El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-08
EAsTFORD had i


of his money had gone for
trinkctS gathered from all
quarters of the globe. He knew it was
weakness on his part tn select that
street when he might have taken an
other. but he thought it would do no
harm to treat himself To one glance ar
the seductive window of the old curiosi-
ty shop whore the dealer was in the
habit Of displaying his latest acquisi-
tions. The window was never quite
the same. aud il had Il continued faSci-
nation for Ber,ram Eastford but this
time he said tn himself resolutely he
would NOT enter, having. AZ he assured
this temptation. However. lie reckon
eel without his window. for in il there
was an old object newly displayed
which caught his attention as cffectual-
ly hair driven nail arrests the hem
of IL cloak. on the central shelf of the
window stood an hourgliSS, its frame
work of SoTnc wood as black as ebony
He. stood gazing M it for moment
then turned to the door and went in
side. greeting the ancient Shopman.
whom he knew 81 we'll.
Il want To- look at the ho,lrglaSS YOU
have I'm the window he said.
.'Ah, yes" replied the curiosity deal
er, the cheap watch has driven the
hourglass out of the commercial mar
ket, and we rarely pick up "a thing like
that nowadays"
He took the hourglaSS from the shelf
I'm the window. reversed it and placed
1t on Il table. The ruddy sand began
To pour through into the lower recepta-
al. ,,,
We're blood that had been dried and
powdered. Eastford watched the ever
increasing heap ut the bottom. rising
conically, changing its shape every mo
ment as little avalanches OF the sand
fell away from its frightening sides.
There is no need for you TO extol Its
antiquity" said Eastford. with a smile
Il knew the moment | looked at 1t that
such glasses are rare, and you are rot
going to find me- a cheapening Gus
TONER"
so far from overpraising it," pro-
tested Nh" shOpman, II was about to
call your attention to a defect. 1t Is
useless as a measurer of time"
ut doesn't record the exact hour
them" asked Eastford.
We'll. l suppose the truth is they
were not very particular in the old
days. and time WIS not money as il is
now 1t measures the hour with great
accuracy. the curio dealer went on.
that is. If you watch it: but. strange
ly enough. after il has run for half an
hour or thGreabouts. through some de
feet in the neck of the glass or in the
pulyerizinE of the sand. it stops and
VIII not go again unless the glass *
shaken.
The hourglaSs ut that moment veri-
fled what the old man said. The tiny
stream OF sand suddenly ceased. but
went on again the moment its owner
Jared the frame aud continued pour
ing without interruption.
THAT is very singular" said East
ford. HON Ito you account for it,"
Il imagine it is caused by some in
euuahty in the grains of sand. Proba-
bly, Il few atomS larger than the others
come together ut the neck and so stop
the percoiation. Il always does it, ahd
of course ! cannot remedy the matter
because the glass is Theoretically seal
eel.
, The dealer named his price, and
Eastford paid the amount asked.
That night in his room Bcrtram East
ford wrote busily until "a late hour.
When his work WAS concluded. he
pushed away his manuscript with n
sigh OF that deep contcntment which
comes To u man who has not wasted
his day. He placed the ancient hour
glass on his table. watching the thin
stream of sand which his action had
set running. The constant. uuccasing