Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-11-24
THE ToLLIMG BELL.

AhG ISLLiIgG CGbI.
/, Nor many months ago, in one of my
summer ramblcs, 1 found myself on a
beautiful Sabbath morning, the guest of a
worthy and intelligent family, in quiet
country village.
The early breakfast was over; parents
, and children had joined in reading a chap
, ter in the Bible Mr.. Sedgwick, the head
of the family. had then offered up fervent
payer, at tho conclusion of which W "il
rose from our knees; when our r.fS were
; greeted by the clesr deep peals ri the ring
ing church bell.
so late = exclaimed Mrs. Selgwick
looking at tie clock, our time piece must
be slow
That is not the first bell for church,
replied her husband solemnly, There
has been a death in the village. The bell
is tolling for Martin Lord =
Such, then, is his unhappy end :. muse1
his wife. We'll, it will be wrong to
mourn his death. If death was ever a
merciful providence. it is so in this case!
Is it person who has been long sick ?
, asked.
Instead of answering my question di-
rectly, Mr.. Selgwicl, said
There is n very melancholy history
connected with that young man. 1t Is
now some time since the excitement occa.
sionel by this strange tragedy died LAY !;
I; but the toIliny of the bell the morning
must bring it back forcibl, 20 every heart.
pe,iIal.y You would be interested 10 hear
t4t story?'
! expressed my desire to listen 20 the
narration; upon which my friend gave
me the details Of the following story, which
| relate with only slight deviation from
the original
Martin Lord was once the flower and the
hope Of one Of the most respectable fami-
lies in the village. His amable disposi-
ton and superior intcllccj procured for him
Gniversal love and esteem.
Although Of slight fgure, snd pale
:.~t0iys, v-iy!. iuIioUc} q constitution y
m m."03 robust, M.I.iu was rosa.~fsao.c
tor his onccmm2a LoaHt5, aud indeed hi.
a1. .9NIe tn~D.A, aAat2l by lock: 0. soit
brown hair, his large expressive blue eyes
Straight nose, with thin Gyacian nostuLs
au., rather yolUI..o0s mouth, entitled hin
in some measure 10 that consideration.
Martin was great 1avvrite with The Ia
dies, old ana young; but he never Shove.
any marked partiaIity to amy ons, un.il ut
bacam2 intimate with Isabella Ashton, ihl
daughter Of our late clergyman, who diot
if gri2t about year ago.
No two beings conld be more different
Isabella was the most thougltlcss girl j,
our village. She could have little sympa
thy with "A person Of such deep feelings an,
elevated intellect as Martin and beautiful
she was it seemed strange that he shoul'
have given his love to her. There is IL
doubt but she was attached to him; per
haps she loved him as well as she was ca
pablc of loving any one but in this in
stance, as in all others, her affections wer
secondary to her love Of sarcasm and mis-
chief.
Martin and Isabella had been pointc
out as lovers, by village goSsips, for scve
raj months he was now nineteen, and sh
was of the same age, when the tragedy oc
cured, which the tolling Of the bell has re
called to my memory.
, 1t was on an autumn evening, Nearl
five years since, that Isabella took advan.
tage of the absence of her father to hay
a social gathering Of young people at thci
house. Martin, of course, was present
with the iairest youths and Inaidens an
being under no restraint from the grayit,
Of the clergyman, who was not expected
home till late, the company enjoyed them
, selves freely with jcsts, songs and &ocia
games.
The hour at which such parties usually
broke up had already passed, and ther
, was no relaxation in the gaiety of tn
young people, when some one looliShly
mentioned the subject Of ghosts, something
, Of that description having report ID as seel
in the vicinity Of the church-yarl.
| 1t is a silly report, said Martin. 'No5o.
! dy can believe that ghost was really seel
there; and doubt ifa person here believe
at all in the existence Of ghosts
2 You do yourScll--you know YOU dc
Martin, although you are ashamed to owl
, it, cried Isabella. but Martin only lonHh
{ ed. Come now,' continued the thought
less girl, i can prove that you have som
, idea that such things exist. Go to th'
, church-yard alone in the dark and the1
, declare, if YOU can, that you have felt nt
f fear
And what would that prove .
why, you would be frightened, tho
you would see nothing. Your fears would
put your belief to the test. How coule
you be afraid if you did not feel that there
was something to be afraid of?
L do not think your logic is the bes
r in the world replied Martin, laughing
Men are often troubled with fear, wher
! their reason tells them there is no cause fol
it. But I deny, iii the first place, that {
! Journey to tho church-yard, even at mid
night, would frighten me in the least
: How bravely you can talk p said Isa
bella, indulging in her customary tone o
sarcasm. But nobody here believes you
o ! don't, at any rate. Why you had'n
: courage enough the other day to help xii
v rabbit; your mother told me SO p
L never like to cause or witness pail
q if it can be avoided answered Martin
s blushing.
j.. sHa ha ha what an excellent excuse
You are brave enough, to be sure, bu
IS tender-hearted. Come. new; yon dare no
L Il. sI.l