Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-01-28
FACES.
IL Bot Which Showed That They Arc Not
All Rfndo AHA F

WATCH FACES. Z.
u Bet Which Showed That They Arc Nst
All Made Alike.
Several men were smoking and
talking in the Office of a hotel in
one of the larger towns of West
Virginia when a stranger said:
"I'll bet $40 with any man here
that he can't put down on a piece
of paper the hours as they appear
on che face of my watch"
At this announcement the face of
one of the natives lighted up with
pleasurable anticipation of winning
the money, but he hadn't enough
cash about him to cover the stran.
gers money, 80 he took a friend of
In a corner and said:
"Rube, this is a snap. That
stranger thinks the watch face sell
hasn't come this far yet, but 1 read
all about it in the paper week be-
fore last. Didn't youf"
mo, I didn't, Jim," replied Rube.
what Is there in it7"
cts just this: Most people, when
they are asked to put down the
hours on a piece of paper, will write
the letters all correct till they get
to 4 o'clock, and then they'll put
down "; but all watches have four
rs instead. Then when they get to
8 they'll put down VI, when the
fact is there is no figure there at all
on the watch face, because the space
Is taken up with the second hand"
"1s that soa" asked Rube.
Eyes"
"Then why don't you bet with
him and win his money!"
1--WE only IS. You put up IS,
and we'll make 1t $40 and walk of
with his cash."
Here's your g." replied Rube,
producing a bank note.
Then Jim went over to the crowd,
where the stranger was still trying
to get a taker for his wager, and an
nounced that he had the money to
bet.
The stranger produced q $40 note,
and that, with the capital of the
two friends, was placed in the hands
Of the clerk.
Nov write out the hours" said
the stranger.
Jim took a pencil and made a cir
Gle as well as he could. It had a
few Commissions inits circumference,
but that didn't matter.
As Jim made his Roman numerals
every eye watched him with inter
est, and as he put down the four rs
he remarked:
Stranger, you had an idea that
we didn't know about this trick
here, but you see we do" Then he
went on, carefully emitting the vi
for 8 and explaining verbally why
this number did not appear on the
watch face. AS he finished the XII
he exclaimed, with a satisfied air:
There you are. I guess you'll
findsthat right"
.prhat is the way the hours are
put on my watch face, is it3" asked
the stranger.
Yves, that is the way the hours
are put on all watch faces" replied
Jim. Let's see your watch"
The watch was produced, and in
stead of the hours being printed in
Roman notation there they were in
Arabic numerals.
well, I'll swowl" gasped Jim.
The stranger put the money In
his pocket without saying a word.
Detroit Free Press.
The Bull and the Government Papers.
Here Isl oomical adventure that
some members of an English ord
nance survey met with while tour
ing in the south of Scotland. In the
prosecution Of their calling they en-.
tered a field belonging to a crusty
old farmer. Seeing the strangers
looking about IN a way he could not
understand, the farmer approached.
What Ire We lettering in the
field forY"
"Oh, we have a right to go any.
where" returned one Of the compa.
ny. 1--WE are surveying, and here
are our government papers,"
Paper here or paper there" re.
turned the farmer, loot ye gang Dol
o. my field"
mo, we shan't," returned the
man, land you are rendering your.
self liable to prosecution for inter,
rupting u.s."
The farmer said no more, but
went over to his shed, which opened
into the field, and let out a vicious
bull. The bull no sooner saw the
redcoats than he went for them il
full career. The surveyors snatched
up their theodolite and few for thei,
lives, while the old farmer, in great
glee, yelled after them:
what are ye running for9 Car
ye no show the bull yer government
~papers4"-Harper's Round Table.
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