The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-10-04

$50 you lay 1t off on a poor old clock,
do your" was innocently asked.
MI. Bowser jumped a foot high, but
when he came down he was calm
again-so calm that he went n
at has been the want of n cuckoo
clock in this house that has made It
seem a strange abode to me. It's INV
house and my home, but have con-
%tinually looked about for something
that wasn't here"
But now you've got it in that pack.
age out there?"
Il have"
"And it's a cuckoo clock?"
ut is"
Cuckoo Clock Starts.
As if to corroborate his words the
grinding, grating noise began, and
there was a following sound like the
screech of a crow wounded by q farm
er's gun.
childhood days returned" meanly
soliloquized Mrs. Bowser.
Mr.. Bowser walked down the hall
and unwrapped the new arrival. It
was truly an old cuckoo clock. It look
ed as II it had seen two centuries of
roughhouse work. There vas a big
armful of it as it was brought back to
the sitting room.
Bought at auction, I supposed"
ut was"
"And cost you about $25"
my bid was $780,"
"Cheap enough for a missing link.
Sure it's in good order?"
Absolutely. I have the key here to
wind it,"
Bird Begins Singing.
Mr.. Bowser had made one turn of
the key when there was a sound like
a saw grating over a file, and it
brought shivers even to the cooks back
down in the kitchen. Then a tailless
bird, with n eye knocked out and
two claws missing. bolted out from
somewhere and screeched. It was not
the notes Of a cuckoo. 1t was not the
MARBLE Of the ostrich. 1t was not the
sad song Of the peacock. The sounds
had never been made on this earth
before by man, bird or beast.
Mrs. Bowser smiled.
"Give it a chance" exclaimed Mr.. !
Bowser.
Scream-shriek-hoo-hoo!
It ought to have ceased in a couple
of minutes, but it didn't. 1t ought to
have ceased when Mr.. Bowser laid the |
hoary old relic on its face, but 1t
didn't. 1t ought to have had the
sense to stop when Topped over on it's
back, but it lay there and looked up
at the ceiling and sang and sobbed
and sang again.
1.-THE dear old days!" sighed Mrs.
Bowser, feeling that she was expected
say something encouraging.
"You wait. This is only preliminary.
tell you
End Of the Clock.
But he never told her. That noise
for ten minutes longer. 1t had
high notes and low notes. 1t had sad
notes and joyous notes. 1t scared the
cat and made the cook swear that she
wouldn't work another day for a man
would bring home an old ghost.
AS n cuckoo clock had had the max
Ing Of Mr.. Bowser's character, so an
other had the unmaking Of 1t.
He tried to smile and make believe
be enjoyed the performance, but when
he saw Mrs. Bowser shaking with
a change came. With the
rerocity Of a fend he jumped on that
again and again. He smashed
the time stained case. He busted the
wheels that were turning when Napo-
con fought at Waterloo. He broke
he springs that were on the job at
Bunker Hill.
Then he raised a back window and
1eaved the mangled remains as far as
1e could. Mrs. Bowser sat up and
made ready for what was coming. 1t
:ame.
Don't think l don't know who slip
)ed up into the hall with the ak and
battered this clock! You begrudged
t to me, and you wrecked it! Tomor.
'ow morning we will communicate
With u respective lawyers. Good
light, divorced Mrs. Bowser-good