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The Bells

The Bells image
Parent Issue
Day
31
Month
August
Year
1888
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

ev York Worlil. ■■pk HAT bells are of the ■ greatest antlquity is ZMStra mi undoubtod fact. PThn.ii.i;li mlsts of ■HSSBUíBthe dawn of history tlSsgyi wo can falntlv hear tlie tinklc of the silvery bellsof the Kgyptian priests, serv'ng at the shrines of Isis an l Osiris, and we have authentic records f thelr use by the Ilebrows In their worïip of the Most High. lt is iuite probable ïat that running workor In Ironand brass. 'ubal Cain, knew the mystery of the mingling of metáis whloh makes the muc in the bell. But tho brief history of ie tirst blacksmith, we are vouch3afetl 111 i'iu'sis. makes no raention of it. The 'hiñese have always been a bell-ringing )eople, and there are to-day blls tolled n i'ekin whose casting, according to Ceestial records, antedates the creation of ur revelation. How the great bells of )hlna were made is a secret known only o the directors of the foundries, appointd by tho emperor for thelr skill and cnowledge of the vibratlons of the metáis nd other Ingredients that enter lnto thelr composition. These Ingredients were not. y any means, confined to metáis, or at east that was the belief of not only the rulers but the people. wlioassoclated wlth success in thu casting the ald of the powers of darknes , who had to Ie propitiated by all manner of ceremonies and sacrifices, lest, perchance, wlien the pa er prayeis were not burning, or the priest who watched do.ed, a malignant liemi miglit toss uno'iserved lnto the caldron of molten metal some magical siibstanre known only to devils having the potent power to prevent the proper amalgamatlon of the metáis, thus rendering vain the work of months, perhaps ycars of preparation and prayer. Success or failure was sonietlmes a matter of llfe or death with the maker of the bell, a third failure usually bcing punlshed by a stroke of the sword whlch left him headless. Many tliousands of years ago a very magiiiticenr, powerful and cruel emperor reigned in l'ekin. Attached to hls court was a famou-i bell-maker and wonderful alchemist who knew all of the secrets of the art an'lall of the mysteries of the mingling of me!als known to man, and not a few of those known to genli only. Now, this wise man had made maiiy ells lor the cruel emperor, wlio loa.ied ïlm with wealth and honors, but nevertheess the tyrant was not satisfied, and notwilhstanding tliat hls relgn had tl; us f ar een rendered remarkable by the creation f more and bigger bells of perfect tone, by this cunning alchemist, than that of any of hls ancestors, he laid his eommand pain upon the bell-maker that he slum ld make hlin a bell blgger than any that had yet been made by the hand of man, and more perfect in tone than any to be fotind in the lengtli of the mlghty empire. Though the honor of sucli a commlssion was great, and the reward the highest place next the throne In the natlon. tingreat alchemist was troubled, for he knew the difliciilty of the task, the strong possibility of failure, and the sure penalty of disgra e and death. No such mighty boll as that deslred by the emperor had ever been cast In the world, and indeed, it was a belief among all bell-raakers thatbeyond a oertaln limit in size the casting of bells could not go, and the bell deinanded by the emperor exceeded that limit. But the imperial eommand had to be obeyed, so the bell-ma!er bogan by gathering material from the four quarters of the empire, and at the end of a year he was all ready for th ' casting. The Emperor and all of the prlnces, the mandarina, the nobles, the philosophers and scholars and alchemlsts had assembled to witness the casting, and as the mighty mass of molten metal flowed lnto the great muid the heart of the bellmaker stood still, an 1 hls knees knocked together, for hls practlced eye had detected amld the shower of golden sparks and clouds of many-colored ÜKht, somethlng that told h;m the bel! would be imperfect And so it proved. The rage of the Emperor knew no bounds. and returning to see the bell-maker, he ordered that he be slain by stones at the place of public execution. which is ín the city of Pekln hard by (he palace. Now, the unfortunate bellmaker had a daughter, who was wondrous fair and accomplished, and as brave and loving and tender as it becomes a malden to be. She was an only chüd and greatly beloved by her father, and he was all In all to her. By means unknown to all save the Emperor's mother the girl