The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1908-01-16


secure freedom from Albert Sidneys
attentions on the evening in question
felt, somehow, that the task OF
asking his sister Nellie certain little
question would not be made easier in
any way by having her young broth
er buzhng round offering to regulate
my watch or exhibiting some home
made marvel In the clockwork mouse
line. Master Putlow, l may tell you,
is a prodigy in mechanical direction.
"I'I have none Of him." thought j,
and during the afternoon | sent round,
with my best wishes for happy
Christmas, a book calculated to keep
any other nine-year-old boy as quiet
as an oyster till each of its 240 pages
had been dog-eared as black as coal.
In the evening called round. Mel
lies father and mother were, as I
expected, cut on a Santa Claus ex-
cursion to their married daughters
"Albert's at his book, suppose?" re-
marked. when / was asked into the
front room.
NO." said Nellie; hes doing some
thing to a Wa.-rbury 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 1t, put 1t In order.
and fixed It up as surprise for dad.
It's going spiendidly."
OF course, didn't mind little bit
about the book not claiming the boys
attention. So long as he was occu-
| pied elsewhere l was perfectly salts
fed. We talked about nothing in par
ticular for five minutes; then l braced
myself for the ordeal. Nellie was In
the rocker, and I on the saddlebag
lounge by her side. 1t was then. or
| never.
Nellie" whispered. glapcing at
headings. Nellie, have long"
"Whirr!"
She looked up, not at me, but at
the clock. Its 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 sigh OF relief and
started again.
II have long"
"Bong!" That's one too many"
said Nellie. What we're you say
ing?"
"Bong!"
was losing patience with that lum.
Der room find. II occasioned me no
surprise that the clock was somewhat
erratic after Master Putlow's atten-
tions, but that is should seize just
that particular time to exhibit its
vagaries annoyed me. Never mind"
thought, 1T can't strike more than
H."
had altogether underestimated its
capacities. When l had counted 27
whirrs and bongs, Nellie started
laughing. l 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 l 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
It might go like that" he grinned
| OLE oft do . hoo atx ,.l,
for ten years, you see, and now II
won't stop till it's done all its back
striking"
Great Jupiter! lightning calcu
lation told me that, roughly speaking
100000 bongs were overdue. At four
to the minute 1t would be some time
in April before that awful clock was
up-to-date. I'd the choice of yelling
out my proposal, lodging 1t 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 al
her brother. and hurried of.
At the bottom OF the stairs I stop
ped to shake my fist In the mechani
cal prodigy's direction.
"You horrid boy!" l heard Nellie
say.
A howl came from Albert Sidney
You're as big chump as he was tc
take In that tale about the thing
workin' on its back strikes" he said
II only fixed 1t to 60 like that for &
lark. There! I've stopped 1t now
Go and call him back II you wan
him"
] ned. The prospect OF Master Put
low - brotherinlaw was too awful