The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-10
MANY FIRST WATCHES.
HI'7ORY or TINE PIECES OF Mfsy
DIsTING UIsHED AMERICANS.
The Joy of Wearing n watch for the First
Time As Told In NAY ID nerent Ways
by Men Who Knw.

| and interesting. Among lhem was Cudun
cey NJ. Depew, who said
The occasion of possessing my frs
watch is very distinctly impressed upoI
my mind. was a school6oy at the Peeks
Kill Academy, covering, four times a day
the mile or more between that institution
and my home. Time was an essential ele
meat OF happiness, for the rules were
rigid when the school should begin anc
the Academy clock was supposed 10 De lh'
timepiece Of the town.
On Christmas eve the children all hunG
up their stockings. and at four O'Clock
on Christmas morning we were out eN-
ploring the cayernous depths If the wool
en- stockings Of that period for such treas
ures as Santa Claus might have brought
Among them was a gold watch, gless
faced and quite deliberately chased on
the back. No gift that ever received,
before or since. afforded me so much
qualification or left such a lasting i'm
preston. In one sense It meant an fs-
cape from probably being kept in after
school was dismissed. for not having been
there on time. and a possible fOgging
| On the other hand, IL secured recogni-
! tion OF manhood. There was about that
watch certain sense of independence. a
| curious feeling of emancipation from lead
ing strings. which the boy on his feet
and gave him the liberty to climb as lie
| pleased
l never look at that watch. even at
this day. without some sensations which
| overwhelmed and delighted me in the
early morning hours Of that Christmas
day at IN old homestead at Peeksskill.
! Thomas A. Edison briefly said: ] never
carried watch In my life. / never
| wanted 10 know what time IL was.
Mrs. Frank Leslie replied at length ana
| described her first watch as follows. Wen,
| q small frying pan mad evidently served
| as its model in point Of size, and its tick
was distinctly audible I'm an adjoining
room, which prevented II from being mis-
| laid. as the noise IL made invariably be-
trayed il whereabouts II had a gold case
| on one side and on the other 60 my sor-
row and misfortune. as you will pres
entity understand the face was covered
10y a huge bulglng crystal
Now when / was a little girl all he
children Of my age wore, in the South
low-necked frocks. fastened up the back
and with wide sash ribbons tied around
the waist-with a big bow behind. The
pretty Mother Hubbards" and Kate
Greenaway" styles of the present day
were unknown for children wear.
But what can my style Of apparel have to
do with my First Watch? Well, 1 Will
explain, and tell my tale Of woe. The
watch could only be worn suspended
from a ribbon in the bosom Of my
gown or else in my waistband, and the
slightest abruptncss of movement on my
part would precipitate tha watch from
either of these resting places, and with
that innate perversity always observable
i'm inanimate objects, 1t invariably fell
like the traditional slice Of bread, butter
cd side dOwnward" or i'm this case crys-
tai side downward. Consequently a shock
meant a broken crystal, and a broken
crystal meant financial ruin TO my child
ish eXchequer. All my pocket money, all
the stray quarters that / could beg or
borrow, went for crystals for that watch
That watch created for me, I'm the bosom
Of my family, the reputation of "A careless,
reckless child with a turn for wild ok
penditUre. Il cClorad my whole life. TO
avoid bankruptcy / cultivated a staid
demcanor; 1 lost all vivacity; / moved
with stately dignity; / never made an Inn
pulsve gesture l was weighed down by
the responsibilities Of a heavy load or
care and feeling il incumbent open me 10
make any sacrifice that would prevent
the breaking Of another crystal.
Finally my priceless treasure was taken
from me rs one incapable Of appreciatine
H. and my little heart was broken by its
loss. had loved and nursed il and talked
to II, and 1t mad responded in stentorian
ucks or pretew atural lou1ness 1 was
never lonely with it near me
They have given me many watches
since then-watches Of every tind-watcb-
eS large and small, hunting-case watches
bracelet and ring watches. watches I'm
enamel. watches studded with gems
watches marked with monograms and |
Hrests, watches encrusted with .oronets |
but no watch has ever caused me the ex- /
qulsite thrill Of delight that made me feel /
sfoWh-up woman"-a very queen I'm /
lhe possession Of my golden frying pan !
nor me the agoniZing pain / endured when /
bereft Of that treasured friend. compauton |
ana bed feliow-"My First Watch"
MIS- v. Jefferson Davis said: The iov
OF wearing my first watch has remained |
HIeiong possession. In those DAVIS /
watches were much more costly than now
ana the best Of them were made apdad-
lusted by hand. not by machine poyyer
/ heh New york was distant from Match
~ mississippi, nearly two weeks travel
ne Astor House was a central hotel
anu seemed the acme Of grandeur and
-onliOTt combined. Indeed, then "all the
"oilu was young and time seemed Of
less consequence than It does now. Watch
es were seldom given to the little Girls of
me family, and not 10 the bows until they
went to college. When a girl was mar
lea watch was part Of her corbeille
Wy hrst watch was given 20 me at an ear
y age Tor the successful repetition from
memory OF the Sermon on the Mount. In
vas one Of the last Of the "Jurgensen"
watches made, had belonged 10 INV moth
r, and was an excellent time piece The
ase was open, and rather over the size,
II Spanish dollar il was very thick
ND engraved on the back TO resemble
water. Outside OF this was a little fat
wreath Of green gold leaves. and pink
OLD roses, known then as Smoked gold"
IN the edge was one broad band of what
Ised to be called wrought gold" a deen
hasing Of leaves and archaic flowers a |
eautliul KIND OF ornamentatiOn now dis
sed by more cunning goldsmitbs Tbe
ands were much foriated and very deli
ATE; they revolved upon a dial ornamnt-
q by little bunch of variecated gold
overs about the center: a small raved
lrcle or silver. divided from one Of cold
Mich surrounded ii. by another wreath
l roses, completed the dial plato ON
men the numbers were marked in gold
ne Key was an open hoop Of the same
fought gold in heart shape. These
'easures were worn on an old-fashioned
cable-chain" over a yard long. the like f,
winch may not be found now among
he collections of antique iewelry. but il
as Tar more beautiful than the modern | :
'abies. Every delicate yellow gold link | ;
as stamped or chased. each one was | !
'ssed through the three behind it. and | =
e whole was as thick as the end of =
dys little finger, and made brave /