Year: 1876

Some time after dinner stranger walket


into one of the inns of Worcester England
a short time ago, lie was genteely dressed
and prolessed to be tired. Having taken re.
freshment he said he would take a nap fol
an hour. To sleep he went, in very bust.
ness-like style, in his chair, and long NAP
he appeared to enjoy Before it expired the
usual smoke'a-pipe company began to drop
in and among others two strangers made
their appearance. One of the company re.
marked that it was unpleasant to have a
man sleeping in public room with valuable
property about him, such as the sleeper who
had fne-looking gold guard chain display
ed on his waistcoat, and apparently con-
nectod with watch in one of his pockets
To this remark, one of the strangers replied:
Pooh that's no gentl'man, Pm sure, he's
more likely one Nv them ere swell mob as is
always taking of people in. dare say he
has no watch at all but I'll soon see" Suit
ing the action to the word, the stranger drew
forth out of the sleeping mans pocket a
piece of wood round, and about the size OF
a watch. "I thought So" said he, "there's a
pretty watch 70. .you," holding it up that the
company might see it, and then returned it
to the owners pocket.


By-and-bye the sleeper awoke, and called
briskly for glass of brandy and water. He
assumed quite patronzng air to the far
mers, which soon raised desire to put him
down. Accordingly, one of the seniors re-
quired to he Informed of the time of day.


"Why,' said the gentleman, "the fact is,
had drop too much last night, and forgot
to wind up my watch"


Gust sor' calculated the senior, "you for
got to wind up, did you? You'd be puzzled
to do that, dare say wouldn't you, now?"


"Well sir, you seem to take more notice
of such trife than there is any call for
but the truth is 7 have not a watch key
about me- and mine is rather peculiar
watch"


Here a burst of laughter ensued, and
number of jokes were passed about the very
peculiar style of the watch At last one of
the company roundly told him that he had
no watch at all about him; whereupon the
amazed individual hastily clapped his hand
to his waistcoat pocket having previously
declared that, unless the watch had been
stolen since he had been in the loom, he
had one. Satisfied, apparently, by the ex-
ternal application to his pocket, he said:
Its all right my watch is here. thought
you had been playing trick upon me-"


"1'll bet you f5 as you've no watch"
bawled out one of his tormentors another
offered to bet him e10; and one of the
strangers said he hadn't E5, but there were
two sovereigns which he should like to
double by betting in the same way.


The awakened sleeper looked at them with
astonishment,and asked if they were serious;
they all stack to it that he had no watch
and then he took out his purse and produced
five and ten pound notes equivalent to the
bets offered against him. The stakes were
posted; and then the thoroug ghly-awakened
sleeper coolly pulled out the piece of wood
at which horse laugh arose against him but
the laughter was soon on his side, when,
touching a spring in the bit of wood, it flew
open and displayed very handsome gold
watch snugly encaSed within it! The gen
teman gave aplausible reason for preferring
so odd-looking case his watch with which
his dupes might either feel satisfied or not.
He had received their money to the extent
of G2O; and they had bought knowledge
of "the time of day."


Of course the very suggestive strangers
lost nothing by the business-they, in fact,
were accomplices of this clever sharper; and
it is possible that more than one attempt
may be made to repeat the experiment.