A CLOCK MYSTERY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20587, 28 November 1936, Page 13 (Supplement)

A CLOCK MYSTERY

“Come, Buddy,” said Mother, “it is time all little boys like you were in bed.” Instantly Bud’s bright little face clouded, and he looked as though he was going to cry. Now, Bud was not a naughty boy like some children. He knew that Mother always put him to bed at eight o'clock and he never made any fuss about it, but to-night nothing could persuade Bud that he really ought to go to bed. “Mother, it isn’t time yet—l know it isn’t,” he kept on saying. “But Sonnie, you know Mother always puts you to bed at eight-o’clock, so what makes you say that?” Motherwondered what had come over her usually bright and cheerful laddie. Still Bud persisted, but he was finally carried off to his nice white bed upstairs. Yet he could not sleep. He just lay awake and cried all by himself.

Daddy and Mummie were downstairs; and presently Daddy wanted to see the time. He looked up at the clock, and it said nine o’clock. Daddy looked at Mother. “It’s very light to be so late,” he said. Then he took his watch out of his pocket and found that it was only eight o’clock, and Buddy had been in bed for over an hour.

“Why, how could that clock gain an hour? it has always kept such good time,” said Mother. “Yes,” said Daddy, “it is certainly strange. No wonder Bud didn’t want to go to bed, and was so sure it was not bed-time. I must have a look at it and see what is the matter.” So Daddy went over to the table on which the clock was standing, and began to examine it and what do you think? There was nothing wrong at all, but all over the face were sticky finger-marks, and even a smear of jam! Daddy knew at once what had happened. Buddy loved clocks and watches, but like most little boys, he was not allowed to play with them, because clocks cost a lot of money and sometimes it is hard to get one that keeps time. Well, this little fellow had been tampering with a certain funny screw at the back of the clock, and without knowing what the result would be, had turned the hands ahead one hour.

Mummy and Daddy were so sorry that Buddy had been disobedient, but Bud had punished himself by having to go to bed a whole hour earlier than usual.

Next day Mother explained to her son how naughty it was for him to meddle with the clock, or anything that did not belong to him; and Buddy was sorry, too.

(Sent by Elsie Mills, Waimate). JOHN SMITH, ESQ. “Did you ever know a John Smith?” Most people will answer that question, “Of course I do!” for, in some guise or other, or nearly all over, the world. In queer guise, or disguise, sometimes, you will say. Juan Sinichus, the Spaniards have him. The Dutchman as Hans Schmidt. Ivan Smittowski we find him in Russia; Jihon Semidd In Wales; Giovanni Smith in Italy; Johannes Smithus in the older Latin. John Chinaman knows him as Jovan Shlmmit; the French as Jean Smeet; and so far we can recognise him without much trouble, but when we find him among the Indians as Ton Qua Smittia, in Mexico as Janth Smitti, in Greece as Ton Smikton, and in Turkey as Voe Self, we begin to feel rather confused, and inclined to say, “I beg your pardon; is it really John Smith?”