Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-11-01

must now repurchase the watch n
the thousand francs. Only ask on
condition"
ga condition." broke in the Eng
lish-man, darkening like Londoi
sky in November. what condi
. tion?"
"That you will give, in the receipt
for the thousand Francs, the reason
for returning the watch. State thai
after having CARRIED it to Lahore
into the Himalayas, to Moscow
to Egypt,to Manchester and back tc
Switzerland, it has varied, in eight
cen months, ten minutes. This
writing is indispensable for my pro
lection in dealing with my silent
partners.
Willingly, since that is the case. >
AFTER you have signed the paper
you will have the signature verified
by your Consul at Geneva"
"No objection to that. l have bust
ness at the Consulate, where l am
well known, and you shall have the
document in half an hour"
Thirty minutes later the English
man appeared with the legal attesta-
lions bearing the Consular SEAL The
matchmaker handed him in exchange
a thousand francs in bank notes, and
having hidden him farewell WINS bout
to retire to his office when Mr.. Bark
er stopped him.
| 81 do not wish that our business
relations should end with this cheer
less transaction, which may be called
a laisser pour compte.f+ Sell me
another watch"
"Never in my life," said the trades
man, decidedly. II have given YOU
the pearl of my manufacture. Any
that | could now offer would not
satisfy, So"
"Then adieu," said the English
man, land without i'll will"
"Oh, without i'll WILL" repeated the
matchmaker, smiling, farfrom it,"
The Englishman did not under
stand this "far from it," and took
his leave.
The third day after, about 3 O clock
in the afternoon, Mr.. Barker, on re-
turning from q short mountain ex-
cursion with two of his confreres of
the Alpine Club, saw before the shop
OF the matchmaker Unzahl an un-
usual gathering of tourists, who in
August, as is well known, are nu-
merous in the good city of Geneva. He
halted with his friends, and when the
first ranks of the curious had dispers-
ed he was able to discover what had
attracted their attention. 1t was a
large panel similar to those which
exhibitors use for framing their med
ais, and in the panel was a placard
In distinct characters written in En-
glish, French and German, as fol-
lows:
Extraordinary bargain. For
sale-The best watch ever made
in Geneva. In eighteen months,
after having been exposed
to the torrid heat of India, to the
temperate climate of the middle re-
gions OF the Himalayas, to the rig
ors of the Russian winter to the burn
ing sun of Egypt, to the atmosphere
of Manchester, charged with fog and
coal-dust, and lastly to the sudden
changes of temperature in our own
mountains, this watch, truly won
der, has varied but ten minutes in
eighteen months. See below the GER
tificate of our customer, whose sig
nature is verified by the English Con-
sui"
AT the foot of this announcement.
quite American in form, but strictly
exact, the watch was exposed in an
elegant casket, with the alluring in
scription, Exceptional price-15OO
francs"
CHIP exclaimed the amazed En-
glishman, my watch has risen 500
francs in price. This matchmaker
understands what he is about. 1
now fully comprehend the scope of
his sly questioning Why did | not
divine it sooner? Well, no matter
Tor at 1900 francs he will certainly
not find a buyer, and whenever wish
l can take the watch again at his
original price,"
The next day Mr.. Barker returned
alone to the display window. The
crowd was greater than the day be-
fore and he was obliged to wait ten
minutes before being able to ap-
proach the placard. The reading
had not changed, but the price Of
the watch had been raised to 1000
francs.
"Oh! OIL" said he, eat the rate at
which the matchmaker bids on him
self | had better hasten to the auc-
ton"
On entering the shop Mr.. Barker
has not n little surprised to find one
of his companions of the Alpine Club
wcaffering for the watch. Now"
thought he, sit will escape me and |
shall regret it, M. Unzahl was right
when he said he could not find a bet
ter watch. The truth had penetrat-
ed my skull little too late. As usual
shall have to pay for my experience
after ALL"
"Then," he overheard from the
member of the Alpine Club, "you will
not let me have it for l 800 francs?"
"No," sir, ii is impossible. That
was the price yesterday. To-day it
is worth 1000 francs. Tomorrow it
will he worth"
"Well," pressed the Alpinist, 81 Of
fer you 1880 francs. 1t is a bar