gaincd aciess to the tyrant and so wrought upon him that he coimtermanded the order for the bell-maker's death, and promised the daughter that her father should be granted another trial. So witli heavy heart the beü-makor set to work to prepare íor tlio casting of another bel, and at the end of another year all was again in readiness and the Knipfiror and all of the diguitarles were again assembled to wltnes-, the casting. High above the seithlng cauldron sat the bellmaker and hls lovely daughter, who was arrayed as no one had ever seen her arrayed before. ]ler beauty and vivacity attracted the attention of alL To her fatlier she seemed to be strangely happy, and wlien he pressed her for the reason she only saiil: "rather, you will succeed. " When the bubblinz mass was ready for the cast ng, and the or.ler was about to be glven to open the gates the bell-tnakerfelt a pressureof hisilaughter's hnd, her kiss upon hls cheek, and turning had barely timo to catcli a glanoe of her love-lit eyes as she sprang from tlic balcony and vanished among the golden bubbles of the lell to l e. Taking up a jeweled slipper she had droppe.l fron her foot as she sprang to lier death. the oh: man left the scène, caring but littlo now whethcr the casting succeededor not; nay, rat her hoping that it would fall, and bis head, in conse juence, f all in the s-ind en the morrow. üepairiiiit to his desolate home, he wandered alinlessly to the apartment lately oecupied by his darllng, am lo, on the desk lay a letter solving the mystery of the devotod girl's strange a t. lt to'd in living language of her prayers an 1 viglls, and how they had been finally rewarded by the appearance of a mlgh v spirit of the air, whosaid: "Unless there is blooil of onedearto yourfather wrought witli the metal he will fall and his life will pay the forfelt" And so she gave her life, as the Chinese chronicles have lt, that her father's famo mlght be greater than that of all the bell-makers who ever made liclls in all the world. Thesacrilice suoceeded, the great bell came out of the moulil perfect in form and tone, and indeed. unto thle day, it may be heard tolling in Po'chi aii'l as its sweet tones go out ov r tlic c ty. tlie mothers teil their little ones "H is tho votee of the boll-makor's daughtor calllng for her slipper." Tiie largest In the WO lel is Raid to lic the 1,'reat bol I at Moscow, wliiletlio sweetest chimes are lo be beard at Bruces, in (ielgium. Endiosa ttories might bo tohl of buried bells, whlch toll at the deal tiour of niiilit; of bella sunk at sea, wh( se tolling Üie superstltiotis sailor hears ainiil the roaring of the storm: of lellstliathave pla.M-d important parts In the drama of tilstory; of bells with strange histories, well authenticated, and of others with histories not so well proven. The varlous uses to which bells have been devoted In all ages and countrles, is curious to note. They were the tocsins o? the festo raongers of Athens, and they Unieled In the baths at Kome to notify the bather that hls room was readv. The bell ofrlclates at weddlngs, funer.ils, auctions, markets, on railroad train, shlps and in faot everywhere whcre a noise of gladne-s or woe is to bo made or a slgnal of warnlng given. The devotee awalts the signal of the bil ti cali liiin to prayer, and the liungry man, with more carnestnoss, g;nerally for the s mnd of 'that tocsin of the soul - the dinner bell." The poets have immortalizeil some bells. Faiher l'rout did that for Tlio belln of Shuinlou. That sound so grand on The plensant waters of tho Kiver Lee. And Longfellow for the "üells of Lynn." whose sweet tones, accordlng to the poet, floating seaward, caused tl e very waves to clap their hands with joy and tumble tumultuously towards tho shore. ne can alino.st hearthe muslc and the clangor of the 'bells, bells, bells'' in Poes poem so nearly do the words express the tones of bells from the merry chimes of Christmas times to the solemn sound of the muffled funeral b-P, The chimes of Chrlstraas: What nworld of merriment their molody forHowthey tinkh-, tinkle, titikle, [tellH. In tho tcy air of niht; While the star tliat ovcisprmklo AU the heavens seem to twinkio With a crystaline delight. Though l)i'l s are quite plentiful in thls country, chimes are comparatively scarce, and New York city has but three fullsets, tliose of Grace, Trinity and Bt Thomas. The only chimes to whlch any hlstorical interest attaches In the United States is the set in the steeple of old Chrlst church, Phil delphla. These bells were brought from England, a present from