Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-09-22
DlsARRANcED 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 could hear the bells OF
grandmother's clocks. relates writer
in Youths Companion. Haven't heard
'em since was boy" he said. but
know how they'll sound-all going to-
gether and every one Of 'em right. j
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 century old. Then there's
the banjo clock in the dining-rooml
and the sun in the kitchen-we call II
the sun because OF round hole in the
door-picture to see the pendulum
through. There are three or 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 nowadays"
Half an hour later grandmother
greeted her homecoming flock at the
door Of the neat white farmhouse, and
sent them to their rooms to prepare
for q waiting dinner.
Hello" 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 q
frog when it's getting ready to strike"
Mechanically he pulled out his watch
and consulted 1t. then glanced again at
the clock. He hesitated, then without
comment stepped forward and set the
clock half an hour ahead. Aunt Lettis
smiled, but said nothing.
A little later, entering the kitchen,
he beheld the sun" ticking merrilly In
its accustomed place. Uncle Charles
compared 1t 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 1t 10. Grandmother looked up In
alarm and gazed at the "banjo.clock"
before her. It was, so Uncle Charles
discovered, an hour and half fast.
That alarmed her still more.
Charles" said grandmother. So
verely, nave you been settin' my
clocks?"
"why, yes, mother. fixed the sun
and the 'bullfrog.' They seemed lit
tie off,"
"well, mercy sakes! 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 apologetically to
her daughter-in-law), they're all
clocks that Just won't 60 right. !
know about how much each gains or
loses in q day, so when I hear one
strike I can tell about what time It 10.
For instance, this morning when the
big hall clock struck three, I knew the
hands said quarter to eight The
banjo is an hour slower. SO 1t said
quarter to seven, and would strike ten
in Is minutes. When that struck ten
the sun would say ten minutes to six.
and would be almost ready to strike L.
The sun Is 80 minutes ahead Of the
'bullfrog,' which said quarter to five,
and in 20 minutes would strike three,
and that Is % minutes behind Sarah
Pettit's alarm-clock with the brass
works that she set by the town clock
last week, and isn't more than five
minutes out; SO 1t was about quarter
after Ave and time to get up"
She looked at Uncle Charles re-
proachfully. 81 do declare. Charles"
she said, you've gone and mixed me
up so now d'know's I ever shall get
It figured out again"