The Winslow mail., 1919-05-02
GRANDDAD'S CLOCkI
BY JOSEPHINE MURPHY.
Syndicate.)

belonged to lady who had acted as
companion to the late owner of the
house.
She was still occupying one room in
the house and had not had time to re-
move all her things before the sale,
and so the clock had remained in its
usual place in a corner landing.
The auctiOneer was preparing to
take down the name of the last pur-
chaser.
"My name is Richard D" said
the man. "Never, mind writing it
down; here is my card. By the way,
do you think it would be any use to
send it in to the lady upstairs? l
am very curious to see the clock they
are all making such a fuss about. ]
have not troubled to view the things,
as l noticed in the catalogue that the
cabinet was the only thing worth buy
ing. However, will run up and have
a look at the clock, and, if take
fancy to it perhaps / may come to
terms with the owner"
"Whoever wants to bay that clock
will have to marry the owner" replied
the auctiOneer.
A roar of applause greeted his re-
mark, and, amidst the merriment of a
room full Of people, he made his
escape upstairs.
At first glance he recognized it to be
one of rare make. 1t struck the hour
of four and it's voice sounded to him
like the echo of another clock that had
struck in the long ago.
It awoke old memories, asleep for
many years. And now for few min
utes Mr.. Richard D., the wealthy
merchant and connoisseur, was dead,
and plain Dick D., the farmland
Of twenty years before, reigned in his
stead.
Once more it was haymaking time,
and he and his companions, tired out
with their days work, were sitting at
the supper table in the farmhouse
kitchen, waited upon by Farmer
Els pretty daughter Esther.
Once more he could feel his heart
beating and keeping time to the tick
of the grandfather clock that fitted so
well in the corner.
Memories of happier days which he
and Esther spent together, the only
drawback to his happiness being that
the old clock was ticking away the
precious minutes. Then had come the
misunderstanding and they had parted.
He came to himself with a start.
How silly for him to indulge in such
sentimental reveries. The past was
dead and buried; what need to dig it
up again.
Yet how strange it was that he had
never thought of the other clock ex-
cept in connection with her. And all
these years he had overlooked the fact
that it must have been one of great
value. He wondered if it was still
ticking in it's old place in the corner
and if Esther ever thought of him
when she sat in the farmhouse, hap
PLY surrounded by her husband and
children. Of course she had married
Timothy Blake. He remembered it
was through him they had quarreled
At this moment the door at the far
end of the landing opened and wom-
an came out.
She paused in front of him and
said: Excuse me, sir, that clock be-
longs to me, and is not for SALE"
His card case fell to the floor, and
as he stopped to pick it up he MUIR
INJURED, ut is she 1t is she!"
'The auctioneer told me the clock
was not for sale, but l thought you
might sell it if made you a good
offer'
81 would not sell for any Offer" she
replied. "The clock has associations
for me and is memento of the happy
days gone by. In fact" she added
sadly, "it is the only voice left me now
that speaks to me out Of the past"
what does it say?" he questioned
eagerly.
She seemed surprised and annoyed
by the question, for she made no an
swer.
II am sorry if have hurt your feel
1ngs by my offer, Mrs. He hesi-
tated over the last word.
miss E." she replied, correcting
him and filling in the pause.
"What!" he shouted in amazement.
"Do you mean to say you never mar
ried Timothy after all?'
She turned and peered up into his
face.
"You, Dick! You'll"
He caught hold of her hands, and,
looking at her with a glad light shin
ing in his eyes, he said: "Is it possible,
Esther, that you have not forgotten
me?"
"How could 1 forget" she replied,
"when the old clock has been ticking
your name to me for the last twenty
years?"
Ten minutes later man rushed into
the anteroom and said to the young
man who was still gazing at the book
case.