Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-05-18
TOLD IN THE
SMOKING CAR
Tie Strange Yarn OF an IdOlIzed
Town Clock.

Town Clock. I
Jones. the commuter. always read his
morning paper during the time occu-
pied by the transit OF his regular morn
lug train aud ferryboat to this city.
On the a home at night be invari-
ably played whist In the smoker with
three Of his fellow tOwusmeu. He had
been n commuter ten years. From all
his II may be inferred that Jones was
a creature Of habit. And so one night
when a seedy looking stranger with a
long red nose, baggy cheeks and a wild
glare In his Eyes dropped into the seat
usually occupied by his playing part
ncr. Unison. Jones was visibly annoy
ed. while his two fellow commuters,
who had been waiting for the tardy
Jimson with their whist board on their
knees. shifted In disgust.
The stranger. nothing daunted. how
ever. gazed at the three commuters
with a PARKWAY look In his Eyes and
gave yent TO an occasional %cavernous
High. which seemed to come from the
depths OF despair. Not a word did he
utter. and the commuters were too
busy with plans for ousting the stran-
ger in event Of Jlmson's appearance to
think OF aught else. Meanwhile the
train began to move out of the station,
and. as Jlmson had failed to appgar-lt
sometimes happened so with one of the
party Jones decided to invite the
stranger TO take a hand in the prospec-
tive game. Before he could speak,
however. the man heayed another sigh.
gnzPd bcseechingly at The commuters
and said:
"Geutlemen. far be II from me TO In.
trHde rpou the preparations which you
have made for indulgence In the noble
game Of whist. but I can remain silent
no longer. I feel that | must speak and
reveal the terrible secret which burns
IN my bosom Ike a white hot brand.
Yes. | must Tell all. The weakness
grows upon me now. but ere | die lis
ten 10 the story Of the downfall OF the
village Of my nativity. and when you
have heard 1t let your sympathy 90
ont TO me. Ead percbance my troubled
soul may hud the respite and the balm
which Il seeks. Listen!" The com.
muters listened.
"liy name continued the stranger,
as Harkins-H. Ellington Harkins-
and | live. or. rather. lived. In Back
Vile. Conn. II Is Of this town that
intend to speak and the downfall of
which makes me what | amt mlsan-
thrope. a wanderer upon the face Of
the earth.
"Backville was a very old town. and
It's Inhabitants had lived there for gen.
Grafton upon generation. A new fam
iIy rarely moved into the town. and
no one ever moved ont OF II except
when he or she died. Backville was a
very peculiar town. II had little or
nothing to do with the rest of the
world and considered itself sufficient
unto Itself.
Now. Ike all small towns. Backville
had n town clock. had had II for 20
years. and In all that time the clock
had never been known to devlate a
fraction OF a second from the exact
time RackvillP swore by that clock
1t was the acme of all that was faith
full and reliable. Indeed ! may say that
all the cardinal virtues clustered
around thai clock. When a citizen OF
Backville said that a person was as nc
curate or as perfect az the town clock,
be could say no more: he had touched
the heights Of praise. Children were
directed to emulate the goodly exam
pie OF the town clock. The office OF
winder OF the clock was the most i'm.
por1ant ana withal the most lucrative
place IN the gift OF the town. The
conditions Of which | speak had OK
listed for 40 years. and 10 every one OF
those years faith 10 the clock had 10
creased until IL finally became an ob
ject Of w%orshipful alteration You may
readily understand how such might bt
the case.
"Onp morning, three years ago. the
town awoke as usual and prepared FOL
the days work. II soon began TO b'
rumored about. however. that some
thing was the matter with the town
This rumor became an established fac
when II was discovered that when ev
cry clock aud watch in town pointed {,
b o'clock the town clock. the ~
liable and faithful town clock. gave 10
duhltnhlp evidence that Il was hut
O'Clock. or curse there was but ou'
thing 10 DO. The town clock cOuldn'
he wrong. 30 all watches and clock
We're sei back 20 I o'clock or taken q
the Jewellers 20 he regulated NJ.
watch was not. was very proud o
my iinrpirrr aud I lei IL hon In th
Interest Of srirnce purify In the lntpi
esi uf srirn-r gentlemen rfasonr.
thar my wntrh ruuld not ny the lea
possibility nave gained an hour 10
slng'c nigli and the possibilities ~ N
town clock losing an hour 10 the Snu
space were equally remote. The snI
solution Of the case which presenie