Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-05-15
WHEN ALBERT
PROPOSED
He Tried 1t at the Wrong Time.


statement that Nellie Putlow's young.
est brother-Albert Sidney Putlow-
is a boy who will one of these days
come to bad end.
To know Albert Sidney-to know
him thoroughly-is an education in Jul
venile depravity, lesson in tabloided
fiendishness. 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-
nifty generally is gone forever. 1t
was last Christmas eve when l probed
the depths of Master Putlow. I'll tell
you i'll what circumstances.
For very good reasons l wished to
secure freedom from Albert Sidney g
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 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, 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 l called round. Mel
lies father and mother were, as
expected, out on a Santa Claus excur.
sion to their married daughters. CAL
oert's at his book, 1 suppose?" 1 re-
marked, when l 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
1t hasn't been going for ten years
and he's cleaned it, put 1t in order
and fixed it up as surprise for dad
It's going splendidly"
Of course l didn't mind 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 five minutes, then 1 braced my.
self up for the ordeal Nellie was in
the rocker and 1 was on the saddlebag
lounge by her SIDE It was then or
never
Nellie" l whispered, glancing at
my cuff, on which had penciled my
headings. Nellie, l have long"
"Whirr!"
She looked up, not at me, but at the
clock. tits going to STRIKE" she said
"Bong!" The thing had a note like
Big Ben.
Il have long"
"Bong!" Better jump in at the in
tervals,' thought 1, for anybody would
Awe needed megaphone to make
Himself heard above that din "long
felt that life"
"Bong!" isn't it splendid?" 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?"
"Bongn
"BOngi"
was losing patience with that lum
ber-room find. 1t occasioned me nc
surprise that the clock was somewhat
erratic after master Putlow's atten
tons, but that it should seize Just that
particular time to exhibit its vagaries
annoyed me. Never mind" thought
1T can't strike more than 12."
l had altogether underestimated its
capabilities. When l had counted q
whirrs and bongs, Nellie started laugh
ing. 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 39th 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 for
ten years, you see, and now 1t won't
stop till it's done all its back striking -
Great Jupiter! A lightning calculation
told me that, roughly speaking, $50, 0O0
bongs were overdue. At four to the
minute 1t would be some time in April
before that awful clock was up-to-date
IL think I'll be going" 1 gasped
deciding on a postponement, and on
WIIU
Nellie, glared murder at her brother
and hurried off.
At the bottom of the steps
stopped to shake my fist in the me
chanical prodigys direction.
you horrid boy!" 1 heard Nellie
say.
A howl came from Albert Sidney
You're as big chump as he was tc
take in that tale about that thine
workin' off its back Strikes" he said
81 only fixed it to go like that for a
lark There! I've stopped it now. tic
and call him back If you want him.
fed. The prospect of Master Put
low as a brother-in-laW was too awful