Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-08-20
REGULATING WATCH
By BARRY PAIN.

terror, and gave one touch with an in
strument. Then he closed the watch with
q snap and handed 1t back. "Youll find
that all right now, sir, he said.
Thank you, said the old man as he
fumbled for his purse. And how much
will that be-"
We make no charge for that, sir"
Il see" said the old man. ITS to be
anything like. Very well; here's six
pence for you.
The proud young matchmaker pushed
the coin back again. Il meant what
said, sir. There is no charge"
Then all | can say is that the things
dirty swindie," said the old man de-
liberately.
The matchmaker 1ooKed at him mar
rowly. Il beg your pardon, sir?'
Il say" said the old man with calm
and majesty, that the things dirty
swindle."
1t was not to be endured. 1t was
enough to make anybody superior and
supercilious, and the young shopman
was no more than human.
Il don't known what you mean" he
said. "Of course. il had seen the condi-
ton you're in when you entered the shop
Id have ordered you out at once. As il
is"
AS 1t Is, interrupted the old man, but
with a quiet resignation that almost de-
prived it of the air OF an interruption,
you unwittingly prove my assertion. In
London have found thatan act of kind
ness, anything which in appearance Is
done for you for nothing, such as your
obliging regulation of my watch, is in
reality made the excuse for taking a
liberty or inficting an insult. With an
ignorance OF the symptoms of intoxica-
ton that should imagine to be rare in
young men of your class you have ac-
cused me OF being intoxicated. You have
insuted me. And why? Because you
make no charge for regulating my watch
Oh, my young friend, If had purchased
a pearl necklace for 1000 guineas and
paid cash for it, and il thought that the
price was all the same too high and called
the thing a swndle, you would never
have dared to insult me; you would have
smiled feebly and ingratiatingly and af
fected to treat it as joke. You would
have grinned and bowed and erawled
But when | get from you some small
service for which no money charge is
made your true nature comes out at once.
you take your repayment in license for
inciyility. Did not say rightly that when
by making no charge you forced me into
a false and humiliating position you
thereby swindled me-and swindled me
of something far dearer to me than
money!"
There was no answer to the question.
ished a Queen Anne silver teapot with a
leather and with ostentatious indiffer-
ence. The old man leisurely took pinch
of snuff. replaced his box in his pocket
and resumed:
You cannot pretend to misunderstood
me. Suppose that some little ragged boy
in the street opens my carriage DOOR for
me. 1t is a service which have not de-
manded. Ii is, moreover, thing which,
if had no servants, could very we'll do
for myself. ! should say that an expert
valuer would consider the boys action
to be worth something less than half
penny. | give him penny or two-pence.
| have purchased not only his service.
but his good will and my right to feel
ing OF superiority. and that is sstisfac-
tory. If give him nothing, then the
service he has rendered. uncalled for and
trifiing in value though it be, purchases
for him the right to speak of me with
contempt and disrespect to my face or
among his fellows. and that is to me most
unsatisfactory. You see my point?"
That chair you're sitting on is put
there for the use of customers" said the
young man sullenly. "As you're not a
customer suppose you clear out.
You seem disposed said the old man
placidiy, ito exaggerate the purchasing
value of your kindness in regulating my
watch without charge. There must be a
limit to the amount OF rudeness to which
it gives you claim. This must be so
especially in your case, for take it that
your kindness was intended TO purchase
something more than the mere right to
be rude. 1t was not entirely disinter-
ested; you thought that you were also
purchasing custom. You said to yourself
--unconsciously it may be-that when
my watch required cleaning or repairing
you were establishing some sort of right
to the job. | might even. as my watch
has been regulated for nothing. find my
self bound to buy Immediately charH
for the watch chain or silver pencil
case. You will correct me If my surmise
Is in any way inaccurate"
Look here" said the young man,
I'VE can't keep on at this all day. II
you like to pay twopence for having your
watch regulated you can"
Thank YOU" said the old man, and
paid.
You've wasted half crowns " orth
OF my time as 1t is"
The old man placed IS Cd on the coun-
ter. Thank you again" he said. Your
charges are not immoderate. Good
morning" An obsequious footman
called up his carriage as he emerged from