of his time in pro
hibiting ''Svil communications" thar
IN explaining equations and constsu
ing our dific0lt Latin sentences.
Frcd's note W. - follows:
i've rot ~ Yea know the old clock
Wei. IN nahe 10 sasike r. 90 hard he'll IN
Aerstand. DUuft f1syst il More later.''
hardy underwood; bat gave my
assent wixAoos hesitation to Fred'i
pisa. Whatever i might be; for he had
What We boys caA - long hesd and I
sale heel."
Among The treasures in our work
shop was . w0rn-ost clock. The OLD
tine. piece had come down from
smother gsneratiou. and had been IN
il day quite valuable; bat in the day
WIEN Ra~er pptaiiOhu came 10 see ONl