The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-15

the shop OF his old friend, the curiosity
dealer, into whose pocket so much oil
his money had gone, for trinkcts gath
cred from nil quarters of the globe. lie
knew il was weakness ON his part ia
select that street when he might have
taken another. but he thought il would
do no harm to treat himself to Ont
glance at the seductive window OF the
old curiosity shop where the dealer was
i'm the habit of displaying his latest at.
Quisitions. The window was never quite
the same. ana il had continued taSci-
nation for Rertram EaStford hut thus
time he said 10 himself rcSolutely. he
would not enter, having, aS he assured
himself. the strength of MUD 10 forege
this temptation. However, he reckohed
without his window for in Il there was
an old ohirct newly displayed when
vanSht his at3cptf0n as ettCCt0ailE rs Il
half.sir{Vca aaa arrests the hem OF
CLOAK, On The central shelf of the Wln-
dow stood SIN boGr glass, It's framew9rN
~ some wood as black rs ebony III"
Stoaa gazing at il for n moment, theh
turned go the door and went inside,
greeting The ant5cat Sbopmau, whom he
knew So we'll
Il want 10 lock al the hour glass You
have in the window" he said.
All. YES" replied the curiosity deal
err. the cheap watch has driven the
hour glass out OF tlfe commercial mar
ket. and we rarely pick up u thing like
that nowadays"
He took the hour glass from the shelf
in the window reversed it and placed 1t
on a table. The ruddy sand began to
pour through into the lower receptacle
in thin. constant stream, as II it were
blood that had been dried and powdered.
Eastford watched the ever-increasing
heap at the bottom, rising conically,
changing its shape every moment as lit
tie avalanches of the sand fell away
from its Tightening sides.
There is no need for you to extol its
antiquity" said EaStford with Il smile.
Il knew the moment | looked ut it thar
such glasses are rare. and you are not
going TO find me Il cheapening Gus
TONER"
so far from over-praising it." pro-
tested the shOpman. Il was about to
call your attention to defect. 1t is
useless as a meaSureer of time"
1T doesn't record the exact hour,
then?" asked Eastford.
''Well. / suppose the truth is they
were not very particular in the old days,
and time was not money as it is now.
1t measures the hour with great ac-
curacy," the curio dealer went on, that
is. if you watch it, but, strangely
enough. after it has run for half an
hour or thereabouts through some de-
feet in the neck of the glass, or in the
pulverizing of the sand, it stops, and
will not go again unless the glass is
shaken"
The hour glass at that moment veri-
fed what the old man said. The tiny
stream Of sand suddenly ceased but
went on again the moment it's owner
Jared the frame. and continued pouring
without interruption.
THAT is very singular said East
ford. How do you account for it?'
II imagine it is caused by some in
equality in the grains of sand. probably
few atoms larger than the others
come together at the neck, and so stop
the percolation. 1t always does it, and
of course, / cannot remedy the matter
because the glass is Theoretically sealed.
well, | don't want it as a time-keep-
er. so we will not allow that defect to
interfere with the sale. How much do
you ask for it?'
The dealer named his price, and East
ford paid the amount asked
THANK YOU" said the customer, tax
ing his leave.
That night in his room. Bertram
Eastford wrote busily until late hour.
When his work was concluded be
pushed away his manuscript with sigh
of that deep contentment which comes
to a man who has not wasted his day.
He replenished his open fire. drew his
most comfortable armchair in front of
it. took the green shade from his lamp,
thus filling the luxurious apartment
with a light that was reflected from ar
NOR and from ancient weapons. stand
ing in corners and hung along the walls.
He lifted the paper-covered package, cut
the string that bound it. and placed the
ancient hour glass ON his table. watch
ing the thin stream of sand which his
action had set running. The constant,
unceasing, steady downfall seemed TO
hypnotic him. Its descent was rs 81
lent as the footsteps of time itself. Sud-
denly it stopped, as it had done in the
shop. and its abrupt ceasing Jared on
his tingling nerves like an unexpected
break in the stiffness. He could almost
imagine an unseen hand clasping the
thin cylinder of the glass and throttling
it. He shook the bygone time measurer,
the sand resumed its motion. Presently
he took the glass from the table and ex-
amined 1T with some attention. He
thought at first its frame was ebony but
further inspection convinced him it was
oak, blackened with age On one round
end was carved rudely two hearts over
tapping. and twined about them pair
of serpents.
Now, | wonder what that's f0rY'
murmured Easterford to himself IAN
attempt at coat-of-arms perhaps"
There was no clew to the meaning of
the hieroglphics, and Easterford. with
the glass balanced on his knee. watched
the sand still running, the crimson
threads sparkling in the lamplight. He
fancied he saw distorted reflections OF
faces in the convex glass, although his
reason told him they We're but carica-
lures of his own. The great bell in the
tower near by with slow solemnity toIIed
II. He counted it's mea sured strokes
one by one and then was startled by y
decisive knock at his door. One section
of his brain considered This visit un+;rna