Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-07-06
The HISTORY OF THE WATCH.
By oPIE READ.
Copyright, 1899, by opie Read. !,


ing that point an acquaintance sat
down beside him and began to talk
about murder that had been commit
ted just a year before on the North
Side, Chicago. Being a city hall man,
Broomberry's acquaintance knew a
great deal about the murder. He knew
old Kloptock. the victim, and in an ex.
ceedingly discreet and sunken voiced
manner he intimated to Broomberry
that he had pretty shrewd idea as to
who committed the deed.
By this time the train had passed the
| Van Buren, street station-was Just
pulling out. in fact-and Broom berry,
determined not to miss an appointment,
jumped off the train. He looked at his
watch a minute later and found that in
jumping off he had broken the crystal.
He kept his appointment and then
stepped into jewelers. to get new
crystal
where did you get it," the jeweler
asked when, after completing his work.
he handed the watch to Broomberry.
~ got it from friend of mine
Why?"
Nothing. Only you've got rare
watch. not in value, but as to number.
About 80 years ago company Of men
built factory at little town called
Romney, in Massachusetts,, and began
to manufacture watches; but, as some
sort of disaster befell the concern, only
three watches were ever completed. and
| this is one of them,
"You don't say SOL exclaimed
Broomberry "Weli, well, and l should
not have known of the rarity of my
property if hadn't broken the crystal
in jumping eff train this morningl
Do you know what I'm going to do?
I'm going to trace this watch back to
the factory if | can, and I'm going to
write description of the hands through
which it has passed and make book of
it. Won't that be an odd little volume
The History of the Watch?' am
much obliged to you, sir. You'v given
me an idea, and. to man who is so
unfortunate as to be compelled to make
his living by thinking, an idea is al
most necessity All, but pardon me
for not answering your question: got
the watch from Henry Lucas; gave
him s45 for it about two months ago.
If the history should be interesting
enough to print, I'll give you copy Of
it. Good dayl'
Broomberry called on Henry Lucas
He found his friend absorbed in the
work of running up figures in an
immense book
"Ah, Broomberry Sit DOWN.
mo l haven't time. Say, where
did you get this watch? Only three of
them made and all that sort of thing
Just want to get the history of it. you
know.
II bought it from fellow named
Martin Kelly. ;"
where do you suppose can find
him?'
"He works in the postoffice
Broomberry went to the postoffice.
He had struck new line of work and
was delighted Mr. Kelly was easily
found
II got it from Mark Hammonds.
said he
"The deuce you didl" Broomberry
exclaimed. why, he was the cause Of
my breaking the crystal this morning.
| was talking to him and paased my
station and then had to jump off. I'll
go right down to the city hall and see
him
"Where did get it," Hammonds re-
piled in careless sort of way. "Well,
let me see. got it from j. H. McPeal,
big furniture dealer on the West
Side.
"All right I'll go over there and see
him =
The great furniture dealer-a smooth,
well fed, baldheaded man-was busy in
his office when Broomberry entered.
swell, sir. what can do for your
II came to ask you about this, said
Broomberry. taking out the watch.
Don't know anything about it, sir
Good day"
Excuse me- said Broomberry, "but
my friend, Mark Hammonds Of the
city hall. told me that he got it from
you.
"Ah! Let me see it. Yes, that's so,
he added, when Broomberry had handed
him the watch. and then, with an air
of business as though he had been
rather lax with the ethics Of trade and
must now, as recovery of principle,
make show of briskness, he asked,
But what about it. sir-what about
it?
Nothing Only should like to
know where you got it"
Eyes but am very busy today-ex-
ceedinsly busy, sir. Can't you call some
| other timer
"Oh, Of Counsel But it won't take
minute to tell me where you got it if
you know
eyes, yes, that's So But I'm ex.
tremely busy Let me see. We took it
IN part payment on lot of furniture
from, let me--Stevens, he called.
A man entered and said, eyes, sir.
Whats the name of that boarding
house woman that couldn't. or rather
wouldn't, pay for her furniture in
money. and we had to take a watch?
What is her name2 Quick; I'm busy
"Mrs Caddo. sir: 742 Limbill
street
eyes. that's correct. Good day, sirr