Uueen Aune, and have Been n any ups and dovvnv. The flrst "down" they liad was during the revolution, wlieu the city was in danger of being caiitured by the ene;ny. They were taken down by some patriotlc members, who, fearing that they might all into tlie hands of the I riiisli ad be cast into cannon-ball , sank them in the Delaware. Alterward they were lishcd out and taken to Allentown and tored in the loft of an cld l.utheran chnrch, where they ren ained until afterthe war, when theyjourneyed back to Philadclpliia and sought their old belfry, from which they since have sent forth their notes of gladness or of woe. The bet bells In tone and tune are thoee in the chime of (i race church. They are ten in ïimnber and were eftxt at Meneely's foundry in West Troy, N. V., and their niusic, under the skilll'ul inanipulation of the keys below by the earillonneur - bellrlnger In plain lingüsh - Mr. J. N. Senla, is wondrously sweet. Mr. Senla is an enthusiast on the subject of chimes, from which heoan produce niusic. of all kinds, lle does nut llke most bellringers, stick to simple pleces suchast! e ■ Hallelujah Chorus, ''anthems oratorion, etc. He is moreovera compo er. Uc has, he thlnks. Mie largest collection o; chime muslc in this country, comprising over three thoisaud plecas, a ma ority of them of hts own composition. lle receives a salary of Si, 200 per year, the largest pald in the city. lle Is requlred to ring for each of tho three Sunday services - 11 a. m., 4 p. ni. and 8 p. m. - from seven to elght tunes and to devote live minutes of his time and talent daily at 4:30 p. ir. to cali the worshippers to prayer. In additlmi lo this his services are required on all l:olidays and salnts' days, the latter number ng twenty-seven during tl:e year. Mr. Senla could talk entcrtainingly of bells the livelong 'lay. Ha has Rtadled the tones, tasten añil habits. so to speak. of liis brone musical pets, and is regarded as an authority in all bell matters the country over. The elïo t of the weather on the volees of (he bells is one of the curious thlngs that this veteran bell-rinnor has ob erved, and he can teil each day before entering tlio tower just how the bells will re pomlto the touch o!' the keyr. "The best weather for the bells." savs Mr. Senia, ' issnch as wcgenera'ly havo in April, of sunshir.e and shower, of warmth and nioisturc, such as make the bolla sweet. ' lt is then they are at thelr best and all the mnsic in Ihe nieshes of the metal of tlieir mako-up comes out at t ie touch of the liammer iu tonos of soitness, sweetness and mellownesa anknown at other times, lt is not gene;ally knmvn," continued Mr. Sonla, "tliat chime bells of pure metal a e as sensitivo to ehangea in tho weather, as the tuneful throats of prima donna of [mpalred vocal apparatua. Most people hibor ondel the Impresslon that clear, cold, risp weather is most favorable lo the beHs, but tliis is a mistake. In such weather the sound reaelies f iirther limits, but the iones aro harsh and oold. Dull, muggy. foggy days are also bad for bells; on such a day the sound seoms to descend, and a penon passing a'ong In front of the church can almost imagine the iiiusic lalling downwards in chunks to the pavemeut. On such days, too, the 'drone or after sound of the stroke lsinoreplaln'y hcard and the notes are blirred instead of coming forth c'ean cut" Tlio chime-; of Trlnlty are, next to thoso tn ChrUt Church, Pnlladelphla, theolilest in the country, but strantre as it may seeui, little is known of tlieir history. When in 145 the old churcli was taken down to make way for the present structure there wore s-lx bells in tho steeple. Flve of these are kn wn to liav beon made by Mears of I,ondon, while tho slxth is supposed to have come over !ro;n Kngland about the year KS-i. when the steeple of the second Trin'.t.' church was erpcted. When these were taken down in 18 15 the largest chimo of Tr'nity church was fovnd to be oracked, and it was sent to Meneely's at Tioy to bo r'-cast. At the same time 'our more were or ered to complete t' e ch mes. The ten bells welgb 15.000 poumis the larsest 2,'isl omnls and tho smalle t 700. The bella of Trinity are badly hung in a wooden frame-work. are om by th constant striklng of the ham ners in the sama lace, and are so sa lly out of tune that g'io I muslc cannot be expeeted trom them uitil they are ovorhauled and repaired. I 'esidos these drawbacks. Mr. Meislahn has to contend with antiiiialed machiuery not at all comparable with that of Grace and St. Thomas.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat