The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-12-19


I'm juvenile d~epraVitN. Il lesson III
tabl0idcd fendishno&3.
"Tll have none OF him" thought /,
and during the afternoon | sent round,
with my best wishC' FOR a happy
Christmas, a book calculated TO keep
any other ni~nc-year-OId boy as quiet
as an oyster till each Of its 24O pages
had been dog-eared as black as coal.
In the evening | called round. Mel
lies father and mother were, as |
expected, cut on a Santa Claus ex,
cursion to their married daughters,
"Albert's at his book, | supposc"'' re-
marked, when / vas asked into the
front room.
NO" said Nellie; hes doing some
thing to a Waterbury watch in the
back. Been busy all day. Look there
pointing TO an old-faShioned clock
fixed to the wall. He unearthed that
from the lumber room three days ago.
IT hasn't been going for ten years,
and he's cleaned it, put it in order,
and fixed it up as a surprise for dad.
It's going splendidly.'
OF course, | didn't mind a little bit
about the book not claiming the boys
attention. So long as he was occu-
pied elsewhere | was perfectly salts
fed. We talked about nothing in par
ticular for five minutes; then braced
myself for the ordeal. Nelte was in
the rocker, and I on the saddlebag
1.,,,rxn Iy hnr rtIn II uFD thpn ar
Nellie" / whispered, glancing at
my cuff, on which | had penciled my
headings. Nellie, have long
"Whirr!"
She looked up, not at me, but at
the clock. It's going to strike she
said.
Bong"
decided to wait until the awful
thing had finished, Bong! bong,
bong! bong! bong" At the eighth
stroke ! gave a sigh Of relief and
started again.
Il have long
Bong That's one too many"
said Nellie. What were you say
ing?"
Bong"
/ was losing patience with that lum-
Der room find. 1t ~occasionod me no
surprise that the clock was somewhat
cratic after Master PutlOw's atten-
tions, but that is should seize just
that particular time to exhibit it's
v8caries annoyed me. "Ncver mind, -
! thought, 1T can't strike more than
IL"
| had altogether undere stimated its
capacities. When | had counted q
whirrs and bongs, Nellie started
laughing. | walked to the door and
called to Albert Sidney.
He came, bringing an odor of clock
oil into the room.
Something's the matter with that
clocks striking gear" | said, with
forced calmness.
Been strikin' long?' he asked.
That's the thirty'ninth time" | an.
swered, as another Bong" set all
the mantel shelf ornaments dancing.
Albert Sidney whistled. Thought
II might go like that" he grinned.
Good clocks often do. 1t hasn't struck
for ten years, you see, and now it
won't stop till it's done all its back
striking.
Great Jupiter! A lightning calcu-
lation told me that, roughly speaking,
$50, 900 bongs were overdue. At four
TO the minute it would be some time
in April before that awful clock was
up-to-date. I'd the choice of yelling
out my proposal, lodging it in be.
tween the strokes, or of waiting for a
more favorable opportunity.
Il think I'll be going | gasped,
deciding on a postponement, and on
the seventy-eighth stroke. | shook
hands with Nellie, glared murder at
her brother, and hurried off.
At the bottom of the stairs | stop
ped to shake my fist in the mechani-
cal prodigy's direction.
You horrid hoy" | heard Nellie
say.
howl came from Albert Sidney.
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