Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-01-20
THE HISTORY Of THE WATCH.
By 0PIE READ.
tCopyright, 1899. by opis Read.I


Buren, street station. Just before reach.
ing 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
Yreat 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,b had a 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 Broomberry.
determined not to miss an appointment,
| Jumped off the train He looked at his
| watch n minute later and found that in
| jumping off he had broken the crystal
He kept his appointment and then
stepped into a jewelers. to get new
| crystal
"Where did you'get itH" the jeweler
asked when, after completing his work.
he handed the watch to Broomberry.
81 got it from friend of mine
Whyr"
Nothing Only you've got a 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 swell, well. and-I should
not have known Of the rarity of my
property IL hadn't broken the crystal
In jumping eff train this morniDgl
Do you know what I'm going to dot
I'm going to trace this watch back to
the factory IL | can, and I'm going to
write description Of the hands through
which II has passed and make book Of
IL. Won't that be an odd little volume,
The History Of the WatchH' l am
much obliged to you, sir. You've given
me an idea, and, to man who Is 80
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 $40 for Ii about two months ago
II the history should be interesting
enough to print. I'll give you a copy Of
IL Good dayi'
| Broomberry called on Henry Lucas
He found his friend absorbed in the
work Of framing mp" figures in an
immense book.
"Ah. Broomberryi Sit down.
| mo ! haven't time Say, where
did you get this watchr Only three Of
them made and all that sort Of thing
Just want to get the history Of it, you
know.
~ bought it from a fellow named
Martin Kelly "
where do you suppose can find
him2'
"He works in the postoffice.
Broomberry went TO the postoffice
He had struck u 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 IN
90 right down to the city hall and see
him.
Where did get II" Hammonds re.
piled in a careless sort of way. "Well.
iaf I n Il
a big furniture dealer on the West
side
"All right ri go over there and see
him.
| The great furniture dealer-a smooth.
well fed, baldheaded man-was busy in
his office when Broomberry entered.
| well. sir. what can do for your
81 came to ask you about this" said
Broomberry. taking ont the watch
\ Don't know anything about 1t. sir
Good dayl"
Excuse me. said Broomberry. "but
my friend, Mark Hammonds Of the
city hall. told me that he got it from
i YOU"
"Ahl Let me see 1t. Yes. that's SO,
he added. when Broomberry had handed
him the watch, and then, with an air
of business, rs though he had been
rather lax with the ethics Of trade and
must now. as recovery Of principle,
make a show Of briskness. he asked.
But what about it, sir-what about
|it2'
Nothing Only | should like to
| know where Won not II -
"Yes, but l am very busy today-ex.
ceedinsly busy, sir Can't you call some
other timer
| "Oh, Of counsel But it won't take q
minute to tell me where you got il If