The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-10-20
DIsARRANoED HER CLOCKS
Grandmother Had Them All Set
Wrong and Couldn't Tell Time
with Them Right.

Long before the Western express
had come within whistling distance OF
the summerville station Uncle Charles
declared he cvsld hear the bells OF
grandmother's clocks. relates a writer
In Youths Companion. Haven't heard
EN- since was boy" he said. but !
know how they'll sound--all going TO-
gether and every one Of 'em right |
tell you. Lettie. you ought to have
mothers sense Of time You can't even
keep our mantel clock straight. Why,
mother has a hall clock seven feet high
and over a century old. Then there's
the banjo clock In the diningroom,
and the sun in the kitehen-we call II
the sun because OF a round hole in the
door-picture TO see the pendulum
through. There are three OF four
others besides, and the way mother
keeps them straight is a marvel. II
must be the old wooden wheels. Moth
ing like them made nowadaysl"
Half an hour later grandmother
greeted hes homecoming flock at the
door Of the neat white farmhouse, and
sent them to their rooms TO prepare
for a waiting dinner
"Helloi" said Uncle Charles. as he
followed Aunt Lettie into the east
chamber. There's Uncle Hiram Doty's
old 'bullfrog clock. Has a voice like
frog when It's getting ready 10 strike"
Mechanically he pulled out his watch
and consulted u. then glanced again at
the clock. He hesitated. then without
comment stepped forward and set the
clock half an hour ahead Aunt Lettie
smiled. but said nothing.
A little later. entering the kitchen,
he beheld the "sun" ticking msrrilly in
its accustomed place Uncle Charles
compared Il with his watch. Grand.
mother was out Of the room. Stealthily
he opened the clock door and moved
the hands back 20 minutes
Dinner had hardly begun when from
east chamber and kitchen came stimuli.
taneously wheeling and banging OF
bells The sun" counted six and
stopped The -bullfrog" did better and
made It - Grandmother looked mp I'M
alarm ana gazed at the ''banjo-clook' =
before her Il was. 50 Uncle Charles
discovered. an hour and a half fast
That alarmed her still more
Charles. said grandmother. Sc
verely. nave you been settin' my
eloeks?"
why. yes. mother fixed the sun
and the 'bullfrog They seemed III
tie on.
'Well. mercy sakesl How ever shall
| tell the time now"
by them. Of course They're right
now"
Yes, but they won't be tomorrow.
You see. Lettie" (this apoiogeticnlly to
her daughter.ln-law1 They're all
clocks that just won't 90 right 4
know about how much each gains or
loses In a day 20 when hear one
strike can tell about what time II Is.
For instance. this morning when the
big hall clock struck three knew the
hands said quarter to eight The
banjo is an hour slower. 50 Il said
AAsAtEf " offFHs anu #9AaA 81 Ahf NlA
IN IS minutes When that struck ten
the sun would say ten minutes 20 six.
and would BE- almost ready 10 strike u
The sun Is 50 minutes ahead OF the
'hullfrog which said quarter 70 i've,
and IN 20 minutes would strike three,
and that is 25 minutes behind Sarah
pettit's alarm-clock with the brass
works that she set b. the town clock
last week. and isn't more than fye
minutes out. 20 # vas about quarter
after fvs and time to get up
She looked at Uncle Charles re-
proaehfully. Il DO declare Charles
she said. you've gone and mixed me
up 80 now d'kn0ws I ever shall get
IL deuFed out again