Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-05-28

some Good Advice from a Practical
Matchmaker.

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Views as TO the proper treatment OF
watches differ so greatly, and are, more
over, so confused, that few words OF
advice from practical matchmaker are
not out Of place. A watch, to meet the
requirements made upon its capabilities,
must in the first place be treated well.
When il is considered what continuous
care is bestowed upon every steam en-
CINE, how il Is watched and guarded
night and day, it appears self-evident
that watch, which is, after all, not
only an engine, but one of most deli
cate and complicated construction, should
be carefully aud tenderly looked after.
Consequently, a watch, even the most
perfect one, will satisfy its owner only
when IL is treated In accordance with its
sensitive mechanism, when il IS pre-
served against every kind OF conclusion,
and is kept scrupulously clean. AS there
is a constant accumulation of dust and
fibres from the waistcoat material in the
watch pockets, which penetrates even
into the best closing watches, it is adj
visable to turn out and clean those peck
cts frequently.
In order to keep the ''goingp of a
watch as regular as possible, 1t should be
subjected to regular treatment; that is to
say, it should be wound up always at
the same time of day, ard during the
time that 1t is not worn it should be laid
down or hung up regularly accordingt to
habit, as every watch goes differently
when it is hanging than either lying
down or wearing. In watches having u
double case, that over the watch-glass-
should never be left open. An attentive
observer viii find that, IL su1h n watch
is left open even for one night, the glass
is covered with thin film OF dust, which
will gradually cntei the works even
through the tiniest openings in the case,
and thus cause disturbances. People
should wind up their watches in the
morning, not only because they generally
rise more regularly than they go to rest,
but also because spring fully wound up
will more readily overcome the disturb
ances which affect the correct going of a
watch during the movement occasioned
in wearing it. Springs will not break
| so easily if the watch is carefully wound
up, and is not placed directly out of the
warm pocket against cold wall, or on a.
| still colder marble slab; and for that
reason protective mat is desirable.
The capacity of a watch, or, more cor
rcctly, its keeping correct time, is very
much governed by its construction and
| its more or less perfect finish. 1t cannot
| be expected of the best horizontal watch
| that it should always keep good time,
| and even less so of the inferior watches
| which are sold in large numbers. The
| changes of the oil, the variations in
temperature, the density or humidity
of the air-al greatly affect
the going of a watch ano it is only the
lever watch of the most perfect finish
which neutralizes those adverse intiu-
ences to the greatest degree. AS mat
ter of fact, no watch keeps perfectly
correct time; and even the best chro-
nometers, nsed in observatories and ON
board ship, must be regulated according
to tables which fix those variations TO
which watches are subjected.
| A watch should be cleaned every two,
or at most every three years, If 1t is de-
sired to preserve it. In time the oil de-
composes, gets mixed with the PARTICLES
of dust which enter the works OF even
the best closing watch, begins to act as q
grinding material aud wears out the
working parts. The best watch will be
spoiled in this way, and will never keep
such good time as before. 1t frequently
happens that watch requires cleaning
in less than two years, according as 1t
closes badly or is exposed TO much dust
and dirt. Anyone having the misfortune
to drop his watch into water or any
liquid should take it at once to watch
maker, to have it taken to pieces and
cleaned, for a delay of even an hour
might spoil the watch vcr.-[Cham-
bers' Journal.