Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-10-26
THE CLOCK WINDER.
A NEW YORK MAN WHO MAKES HE
LIVING At THIS CALLING.

Whins % some Of His Pssro.s whsss
risepieess He Lsohs After-Mysaery 81
The Clock That Would Not Go % Friday
Twssty Ciosks In One Heass.
Clock winding seems u simple enough
task to be performed by owners for
their respective timepieces, but there are
many people who find it sufficiently
burtiensome 10 make them delegate IL to
some one else Hence has arisen the
profession Of clock winder, which as
yet claims probably fewer members
than any other calling in the city. For
some years jewellers have attended to
the repairing Of clocks which they sold
and have even looked after the winding
where this was especially desired, but
they never tried to obtain this kind OF
business. and IL was done merely ~ an
accommodation to their customers Now
there Is at least one man in New York.
there may be more, though not many
-whos~ ouly occupation Is the wind
ing. regulating and occasional cleaning
of clocks for numerous fnmilies He
makes daily rounds so as to cover his
entire route. but he never visits the
same house oftener than once week.
On that day his coming is expected. and
he has free access to all the rooms,
whether they are occupied at the time
or not Through the various halls and
apartments he goes. from the top Of the
house to the bottom. winding the clocks
aud giving n touch here and there to a
regulator where he finds IL necessary
" course he does not pay any attention
TO the little nickel alarm clocks. which
run for only one day His care. being
given weekly. Is spent upon tho 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.
'Thcy will ask me IL can't arrange TO
have all the timepicces in the house
strike together Now, rs general
thing that is an impossibility. and III
tell you why Some clocks are arranged
To strike Just half minute before the
hour, some for quarter Of minute
before. some for few seconds after the
hour and so on You see II ! fixed them
50 that they wonld strike together they
would not DO exactly together in point
Of actual time. which Is more important
In ono house on my list the family owns
20 clocks OF these suppose or g.
perhaps more-striko In unison, and
the others all within minute My or
ders In this house are to have all the
clocks except one nc precisely the cor
rect time This odd one is the timcpicce
IN the bedroom Of the mistress Of tho
house. and she wishes il kept three
minutes fast think that Is the only
instance among my customers Of any.
body who wants clock perpctually
fast. and am very certain there Is no
ono who asks me to keep one slow.
When | undertake the care OF the
clocks in house. nobody else Is allow
cd To touch them, and the servants In
particular have orders never to move or
| interfere with them in any way. Some
times this Is done accidentally. and IL
Is hard to find ont how the clock has
been injured a few months ago lost
one Of my best houses because there was
| one clock which | could not seem to
pu, in proper order. would take It
away. clean 1t thoroughly and look to
every smallest part Of the mechanism.
Apparently IL made no difference The
clock positively refused to run right.
Finally gave IL up, and that family
had mighty poor opinion Of my abil-
tiles ms clock rVpairer
Some weeks after that came across
a clock in another house which acted IN
exactly the same way. was puzzled
for awhile. Finally noticed that il nj
ways stopped ON Fridays That was
queerer than ever. until by chance hit
upon the solution Of the mystery. Tho
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-
fed anew each week by finding that the
clock would not go on Friday
Il clean all my clocks regularly once
in two years. and IN that way keep them
In proper running order Most people
think that it is just Us well TO let a
clock run until II stops, fairly clogged
mp with dirt. but that isn't so. BY that
time u may be so bad that II will be
| impossible ever to make il run as accu-
rntely rs u did before
II am usually paid by the month to
take entire charge of all the clocks IN u
house, II being understood that | make
weekly visits Sometimes. though, !
am employed by the year In the case
| Of the house was telling you of. where
they have 20 clocks, they pay me 500
annually for the work II takes u good
deal Of my time III the course Of IL
months. and ! don't fill my pockets as
fast as some folks seem to think /
ought, concluded the clock winder
| with a smile. New York Tribune.
Pas Prayers.
Once upon time sickness came to