Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-05-07
WHEN ALBERT
PROPOSED
He Tried Il ct the Wrong Time.


statement that Nellie Putlow's young
est brother---Albert Sidney Putlow---
is boy who will one Of these days
come to bad end.
To know Albert Sidney-to know
him thoroughly Ii an education In ju-
veniie depravity, 9 lesson in tabloided
fendishness. He's right enough super
[ ficially. mind you, but when you get at
the soul OF the boy your faith in the
innocence and harmlessness OF juve-
niiity generally Is gone forever. II
was last Christmas eve when / probed
the depths of Master Putiow. 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.
I.felt, somehow, that the task of ask
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, may tell you, is =
prodigy in mechanical direction.
When other small boys are learning
to play football he is fiddling 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.
"Pll have none OF him." thought !
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 240 pages
had been dogs cared as black as coal
In the evening I called round. Mel
lies father and mother were, as !
expected. out on Santa Claus excur-
sion to their married daughters al
bert's at his book, suppose?" I re
marked, when I was asked into the
front parlor.
No." 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.
It hasn't been going for ten years
and he's cleaned It, put It in order,
| and fixed IL up as surprise for dad.
It's going splendidly."
OF course I didn't mind a little bit
about the book not claiming the boys
attention. So long as he was occupied
elsewhere was perfectly satisfied.
We talked about nothing In particu-
| lar for i've minutes, then I braced my
self up for the ordeal. Nellie was in
the rocker and was on the saddlebag
lounge by her side. It was then OF
| never.
Nellie" ! whispered, slancing 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" The thing had note like
Big Ben. a..S-. a-..... .E.
| 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 Tong
felt that life"
Bong" Isn't It spiendid?" Nellie
smiled.
decided to wait till the awful thing
had finished. Bong! bong! bong!
bong! bong" At the eighth stroke ]
gave sigh of relief and started again
Il have long"
"Bong!" That's too many" said
Nellie. What are you saying?"
| Bong"
| "Bongi"
l was losing patience with that lum-
ber-room find. 1t occasioned me no
surprise that the clock was somewhat
erratic after master Putlow's atten,
tions, but that it should seize iust that
particular time to exhibit its vagaries
annoyed me. Never mind" thought
'it can't strike more than 12"
had altogether underestimated ita
capabilities. When I had counted q
whirrs and bongs, Nellie started laugh
ing. walked to the door and called to
Albert Sidney.
He came, bringing an odor cf 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 seth time" l answered
as another Bong" set all the man
tel-shelf ornaments dancing.
Albert Sidney whistled. Thought II
might go like that" he grinned. Good
clocks often do. 1t hasn't struck fol
ten years, you see, and now it won't
stop till it's done all its back striking. >
Great Jupiter! A lightning calculation
told me that, roughly speaking, $50 ,O0C
bongs were overdue. At four to the
minute it would be some time in Apri
before that awful clock was up-to-date
IL think I'll be going" I gasped
deciding on a postponement, and OF
the 18th stroke, shook hands witt
Nellie, glared murder at her brother
and hurried of.
At the bottom Of the steps
stopped to shake my fist in the me
chanical prodigy's direction.
"You horrid boy" 1 heard Nelli,
say.
A howl came from Albert Sidney
You're as big chump as he was tt
take in that tale about that thint
workin' OF its back strikes" he said
'T only fixed it to go like that for I
lark. TAerei I've stopped it now. Gt
and call him back if you want him"
I fed. The prospect Of Master Put
low as a brotherin-law IVES too awful