The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-25
MR. ELDERS m,sroRIc WATCHES.
Timepieces That Mere Carried ny
Napoleon, Josephine snd Henry clay.

Napoleon, Josephine aud Henry clay.
From the kansas city Journal
When any body asks A. r T. Elder what
the time Is be- is liable to answer almost
anything. Tor be has all sorts Of time
Mr. Elder Is a man with a fad and about
90 watches. tie had one 10 every pocket
yesterday one was bis ugly thing that
was presented Co him years ago py an IN
ployer. which looks like II might have
been bought hy the round. but which
keeps time 10 tho second 10 another
pocket ls u watch a. blk. nou as thick,
which has "a dial as plain as a dish and
history that would make any watch proul
Napoleon presented the timrpicce 60 his
old friend and STAR officer. Col Bouton.
The Colonel died SEQ this country in exile
ami his family went broke " but that Is
neither here nor thcrc Al i.5o - clock the
Nnpoiconic watch said IL was not quite
3, but a watch that was carried through
Waterloo and Is slill running may claim
the right 60 DO almost anything.
Al precisely the moment that Napoleon
struck tho hour 80 3. "a gem perfect gem
% watch said h was 40 AMI II snii
what was tho truth This watch D. not 60
old as the Napolooni,. but 81 is az roman
tic u Is genuine Josephine wat. n.
For long time the then Duke - or
leans was a fugitive In the United States
After the Duke came to the French
throne and u hts head swcllei u did not
swell enough 40 make him forget his oid
friends Of this eide ~ the water. Madame
Va Comptcsse Poncetrain had been most
kind to his royal highness. ana IN return
merely as a memento. the hy this tims
King of France sent hcr the daintiest
watch surely HAT ever left che hands or
q maker. IL Is no larger than nfty-cent
piece.no much thicker than q silver dollar.
It's back " Of craven gold. with nose
gny painted by some master hand. ana tho
whole cn1melled IN a way that never has
been surpassed. Even tho ring foe attach
ing the guard is enameilcd Tho d'al. as
q contrast. ia absolutely without orna-
mentation.
A much more handsome dial o. that on a
watch owned by Horny CLAY This watch
was presented 20 Mr. clay by a Mr. Wat
kins. at tho time Mayor Of New orletns.
n Is entirely Of gold. case dial hands and
even tho plates which hold the works to
gether As n when the order was given 10
make the watch there had been NJ limit
put on tho expense the works are arraug-
ID in the form Of a epread eagle. The
timeplcce must hive cost $50 To make
but II rs supposed TO be worth three
times that amount
Nj Elder seems 10 prize his Clay watch
moat. but the two French watches are the
the most popular. he confesses. Tho tig
one. tho one Napoleon owned. g. "a tri-
umph II has a music box inside, play
ing no less than twelve tunes. one FOR
each Of the hours The watch has never
been out Of repair. and from the looks
Of the inside a complicated watch Gl1d n
whole music box the thought OF repairing
" Is distressing.
Il do not sell these" Mr. Elder saws.
Il buy them the came - some buy paint
ings The ring ! have on was once own
"a bv Lafayette. ! always liked watches.
I can remember years ago getting hold Of
my brothers watch. II was one OF the
oh-fnshionei bulls eye affairs. In his
absence 7 took II an 10 pieces. When be
discovered me ne gave me a laundering
humping I got up. put the works to
gether filed my hat with stones and ran
that brother Of mine all over the farm.
7 fairly dote on an old watch. They are
glorious. but this Clay watch IS my Ia
vorite"
Il may be. but 10 the layman the Ma
poleon great affair with SIS stately min
uetE and Ave marches IN the music depart
ment and 90 the lay woman the sweetest
OF Josephine watches. are the favorites.