The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-09

cheese presses, against the wall facing
the window, and from the first IL had
the air of being the most important
piece OF furniture in the room. But it
was only when l became more used to
the ways of the household that fully
realized the part that il played. The
beauty OF the case had gained my re-
spect at once the fine and delicate in
laying OF brass i'm the polished wood,
the brass dial-plate. with it's quaint en-
craving OF sun, moon and stars, the
beautifully wrought iron hands-these
had the homage that was their due
long before l learnt the sovereign
power of the old clock itself. Every
thing about the house was regulated
by il. The animals outside Listened for
the stroke of the hour before they be-
gan their clamors. Georgie had diff
ferent tune for every quarter that II
struck OF the allotted time for churn-
ing. If the clock said nine the family
went to- bed, though my watch only
pointed to ten minutes past eight. But
they were wise i'm their generation. for
they knew the old tyrant would have
have them out Of bed again before I'm
the morning.
The first hint OF this despotism came
10 me on Sunday morning. when the
family was preparing for church. Mrs.
Pimlott was hurrying Ann over her
toilet. and | Looked at my watch and
found there was plenty of time to
spare.
"The clock is fast. Mrs. Plmlott." I
said. "You will he much too early If
you start now"
ooh. we always go by the clock" she
answered pleasantly; and the boys
smiled as If there were something very
humorous in the idea Of starting for
church by the time of anybody's watch.
But the tyranny of the old clock was
seen at it's mildest OF Sunday morning.
ON Saturday night the greatest cere-
mony Of winding took place. and in
the earlier part OF that day the clock
set all inferior timekeepers, including
the sun, at defiance. 1t usually gained
from 20 To - minutes in seven days. and
as Il was always set half an hour fast.
YOU could count. toward the end OF the
week. on having dinner an hour earlier
than YOU ordered IT, 1t was exactly
the same If an appointment had to be
kept or a train caught.
There was an attitude Of contempt
u0us pity I'm the household 40 rthe peo-
pie whose clocks did not keep the same
time I had an unavsiling argument
with John on the subject. He admit.
ted that the old clock was "a bit faster
than other clocks" but he could not
SEQ that IL was any the worse for that
and as FOR it's being set half an hour
fast-well. IL might he fast by my time,
or London time. but II was the time
they kept I'm that part. No; he couldns Z
say Who started il. nor when " was
started. III had always been like that
~ long as he could remember. station
timer oh. nobody went by station time
not even the trains Farmers couldn't
trust to- station time. And church tims
was something between, II was all n
matter of custom. In Ireland he un-
derstood they were half an hour SLOW.
That wouldn't suit i'm Cheshire. John
was still young enough to- feel great
pride when he wore his fathers watch
ui market days. u was not very long
since the day hts mother had first en-
trusted him With Co. aud HAD watched
with anxious -eXns as hc af.4t-----ft fifth
his sister in the Old spring csft. Psrnaps
tha moat important dutN on market day
was that ~ bringing back tho time 90
~ was a function as serious ~ the an
cient one of bringing homo the sacred
Gre. and N could scarcely have hren
performed successfully save by the old