Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-27
WIFI EN- ALDER r
PROPOSED
He Trlod It at tho Wrong Time.

with every desire TO be temperate
In my language and charitable in my
thoughts. truth compels me to the
statement that Nellie Putlow's young
est brother-Albert Sidney Putlow-
Is boy who will one Of these days
come to n bad end.
/ TO know Albert Sidney--to know
1 him thoroughly-is an education In ju.
venile depravity. lesson in tabloided
I fiendishness He's right enough super
ilcially. mind you. but when you get at
the soul of the boy your faith In the
| innocence and harmlessness of juve-
| nili;y generally is gone forever II
/ was last Christmas eve when | probed
the depths of Master Putlow. III 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 certain little
| question would not be made easier in
any way by having her young brother
blizzing around Offering to regulate my
watch or exhibiting some homemade
marvel In the clochwork mouse line.
Master Putlow. | may tell you. Is
! prodigy in mechanical direction
When other small boys are learning
to play football he is Kidding about
with spur wheels; when they are
dreaming of getting their international
caps Albert S!dney's sleep is punctu.
ated with Visions OF cogs, ratchets and
perpetual motion.
III have none OF him." thought
, and during the afternoon sent around
with my best wishes for n happy
Christmas. book calculated TO keen
any other nine-yenr.old boy as auiet
us an oyster TIL each of its 240 pages
had been dogs cared as black as coal.
In the evening | called round. Mel
lies father and mother were. as
expected. out on a Santa Claus cxcur.
sion to their married daughters. "Al.
bert's at his book. suppose?" | re.
marked. when | was asked into the
front parlor.
No. said Nellie: hes doing some.
thing to n Waterbury watch in the
back. been busy all day. Look here"
| pointing to an old-fashioned clock
liked TO the wall He unearthed TINT
/ from the lumber room three DAYS ago.
1t hasn't been going for ten wears
and he's cleaned 1t. put 1t in order.
and fixed 1t up as surprise for dad.
It's going splendidly"
or course didn't mind a little bit
about the book not claiming the boy's
attention. So long as he was occupied
elsewhere was perfectly satisfied.
we talked about nothing In particu.
lar Tor i've minutes, then braced nv.
selt up for the ordeal. Nellie was I'm
the rocker and was on the saddlehap
lounge by her side II was then or
never.
Nellie" whispered CHANGING at
my cum, on which had penciled nv
headings. Nellie. | have long"
| "Whirr!"
She looked up, not ut me. hut NJ the
clock. ITS going TO strike" sbe said
hong Tho thing had note like
Big Ben.
II have long"
"Bong!" Better jump in at the IN.
tervais' thought |, for anybody would
nave needed megaphone to make
himself heard above that din long
telt that life"
"nong!" Isn't it splcndd?" Nellie
smiled, ~
decided to wait till the awful thing
mad finished Bong. bong. hong,
bong! bong" At the eighth stroke
gave g sish of relief and started again.
IL have long"
Bong" That's too many" said
Nellie. What are you saying?"
Bong"
"Bong!"
l was losing patience with that Ium.
berroom find. 1t occasioned mo M
surprise that the clock was somewhat
erratic AFTER master Putlow's atten.
lions, but that it should seize lust thar
particular time 20 exhibit its yaearies
annoyed me. Never mind" thought,
IL cant strike more than 12."
~ had altogether underestimated its
capabilities. When had counted %
whirrs and bongs. Nellie started laugh.
ne. walked to the door and called IN
Albert Sidney.
lie came. bringing an odor of clock
Dill into the room.
something's the matter with that
COCKS striking gear" said. with
'orced calmness.
been strikin' long," he asked.
ihats the S9th time" answered
as another "Bong!" set all the man.
'etshelf ornaments dancing.
Albert Sidney whistled Thought II
might go Ike that" he grinned. Good
clocks often do. It hasn't struck fo,.
zen years. you see. and now 1t won't
stop till it's done all its back striking"
Great Jupiter! A lightning Calculation