The Goodland republic., 1905-11-03
HIS FIRST WATCH


.3,s-S-S-s-s-s-s-es-s-e-s-
Paul had not slept well the night
before Taking the night before that,
and the night still before that as a
basis OF comparison, he had slept very
III indeed
Had Paul been twenty years older
he would have traced the difficulty to
the mince pie he had had for dinner
and the mince pie which he had en-
jOyed surreptitiOusly in the pantry af-
ter dinner But is not an analytical
age Paul was, therefore, in no dan
ger OF arriving ar false conclusions.
For, little as the mOralists VIII take
il, the mince pie had nothing what
ever TO do with the matter
The reason for Paul's reslessness the
night before was the same reason for
his standing, with large and popping
eyes. before a brilliant case OF gold
and silver watches at the jewelry shop
on the morning in question and pre-
senting a dirty, but authoritative, slip
Of paper 10 the salesman.
Paul Duncan Brown was wellknown
in his neighbOrhOOd. He was a leader
among men He had organized and
perfected the Mysterious league. To
belong TO the Mysterious league one
must be OF mature years; none under
was considered. One had also TO
learn the league whistle, a particu-
larry shrilI whistle, exertly accom-
panied by a tight wink Of the left eye
and other unholy manipulations Of the
facial muscles Paul, as has been
said already, had organized and per-
fected the league, and in its bosom he
was known as Nun.
At mibs and other skilled pastfmes
none could touch him. At wrestling
who but Buck Hill had ever stood up
against him2 And Buck, it must be
remembered, was a heavy weight, tip
ping the scales at-but this is the
language Of the ring. Few would un-
derstand it.
OF course. gOin' on is an age Of
some responsibility, or PauTs grand
father would never have consented to
the watch. OF course. this moment Of
claiming the watch, complete with its
mystic monogram, was a superb one
or Paul would not have laid awake
anticipating it for at least twenty
minutes out Of his twelve sleeping
hours on that memorable night be-
fore.
The league had been invited to
come along and had done so in a
body. Somewhat at Il loss in the gOr-
geOUs place, its members huddled in
an abashed and distant circle, Buck
forming the center, the circumference
packed about him, as if there were
strength in unity Of sheepishness.
The dirty but authoritative slip Of
paper was received by the salesman.
who eyed il and then eyed Paul and
then eyed the league and finally pro-
duced the watch. PauTs manly per
son all but burst as he received it. An
ecstatiC Say" breathed from the
circle.
To this praise Paul was Oblivious.
He was lost to all things but his
watch Gee Whit The splendid gold
OF it! Lawsyi Its exQuisitely deli
cate face! Jimmy Whit The music
that licked from its insidel And, oh,
unspeakable! The mazes Of its mono
gram!
You wouldn't know it, elucidated
he, but these are my initials. 'P' for
Paul and d for Duncan and b for
Brown"
Say
But suddenly there came an out
burst which took on a revolutionary
WHERE demanded Buck, lis NJ
for Mun?1
It was a bad minute for Paul.
Doubt settled heavily upon the league.
No other member had a gold watch
or a silver one, for that matter. It
was, therefore, just as well to begin
picking flaws at once.
Just show IL to US" persisted
Buck Jus show it If you can
Shouldn't he, Dickey2"
Dicky was hattered at the appeal
''Aw." said he what's the good OF it
If there ain't no NJ for AIuf2'
Then Sticky Williams cast his lot
with the revOlutionists- ''Aw," said
Sticky, Il should say mott
And the rest Of the league said
"Awi" also
1t was a bad minute for Paul. Such
reprOaches are a terrible 20 bear He
gazed at the watch wildly There
must be some horrible mistake. There
must somewhere or other be an M
for Muff- He tried to remember. His
grandfather had spoken Of the 'P''
and the ID" and the ''B', but not a
word had his grandfather said Of an
M for Muff
Paul wanted to cry, but he did not
cry II must be mistake He would
have his grandfather point out the
M" for Muf- He would show this
Buck He wOuId-no, he certainly
would not cry
Paul faced his organized and per
fected league I'm going home" he
said I'm going to have it 'splained
and then I'm wrastle you for a liar
Buck Hill Chicago News