The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-06-04
THE HISTORY OF THE WATCH
BY OPIE READ.

/ iudt II jumping OF he naI broken the
crystal. He kept his appointment and
then stepped into a jewelers. to get a new
| crystal.
Where did you get it," the jeweler ask
ed when, after completing his work, he
handed The watch to BrOOmDerry.
Il got 1t from friend Of mine. Why"
Nothing only you've got rare watch,
not - value but IS 10 number. About
thirty ears ago company Of mea built
| a factory al little town called Rgmntv,
! IN Massachusetts. and began 10 manu-
| facture watches; bUt as some sort Of dis
aster befel the concern, only three
watches were ever completed, and this Is
one of them"
"Yoa don't say SOP" exclaimed Broom
! berry. Well. we'll: and | shouldn't have
| known Of he rarity or my property il |
! hadn't broken the crystal in jumping Off
IA tram tins morning. Do vOu know what
! I'm going to do? I'm going to trace this
watch back to the factory if [ can: and
| I'm going to write & description of the
! hands tarOugh which it has passed and
| make book nf it. Won't that be an odd
| little volume. The History Of the WatCh|
! hm much obliged TO yOu, sir You've
! given me an idea, and to a man who is so
unfortunate as TO b. compelled to make
| his living b. thinking, an idea i5 almost Il
! necessity. All. but pardon me for not
| answering your question. ! got the watch
| from Henry Lucas; gave him Sl5 for 1t
about two months ago. II the history
! shouli be interesting enough to print III
| give you copy of it.. Good day.
BrOomberry called on Henry Lucas.
| ii" found his friend absorbed IN running
| np figures IN an immense book.
All BrOomherry. Sit down"
No; haven't time Say. where did
| you get this watch? Only three of them
| made and all that sort Of thing. Just
want 10 get the history Of it. You know"
Il bought il from fellow named Mar.
TN Kelley"
Where do yon suppose | can find
! him?"
He works In the post Office"
Broomberry vent to the postoilice. lie
| had struck 4 now line Of work and was
! delighted. Mr. koliey WIS easily found.
! Il got II from Mark llammonds," said
lie.
The deuca You did" BroOmbarry ex-
claimed. Why he was the cause Of my
| breaking the crystal thls morning. was
talking 20 him and passed my station and
then had to jump off. I'll 90 right down
to the city hall and see INN"
Where did | get it," Hammonds re-
! plea IN n careless sort of way. Well
| let me see. / got 1t from J. II. McPoal, a
| big furniture dealer on the west side"
All right; Ill 90 over there and see
| hm"
The great furniture dealer, a smooth,
| wellfed, bald headed man, Wa busy IN
! his office when Broomberry entered.
We'll, sir. what can | do for you?"
Il came to ask vou about this" said
| Hroombarry, taking ont his watch.
Don't know anything about i, SIT.
| Good-day."
I Excuse me-" said RroomberrY, but
nv frlond, Mark Hammond. Of the city
hall. told me he got it from YOU
An, lot me see II Ies that's So. he
| added when Broomberry had handed him
| the watch; and then with al air Of busl-
! ness as though he had been rather lax
| with the ethics of trade and must now, as
a recovery of principle, make a show of
| buskness, be asked But what about it.
sir what about it?"
Nothing, only l should ike 10 know
whore you got it,
Yes. but I'm very busy to-day ex-
| ceeding busy, sir. Caa't you call some
other time?"
"Oh, OF course: but 1t wont take nm
ute to tell me where you got II if you
| know"
Yes, ycs, that's so: bat I'm extremely
! busy. Let me see we took 1t In parJ pay
ment on lot of furniture from. le- me
Stevens he called.
| 4 man entered and said, yes sir"
"What's the name of that boarding
house woman that couldn't Or rather
wouldn pay for her funlture IN money
and we had to take watch? What is
her name? Quick: I'm busy"
Mrs. Caddo, SIT: 10 LimbIll street" q"
Yes, that's correct. Good dag SIR
BroOmberry fastened TO tbe boarding
house of Mrs. Catdo She would have
| talked an hour about the watch. or by it.
either. She would have told of ,he nnyrl-
| al OF trials that come to the widowed
| keeper of boarding house, and she did
| tell of Il certain harness maker named
Sam Haines, vino had boarded with her,
! who was drunk nearly all the time. who
! positively refused, indeed, in most in
| sultIng manner, 10 pay his board, but
who. after being threatened by the law.
and by certain enormous policeman
who knew the widow quite well, consent
el TO give her his watch.
This Mr. Sam Haines could be found
IL Madison street near Rohey.
Broomberry found the harness. maker
drunk and communicative. He got the
watch OF q certain pawn broker and would
| neglect his work to go and show Broom
berry the place.
"Oh, no [ can find it easily enough, :
said the visitor, taking down The number.
But you cant find 1t as well as If |
went with You.' the accommodating har.
! ness-maker insIst9d. You bet I'll 90
with you. Bet your life on that You're
my friend; bet yonr life on that"
Broomberry FASTENED away and heard
something that sounded like You 90 to
| HI, then; bet your life on that" as he
went out.
The pawn broker remembered the
watch, and turning to his books. said
that 1t mad been sold TO him by one II. ].
Miles 426 RockIand straet.
Broomberry started ont TO look for the
! street and soon discovered that there was
Io such a place He returned 10 the
pawn shop.
The fellow that sold Jon this watch
must have come by It dishonesly.' he
said 10 the broker.
Very likely. SIT. We have no means
OF finding ont you know. All we can 10
IS to take the name and address. or what
we suppose TO be such"
Yes, that's true, suppose Bat do
you think you'd know the man If Won
were 10 see hIm agmn?"
Yes | think So"
Have you ever seen him since he sold
You the watch?"
no, think not"
Il have said boy standing at the
back end of the place.