The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-07-26
HIS FIRST WATCH,

The N. K. Standard is a monthly
which the watch and jewelry trade find
specially interesting. but in recent
mber it speaks to every man who has
pleasant memories over the way he ac-
quired his first watch. "The Story of
My First Watch" is a symposium to
which several famous men and women
contribute, and from which the stories
of the Hon. Jerry Rusk and Bill Nye
may be taken as samples. Writes Bill
Nye:
my first watch had an American
watch movement in silver hunting
case, engine turned. 1t cost me $18,
and was Is years of age. bought it
and paid for it myself out of my wages
as a teacher.
81 kept the buckskin pocket over it
most of the first year, so that it would
not get scratched.
"No watch since has given me that
feeling of wealth or comfort and ease
that this one did. 1t had good tick
with cheerful ring to it,and placid,
honest face. It was willing watch,
and did whatever it's hands found to
do.
81 still remember how proud and
happy l was to confess to the tax col
lector that was subject to tax on
watches jewelry, etc." and felt sor-
ry for those who were simply voters
without assisting the government in a
pecuniary way by being taxpayers.
at was my companion when l had
no one else through prolonged finan-
cial panic, confined entirely to myself
OF nd of lu
not go over the counter of pawn
broker even when l was hungry and
jobless."
Ex-Secretary Rusk's story goes as
follows: 81 have very distinct recol-
lection of the first watch ever owned.
and of how l acquired it. When l was
quite young = barely 15-an older
brother and 1 were thrashing a load of
grain for neighbor. In those days
the machine that was used for thrash
ing was known as 'grubber.' 1t was
simply a cylinder with four horse
power, and the separation of the straw
from the grain and chaff was done by
raking it from the machine as the
grain was run through the cylinder
and thrashed. 1t took twelve or four
teen hands to operate one of these
machines. My brother and l were
running it. No one in the party had
a watch, and when we wanted to know
the time we had to send up to the
house. The owner of the grain sug-
gested that it would be a good thing
for one of the thrashers to own a
watch, so that he could furnish the
time for the crew to 60 by. He men,
toned that he had a very good watch
that he would sell. 1t was one of the
old fashioned kind, known as bulls
eye, with double case, the outside
case being removable, and the wind
ing done with key in the back.
suppose my looks betrayed my ambi-
ton to be the owner of the watch, flor
he kept at me until he finally coaxed
me into buying it. paid him So for
it,$1 more than my months wages, but
felt as if was the richest one of the
whole crew every time | was called
upon to give the time of day. car
ried this watch for q number of years;
indeed, if remember rightly. it was
the only one had until | moved West
from the State of Ohio. l suppose a
about 81 or $3.50, and alongside one of
ouE mOueru WdLCHeS lb WOdIu IoOk as
much out of date as would the old
grubber,in in tending which 1 earned the
money TO pay for it, alongside of the
latest improved threshing machine.
Perhaps, like. the old darky who was
reminded of verse in the Bible on
seeing his master pay $1,000 for a
Shorthorn heifer, you may think / was
pretty green to pay more than l could
earn in a month for watch, but let
me tell you, lots of men who are
esteemed pretty wise fellows pay more
than they earn in a month for things
that do not give them as much genuine
satisfaction as l got out of the owner
ship of that watch"