Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-03-09
HAS SOME old TIMEpIECES
An Old Country Matchmaker
Discovers Some Interesting
Relics in Webster.

Lovers of the antique will be inter-
ested to know that there is in the city
very rare and very old time piece
grandfather clock the property of
Mr.. Ramps, which has for one hundred
and eighty years been ticking off the
seconds of time and the hours
on loud and sweet toned bell Some
time ago the clock refused to strike,
| and Mr.. Ramps learning that | was an
old country matchmaker, thought ! was
the only one who could be trusted to
repair the trouble. Twas delighted and
surprised to find the old relic, made in
the year 1870, ticking away with no
uncertain sound-as it had done one
hundred years before the birth of our
oldest inhabitants. The pleasure took
in fixing up this dear old friend, in
handling its wheels and pinions and
heavy brass plates, in oiling its stiff
and weary joints, only an old watch
maker of the long ago can appreciate.
And as | tried to read the many names
and dates scratched on the plates by
the hands of those who had repaired it,
fancied | could almost hear the voices
of bygone days whisper: IDEAL kindly
with the dear old fellow; he has worked
long and hard"
The old time piece is of Fresian make
not made in some factory where
clocks are turned out at the rate of one
every minute-but fashioned by the
hand of some humble peasant, who
| labored for weeks and months in his
cottage on the shores of the North sea
to fill the order of some wealthy baron
of days gone by. The works bear the
marks of many repairs, and barring
accident, the old clock will still tick on
and announce to generations yet unborn
toe time of day.
Mr.. Kamp tells me the case met with
an accident, but kind hearts and willing
hands of later date made for it a new
case. Like the clock of the song, ''it's
too large for the shelf, so it stands on
the floor, and it is taller by half than
the old man himself, though it weighs
not pennyweight more"
Mr.. Ramp will be glad to have any
one call and see his old friend and COM
panion of so many long years. 1t will
be useless for you, however, to try to
get possession of the old relic only the
direst want would induce Mr.. Ramp to
part with it,
In conversation with the editor of the
Reporter and Farmer regarding my find
| learned that he too had an old and
highly priced heirloom handed down
from generation to generation in the
Denton family-a beautiful and valu-
able example of old English workman
ship. Stamped with the hall mark of
Great Britian-a guarantee of purity
the heavy 18-carat gold case protects a
beautiful old movement in fine state
of preservation. On the inside of the
case. finely engraved by master hands,
! 10 VIC udiiiC VI MI. btlJOU y lOTeIdC0-
ers, and last of all, his own. The gold
in this old case is worth no small amount
of money, but like Mr.. Ramps clock,
the precious relic is not for sale.
AS We look into the faces of Il CSC old
friends and we think Of the Eyes long
closed that haye sought from them the
intelligence we now eek; as re try to
think of the hands that wound them
faithfully every night and for humid
red years have been still, we realize
that the ties which bind US to the past
are not easily severed. As. we listen
to their ticking, which marks the fleet
ing moments of time, let US try to catch
the lesson they seek to teach-that time
is swiftly passing; that the moments as
they pass can never be recalled.
For tomorrow may never arise;
Yesterday is past and gone