Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-06-30
TRACING A WATCH.
How Mr.. Broomberry Unwittingly
Made Discovery.


town, intending to get Off ut the Van |
Buren, street station. just before reach |
ing that point an acquaintance sat
down beside him and began to talk
about n murder that had been commit
ted just year before on the north
side. Being city hall man, Broom
bcrry's acquaintance knew great deal
about the murder; he knew old
KloptoclS the victim, and in an ex-
cccdingly discreet and sunlSen-voicc
manner he intimatcd to Broomberry
that he had a pretty shrcwd idea as to
who committed the deed. by this time
the train had passed the Van Buren,
street station-was just pulling out, in
fact, and Broombcrry, determined not
20 miss an appointment, jumped off the
train. lie looked at his watch min
ute later and found that in jumping
of he had broken the crystal lie kept
his appointment, and then stepped into
jewelers. tn get a new crystal.
"Wherc did YOU get it?" the icwelcr
asked when, after completing his work,
lac handed the watch to Broombcrry.
81 got IL from friend of mine.
Why?"
Nothing, only you've got a rare
watch, not in value but as TO number.
About thirty years ago n company Of
men built factory at little town
called Romncy, in Massachusetts, and
began to manufacture watches, but as
some sort of disaster bcfcll the concern,
only three watches were ever com
plctcd, and this is one of them"
you don't say so, exclaimed Broom
IA. i. IL
have known Of the rarity Of my proper
ty II hadn't broken the crystal in
jumping of train this morning. DO
you know what I'm going to do? I'm
going to trace this watch back to the
factory, il can; and I'm going TO write
"A description of the hands through
which IL has passed and make n book of
| it. Won't that be an odd little volume:
The History of the Watch?' am much
obliged to you, sir. You've given me
an idea, and to a man who is SO unfor-
tunatc rs TO be compelled to make his
| living by thinking, an idea Is almost
necessity. All, but pardon me for not
answering your question. ! got the
watch from Henry Lucas, gave him
forty.fve dollars for il about two
months ago. II the history should be
interesting enough to print, I'll give
you n copy Of it, Good day"
Broombcrry called on Henry Lucas.
lie found his friend absorbed in the
work of running up figures in an inn
mense book.
"Ah, Broomberry. Sit down"
"No, | haven't time. Say, where did
you get TIN watch? Only three of them
made and all that sort of thing. Just
want to get the history Of it, You know"
II bought it from = fellow named
Martin Kelly"
"Whcre do you s'pose can find him2'
"lle works in the post Office"
Broomberry went to the post office.
lie had struck new line of work and
was delighted. Mr. Kelly was easily
found.
81 got 1t from Mark lIammonds,"
said he.
1.-The deuce you did" Broomberry ex-
claimed. "Why, he was the cause of
my breaking the crystal this morning.
| was talking to him and passed my
station, and then had to jump off. IN
go right down to the city hall and see
him."
where did get it2" Hammond re-
piled, in careless sort Of way. swell,
let me see. got it from j. II. McPeal,
big furniture dealer on the West
side"
IAN right; I'll go over there and sec
him"
The great furniture dealer, smooth,
well-fed, bald-headed man, was busy in
his Office when Broomberry entered.
"Wcll, sir, what can do for you?'
II came TO ask you about this" said
Broombcrry, taking out his watch,
Don't know anything about ii, sir
. Good day"
I Excuse me- said Broomberry, "buI
my friend Mark diamonds, Of the city
hall, told me that he got II from you"
, "Ah, let me sec il, Yes, that's so,
he added, when Broomberry had handed
him the watch; and then, with AN all
9 OF business, as though he had been
!, rather lax with the ethics Of trade and
, must now, as recovery Of principle
n make a show Of brislincss, he asked
But what about it, sir-whnt about
=; it?"
y "Nothing, only should like TO know
where you got itP'
p Eyes, but am very busy to.day--cN
Il ccedingly busy, sir. Can't you cal
some other time?'
q "Oh, OF course, but II won't take Q
( minute 10 tell me where you got 1t Il
q you know"
c Eyes, yes. that's so; but I'm extreme
j. ly busy. Let me sec. We took IL ir
?. part payment Of a lot Of furniture
i from, let me-Stevens," he called
A man entered and said' Eyes, sir,
{ "That's the name Of that boarding
+ house woman that couldn't, or rattle
g wouldn't, pay for her furniture II
j, money and we had 10 take watch
q What Is her name? Quick, I'm busy.
4 "Nlrs. Caddo, sir; 742 Limbill street.
n eyes, that's correct Good-day, sir
y Broomberry hastcned 10 the board
II ing house of Mrs. CaddO. She woul
e have talked an hour about the watch
ii or by II, either, She would have tol
IS Of the myriad OF trials that come TO tn
widowed keeper Of a boarding house
and she did tell OF a certain harness
maker named Sam Haines, who ha
h.. Inn