The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-07-04
THE HISTORY OF THE WATCH.
By 0PIE READ.
Copyright, 1900. by opio Read,

Town, intending TO get of ut the Van
Buren street station. Just before reach.
tng that point an acquaintance sat
down beside him and began to talk
about murder that had been commit
ted just u year before on the North
Side, Chicago. Being 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 etatiou-was Just
pulling out, in fact-and Broomberry,
determined not to miss an appointment,
Jumped off the trsin. He looked at his
watch 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 it9" the jeweler
asked when, after completing his work,
he handed the watch to Broomberry
81 got 1t 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 a 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. "Well, well. and should
not have known of the rarity Of my
property If l hadn't broken the crystal
In jumping off train this morning
Do you know what I'm going to doP
I'm going to trace this watch back to
the factory if l can, and I'm going to
write description Of the hands through
which 1t has passed and make book Of
1t. Won't that be an odd little volume,
The History of the Watch2 am
much obliged to you, sir. You've given
me an idea, and. to man who il 80
unfortunate as to be compelled to make
his living by thinking, an idea is al
most a necessity. Ah. but pardon me
for not answering your question: l got
the watch from Henry Lucas; gave
him $45 for 1t about two months ago.
If the history should be interesting
enough to print, III give you a copy of
It, Good dayr'
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.
"No haven't time. Say, where
did you get this watch2 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 I can find
him2'
"He works in the postoffice.
broomberry went to the postoffice.
He had struck new line Of wor' and
was delighted Mr.. Kelly was easily
&ound
II got it from Mark Hammonds,"
said he.
'"The deuce You didI" Broomberry
exclaimed "Why. he was the cause of
my breaking the crystal this morning.
j 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 % Hammondsre-
piled in careless sort of way. "Well,
let me see. got it from j. II. McPeal
a big furniture dealer on the West
Side"
"All right. I'll go over there and see
him"
The great furniture dealer-a smooth,
we'll fed, baldheaded man-was busy IN
his '>h!ce when Broomberry entered.
"Well, 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 dayl"
EXCUSE me, said Broomberry, "but
my friend, Mark Hammonds Of the
city hall. told me that he got 1t from
YOU"
"Ahl Let me see it. Yes, that's 3d."
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 brskness, he asked,
1'Ns "hdo uDOuL IL, SlT-WnaL
itP"
Nothing Only 1 should like TO
know where you got it,.
J "Yes, but am very busy today.-ex-
ceedin5ly busy, sir. Can't you call some
other timer"
"Oh, Of coursel But it won't take a
minute to tell me where you got it if
you know
"Yes, yes, that's SO. But I'm ex-
itremely busy Let me see We took It
an part payment on lot of furniture
from. let me-Stevens, he called.
fate man entered and said, eyes, sir."
nrs uncert's the name Of that boarding
ed and thnan that couldn't. or rather
,"> 4ldn't, pay for her furniture In
money, and we had to take q watchP
What Is her name9 Quick; I'm busy"
"Mrs Caddo. sir; TAB Limbill
street.
eyes, that's correct Good day, siri"
Broomberry hastened TO the boarding
house Of Mrs Caddo She would have
talked an hour about the watch, or by
it either. She would have told Of the
myriad Of trials that come to the wild