Bill Nye's Cordwood (1887)

Edgar Wilson "Bill" Nye's humor collection gathers comic sketches, mock reports, and satirical observations from the American newspaperman and lecturer. (Open Library)

Watches

Waterbury watch: A comic railroad sketch gives the conductor a large Waterbury watch, which he checks while trying to keep an absurd train journey on schedule.

Source text: But the conductor is cool. He removes his bell-crowned plug hat, and, taking out his orders and time-card, he finds that the track is clear, and, looking at a large, valuable Waterbury watch, presented to him by a widow whose husband was run over and killed by the train, he sees he can still make the next station in time for dinner. (Project Gutenberg ebook 33391)