Year: 1879

Agentlsman passing by an unattractive
show window the other day stopped and
began looking at an old fashioned square
clock exhibited for sale (price 81 75). 1t
30 closely resembled the time piece that
he had so many times gazed upon with
affection in his old home, that he began


to examine it, musing meanwhile on the


many scenes of his boyhood days that
would come baak to his memory. He
seemed SO absorbed in what was before
him that an other gentleman passing
thought he would take a look, ard like
wise came to standstill in front Of the
window; and old woman, going by with a
basket, had, partly her feminine ourios-
ity aroused, and, partly to rest, sat down
her burden, and, adjusting her shawl,
turned her eyes in the direction Of the big
square clock; n couple of small boys, roll>
ing hoop, next stopped to see what was
going on; and all the time the nucleus Of
the gathering was undoubtedly ruminat,
ing on the happy past, UNCONSCIOUS of
his surroundings. In about five minutes
q crowd Of twenty-five people from the
different walks of life had halted before
that same window, all eagerly stretching
their necks to get peep at what was
the central object of view. The crowd
grew larger each succeeding minute, ami
the man inside rushed down TO the back
of the store to black his boots and smooth
down his hair, in anticipation of q big
rush Of trade; and the original cause of
the commotion was still revolving in his
mind the joys of his boyhood, utterly OBJ
livious OF the rapidly gathering multitude
who by this time had begun to push and
crowd each other, in order to see what
WINS the matter. In moment more the
clerks in the various stores near by bad
started on dead run for the spot, and,
the fever spreading 500 or more, men,
women and children, all broke into
canter, bound to reach the scene Of dis
Hster in time to get good seat. Every
team that came down that street reined
up, and in loss time :han it takes to tell
il the street and sidewalks were one surg
ing mass of humanity, horses and wa
gons, yelling, swearing and fighting, and
the first man that stopped WAS still in
dulging in "reminiscences of the days of
his pastoral simplicity. Just then
policeman stroled in sight, and, noticing
something little unusual, became lit
tie nervous and some mixed, pulled the
fire alarm hastily, and another guardian
of the peace down the other corner
OF the block let drive in the same way
pulling in an alarm from another box.
Whang, whang, whang, went the fire bell
box 4-ll~44, and every other conceivable
number. The Fire Department started
out in three different directions, with the
entire town at its heels, yelling, Where's
the fre?' and the black smoke from the
steamers, and the rumblng of the heavy
wheels. with the gongs and bells of the
hose carriages and hook k-and laddertruclls
made up bedlamatic compound of rack
cts that would have awakened the dead,
if it were possible; but the man that was
the prime cause of all the bubbub had his
eyes fixed unmoved!y on the object that
first attracted his attention, apparently
dreaming of the golden days of the past.
After time the confusion came to an
end, and he walked off, havidg won bet
OF s. that he could stand still and draw
bigger crowd than any walking match
in the country.