Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-11-25
Saint Narg's Beacon
THE CLOCK WINDER.
A NEW YORK MAN WHO MAKES HIS
LIVING At THIS CALLING.

LIVING At THIS CALLING.
whlms of sosns 90 uis PstFons whose
TImepleess Ne Leeks Afsss-MyseeFy e
shs Cseek Thas wsuId Not Co On Friday.
Twsasy Clocks I'm 0se House.
Clock winding seems a simple enough
task to be performed by owners for
their respective timepieces. but there are
many people who find it sufficiently
burdensome % make them delegate it 20
somo one else Hence has arisen the
profession Of clock winder. which as
yet claims probably fewer members
than any ether calling I'm the city For
some years jewelers. have attended 90
the repairing Of clocks which they sold
and have even looked after the winding
where this was especially desired. but
they never tried 20 obtain this kind Of
business. and u was done merely IN an
accommodation % their customers Now
there ~ &C least one man I'm New York
there may DO more. though not many
Whose only occupation 10 the wind.
ing. regulating and occasional cleaning
of clocks for numerous familiea He
makes daily rounds 30 as 20 cover his
entire route. but he never visits the
same house oftener than once d week
On that day has coming Ii expected. and
he has FREQ access 90 all the rooms.
whether they are occupied at the time
81 not Through the various halls and
apartments he goes. from the top OF the
house TO the bottom. winding the clocks
aud giving a touch here and there TO u
regulator where he finds it necessary
OF course he does not pay any attention
20 the little nickel alarm clocks. which
run tor only one day His care. being
gwen weekly. Is spent upon the eight
day CLOCKS Of more expensive design and
workmanship
The clock winder whom The Tribune
reporter saw had several stories to tell
about the pursuit of his occupation
Some people are very particular about
the striking OF their clocks. he said.
They will ask me u can arrange to
have ali the tImepieces IN the house
strike together Now. as O general
thing that ~ an impossibility. aud III
tell Won why some clocks are arranged
To strike Just half q minute before the
hour some for quarter of q minute
before. some for few seconds after the
hour aud 50 ON iou SEQ II fixed them
20 that they would strike together they
would nat be- exactly together IN point
OF actuai time. which ~ more important
la one house on my list the family owns
20 clocks Of these suppose or g.
perhaps more--strIke IN unison. and
the others all within minute Ny or.
ders in this house are To have all the
clocks except one nc precisely the cor.
rect time This odd org ~ the timepAece
IN the bedroom of the mistress of the
house. and she wishes II kept three
minutes fast think that II the only
instance among my customers of any.
body who wants u clock psrpetually
last. and ! am very certain thers, u no
one who asks me TO keep one slow
When ! undertake the care of tho
clocks IA II house. nobody else is allow
ed TO touch them. aud the servants I'm
particular have orders never to r.sove or
Interfere with them IN any way Stsme-
times this II done accidentally. and il
~ hard 90 find out how the clock has
been injured A few months agn lost
one Ut my best houses because there was
one clock which ] could not seem to
pat IN proper order would take il
away cieab 10 thoroughly and look 20
every smallest part Of the mechanism
Apparently u made no difference The
clock positively refused To- run right
Finally gave 70 mp. aud that family
had msghty poor opinion Of my abil
ities as u click rrpaircr
Some weeks after that ! came across
u clock in another house which acted in
exactly the Same way was puzzled
Tor awhile Finally Noticed that 10 al.
ways stopped On Fridays That was
queeres than ever. until by chance hit
upon the solution of the mystery The
servant. while busting the room ON that
day. was in the habit Of passing her
cloth along the mantle under the clock
THIS would have made no difference
with many timepieces. but this one had
AN open bottom. through which the tip
OF the pendulum projected The busting
cloth Just touched this enough to stop
It The girl did not know what she had
done. and thus the family were mysti.
tied anew each week by finding that the
clock would not 20 ON Friday
clean all my clocks regularly once
III two years. and IN that way keep them
ia proper running. order Most people
think that It Is just as well to- lee q
clock run until II stops. fairly clogged
up with dirt but that ism 80 By that
time u may be 40 bad that It will be
impossible ever to make &c run as accu
rateiy a. u did before
am usually paid by the month TO
take entire charge of all the clocks IN q
house t being understood that I make
weekly visits Sometimes. though. 1
am employed by the year In the case
Of the house was telling you Of. where
they have W clocks. they pay me 300
annually tor the work 10 takes q good
deaf OF my time IN the course Of ~
mouths. and | don ill my pockets as
last as some folks seem To think
ought. concluded the clock winder
with a smile New York Tribune.