The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-27


We learn faom the Canada naners tba,
The bells ofthe Parish church in Montreal.
were consecrated on the goth of June last
1t IS stated that there were present Thirteen
godfaIhers and godmolhers. The bells
were dressed in velye: and Powered gold
cloth. These dresses cost So, OO0n Mu.
sic from the opera. and an app priate ser.
mon concluded the ceremony.
The custom of baptizing bells, came into
use IN the 10Th century, and still prevails
in Catholic countries. 1t oicinattd in tho
belief that the ringing OF bells thus conss
Grated protected the neighborhood dur.
ing d thunder storm, and had power TO
drive away evil spirits upon all occasions.
The tolling of bells at funerals originated
In this same superstition.
Thus consecrated by religion. and asso.
clated with all those scenes of human life.
which most deeply stir the heart-birth.
marriage. and death, the bell became an
object of affection, and reverence, as well
as pride. The same spirit which led peo.
pie to build immense calhedrals, made
them compete with each o.her in the size
OF their bells. The great bell Of Moscow.
cast IN 1868, is computed to weigh 443,7
72 pounds. A bell cast ia the same citv.
IN 1919, weighs 100, cwt. the clapper
alone weighing Is cwt. The famous bell
at Effort, in Germany, is considered TO be
Of the finest bell-metal in the world bav-
ing the largest proportion of silver ia it.
1t weighs Pts, cwt. and has a c%Iapper of
A feet, weighing ii cwt. 1t was baptized
Susanna. The famous bell at Oxford, in
England, named Great Tom, weighs II,
600 pounds. The inscriptions on bells
are extremely curious. and of great histor-
ical value. But of all these commend me
to the LIBERTY BELL, which proc!aims
Freedom TO all the land, and all the in.
habitants theleol."-A s. Standard.
GREAT ExpLosIox.-On Friday night
last, a great explosion took place in the
Tunnel of the Allegheny Portage rail-
rood. Some cars laden with whisky
and bacon had been run into the tunnel
in the evening, where they were left for
the night but in coming along, a spark
from the locomotive had got into one of
them, and remained unobserved. To.
ward morning it had increased to ii
fame, and, reaching the contents of the
barrels, an explosion of Tremendous vio-
lence occurred, rending the cars into u
thousand atoms, and disengaging huge
masses of rock above, filled the tunnel
to such an extent as 20 render it impas.
sible for a day or two.-HaHidaysJ@rg,
PA Ing.
A NICE DIsTINcTIoN.-Tt is curious
10 see the groups of women and children
around the Croton hydrants; the former
with tubs and pals, the latter waiting i'm.
patiently to sprinkle those that pass, show
ering each others feet, or make the quiet
stream perform all SORTS of evrations..-
Never was there such a blessing 10 a city !
This was felt the other day, when, in The
midst OF a blazing heat, the hydrants all
around US stopped for repairs 10 the pipe.
Around each hydrant there was a little ar
my Of mourners. ooh, what shall we dol
The Croton's stopped p was the universal
cry. One woman shook her head very
sagaciouslv. We'll, well, | never see so
clear as some whether it was right TO spend
such a heap of money to bring Croton
river where God never meant 1t should
come. What should we do without the
old pumps, nOw, | should like to know2
For my part like COTS gifts best"
She probably forgot that nan made the
pump, as well as the Croton pipes. But.
after all, her distinction was full as wise
as many that prevail among learned theo.
logians.-A. S. Standard.
LOOK OUT FOR PoIsoN-A family in
Illinois were recently poisoned by eating
the rhubarb, or pie plant, which had been
cooked in a brass kettle. Two children
had died, and others were not expeccd 10
recover.
University Of Vermont Commence
ment Wednesday, Aug. 2 ; anniversaries
on the two previous evenings.