The bee., 1908-03-05
WHEN ALBERT
PROPOSED
He TrIed 3 81 Doe WrOns Tln1e.

IN my language anu CHdIiIdOlo ih hts
thoughts, truth compels me to the
statement that Nellie Putlow's young
est brother-Albert Sidney Putlow-
10 a boy who will one of these days
come to a bad end.
To know Albert sidney--to know
him thoroughly-is an education In ju-
venlle depravity, a lesson in tabloided
hendishness. He's right enough super
1cially, mind you, but when you get at
the soul Of the boy your faith In the
innocence and harmlessness Of juve-
nifty generally Is gone forever. IL
was last Christmas eve when | probed
the depths of Master Putlow. I'll tell
you in what circumstances.
For very good reasons | wished to
secure freedom from Albert Sidney's
attentions on the evening in question.
| felt, somehow, that the task OF ask
ing his sister Nellie a certain little
question would not be made easier in
any way by having her young brother
buzzing around offering to regulate my
watch or exhibiting some homemade
marvel in the clockwork mouse line.
Master Putlow, l may tell you, is a
prodigy in a mechanical direction
When other small boys are learning
to play football he is fddling about
with spur wheels; when they are
dreaming Of getting their international
caps Albert Sidney's sleep is punctu-
ated with visions Of cogs, ratchets and
perpetual motion.
"Tll have none Of him." thought I
and during the afternoon sent around
with my best wishes for a happy
Christmas, a book calculated to keep
any other nine-year-old boy as quiet
as an oyster till each Of its 24O pages
had been dogs cared as black as coal.
In the evening | called round. Nell
lies father and mother were, as l
expected, out on a Santa Claus excur-
sion to their married daughters. cal
bert's at his book, suppose?" 1 re-
marked, when l was asked into the
front parlor.
mo-" said Nellie; hes doing some
thing to a Waterbury watch In the
back. Been busy all day. Look here"
pointing to an old-fashioned clock
fixed to the wall. HE unearthed that
from the lumber room three days ago.
1t hasn't been going for ten years
and he's cleaned 1t, put 1t in order,
and fixed 1t UP as a surprise for dad.
It's going splendidly."
OF course l didn't mind a little Bit
about the book not claiming the boys
attention. So long as he was occupied
elsewhere l was perfectly satisfied.
We talked about nothing In particu-
lar for Ave minutes, then braced my
self up for the. ordeal. Nellie was In
the rocker and was on the saddlebag
lounge by her side. 1t was then or
never.
Nellie" | whispered, glancing at
my cuff. on which | had penciled my
headings. Nellie. have long"
"Whirrl"
She looked up. not at me, but at the
clock. ITS going to strike" she said.
"Bong!" The thing had a note like
Big Ben.
81 have long"
"Bong!" Better jump in at the in
tervals, thought l, for anybody would
have needed a megaphone to make
himself heard above that din "long
felt that life"
"Bong!" isn't 1t splendid?" Nellie
smiled.
decided to wait till the awful thing
had finished. Bong bong! bongi
bong! bons!" At the eighth stroke I
gave sigh Of relief and started again.
81 have long"
"Bongl" That's too many" said
Nellie. What are you saying?"
"Bong"
"Bong!"
| was losing patience with that lum-
ber-room find. 1t occasioned me no
surprise that the clock was somewhat
cratic after master Putlow's atten-
tons, but that 1t should seize Just that
particular time to exhibit its vagaries
annoyed me. ''Never mind" thought,
1T can't strike more than r."
| had altogether underestimated its
capabilities. When | had counted q
whirrs and bongs, Nellie started laugh
ing. | 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 seth time" answered
a. another "Bong!" set all the man.
tel-shelf ornaments dancing.
Albert Sidney whistled. Thought Il
might go like that" ~ grinned. Good
clocks often do II Lasn't struck for
ten years, you see, and now II won't
stop till It's done all its back striking"
Great Jupiterl A lightning calculation
told me that roughly speaking, $50, 900
bongs wore overdue. At four TO the
minute II would be some time In April
before that awful clock was up-to-date.
IL think I'll be going" | gasped
deciding OF a postponement, and on
the 18th stroke | shOok hands x,yfth