Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-20
THE ACCUSING CLOCK.
A Story About Mayor of = Room Town
Heard In q Hotel kotunds-

u
Heard In a Hotel kotuuds-
THK ADVENTURE THAT BEFEL Ms. yADKrNs-
eRIrf THAT ovERcanE HIS wirEs ASoKR-
wHERE-A DOMESTIC SEINE N WHICH THE
CLOCK PLAYED A CONSPICUOUS PART.
{" HAVE BEEN SOUTH AND SEEN
u what is called the New South reach
ing out after better things aud trying TO keep
her face turned to the sun light. so to speak"
SO remarked one Of a group Of gentlemen
seated not long ago n rainy evening in the
rotunda Of hotel in the city. As the speech
led to an interesting conversation and the evo-
luton OF a good story, The STAR writer gives il
as nearly as possible. The talk revolved around
some of the peculiar phases Of the industrial
developments in that part Of the south en-
braced by east Tennessee, north Georgia and
north Alabama. and as nearly all of the party
mad had some experience in this region the
conversation was drawn into beguiling
Channels. An inspiring comment made
on the character Of the social conditions and
environments OF some of the progressive towns
and how interesting it was to watch people
from AL parts OF this country and not a few
from the OLD world trying to settle down TO
something like a social adjustment
MAYOR or A BOOM rowN.
'.Did any of you know Tom Jadkins?" asked
one OF the group, who had been a listener. as
he settled himself for good effect. Tom Jsd-
kins is not exactly his name Ito the newspaper
man), but it will do for these fellows. Well.
Tom was mayor of one of the boomingest OF
Alabama's boomy towns. He was an honest
hearty fellow. full OF fun and sentiment. when.
"a little at a time. he took too much OF the
ardent A curious thing about him was when
he took very much too much he had way Of
finding something pathetic in things around
him-somethlng lugubrious. which inevitably
resulted in laehrymose demonstrations. On
| such occasions there were copious freshets
from his tear wells and Jadkins would some
times'sob in his weeping. He wasa popular man,
withaL His nature was genial and sunny when
he Was sober and won him friends on every
hand. Naturally fond of company. he was a
priced member of number of social and secret
organizations, his fidelity to which was some
| times the occasion of little domestic intellect
ties. But these were always reconciled. for
Jadkins was loving husband to an admir-
| able aud amiable wife and a devoted father
TO several fond children. The little family dis
, turbances were usually watored with tears
which made the waste places Of neglected
| affection blossom and bring forth the very
| nowers and fruits of better conduct in the con-
| tlguous future. j remember one occasion in
/ the boom times. when. after some continued alb
sences from home for about ten consecutive even
nings, he managed to get away again, after
| leaving his wife with carefully asseyerated
| promise that he would return at a given early
hour. 1t was an important business confer
| ence-at the club. he admitted-with some
| friends-on a big deal He would surely be
back home between 10 and IL o'clock
he couldn't tell precisely the min
ute; but the madame would not
| have to wait for him after IL. Mrs. Jadkins
| helped him on with his overcoat, called hIs at
( tention to the time kissed him goodbye and
| they parted There was a pause. Then the
| talker parenthetically said: Il got all this
partly from Jadkins himself and the rest from
Gospel sources, and it's every bit true"
WAITING FOR MR.. JADKISs.
swell" he resumed, "the hour came and
went away after, but no Mr.. Jadkins. Long
past midnighs the madame sa. up and waited
and wondered. Finally she was overcome with
drowsiness, but. noting the little alarm clock on
| the mantelpiece showed $40 o'clock. she went
to bed. She had hardly dozed of before she was
awakened by noise as though piano was being
moved into the house. II proved to be Jad-
| kins. brought home drunk by companions
hardly more responsible. Mrs. Jadkins rose,
| braced herself sternly and took a stand before
| the fireplace. The veracious dial marked If
| teen minutes to o'clock. The door opened
/ and in stumbled Jadkins. He lost his balance
as he entered, lunged forward until
| he came in contact with the wash
into a corner, and. finally, in his earnest effort.
to steady himself, fell backward, as he
clutched at the furniture, into a solid sit
ting posture. The stand overturned JUS
! enough to deluge him with the contents OF
a pitcher full OF water, his wife savine
him from greater disaster by catching
the thing as it toppled Without a word. thor
oughly Disguised, she helped him into a chair
and, with what to Jadkins was a display OF
marvellous skill when the room was sailing
| around SO -nadly. undressed him, rubbed him
| and put dry night raiment on him. He had
already come in out of cold December rain
and the violent indoor bath about completed
| his drenching.
| There was but one dry spot for several square
| yards around the washstand, and that was where
Jadkins had sat. 1t was a small island fast
| yielding to inundation. All this. you may
imagine. pretty nearly sobered Jadkins, but he
/ said nothing. sitting in gloomy silence, submit
| ting to the manipulations of his doting spouse.
In a little while the madame noted HIM glanc-
| ing furtiyely at the clock. BY this she
judged he had his wits about him enough
to know what an unreliable fool he had made
of himself. Then she girded herself for bust
ness and the way she went for the wretched
man. Jadkins himself has told me he never
heard equaled in the prosecution OF the most
abandoned criminal.
"'Is this the way she almost Kissed between
her teeth, and pointing at the clock, You KEEP
your solemn promise to me?
THE EFFECT OF TIE CLOCK.
mayor Jadkins was silent. but his gaze
seemed riveted to the clock. The fiery denun.
citation of Mrs J. went on and on until il
changed to tears, and she sat down in Q chair
bitterly weeping.
Meanwhile his honor looked alternately al
her and the clock. His chin dropped on his
chest. His weeping wife raised her head and
asked, why don't you go to bed?'" But Jad.
kins sat still, trying to think. He sighed
and his bosom heaved. Soon he, too
began to weep, and 1 tell you when he
| got under Roadway it was no make
believe; it a signing, genuine sobbing
Jadkins sat watching him. great COM
he was overwhelmed with penitence and re-
and. kneeling at his feet essayed to put her
| arms around him. With a louder sob than ever
he thrust her away.
".Oh, but darling, forgive you. It Is the
last time; isn't it the last time, my own Toni
| With all nv heart / forgive
"'Forgive nothing hiccoughed and sobbed
| Jadkins. Shortly raising himself he said
with an effort at severity: Madam, You look
| at that clockr
"'wellY she responded with some surprise
| ".Look at it, be repeated with increasing
sharpness.
81 see it, She was wondering what was
coming next. She saw ii was two minutes to
| o'clock A. M Then she said reproachfullv in n