at
they had to say. Some were very proud, and showed off their jewels and
chains in a way which made me blush for the vanity of my fellow-
creatures--"dear" watches, the ladies called these, and others were as
plain as plain could be.

Every now and then our case would be opened, and one of my neighbours
taken out and never put back. Then we knew he had been sold, and we who
were left spent our time in gossiping about what had become of him, and
speculating whose turn would come next. A gold repeater near me was
very confident the turn would be his, and so impressed us with the sense
of his "striking" importance and claims, that when the next time our
glass house was entered, and a hand came groping in our direction, I at
once concluded it was his summons into publicity and honour. Imagine my
astonishment, then, when the hand, instead of reaching my gold
neighbour, took hold of me and cautiously drew me out of the case! My
heart leaped to my mouth--or whatever part of a watch's anatomy
corresponds with that organ--and I was ready to faint with excitement.
I had always imagined I was to lie in that case for years, but now, when
I was barely a month old, here was I going out into the world.

It made me quite bashful to listen to all the flattering things my
master said of me. I was worth twice the price he was selling me at, he
said; in fact, if trade had been good he would not have parted with me
under three times that price. It was a relief to think the repeater
could not overhear this, or he would have sneered in a way to extinguish
me altogether. As it was, no other watch was by, so that I was not very
much embarrassed.

After turning me over, and feeling my pulse, and listening to the
beating of my heart, and taking off my coat and waistcoat to inspect my
muscle, my master's customer at last laid me down on the counter and
pronounced the sentences with which I have begun my story.

"Then I'll take it," he said, and pulled out his purse. "Stop a bit,
though!" exclaimed he; "I'd better have a chain too, my little chap will
think more of that than the watch. Let me see some silver chains, will
you?"

So my master went and fetched a tray containing a large number of
tempting-looking chains.

While he was gone my new owner took me up again in his hand and turned
me over and put me to his ear; then as he laid me down again he smiled
to himself and murmured.

"Bless his little heart! how proud he'll be!"