Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-06-22
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TEsE TOLE.ENG BELL.
A Sabbath Morning Tale.

Not many months ago, in one Of my
summer rambles, I found myself, on a
beautiful Sabbath morning, The guest Of
a worthy and intelligent family, in a
quiet country village.
The early breakfast was over; parents
and children had Joined in reading a
chapter in the Bible Mr.. Sedgwick, the
head Of the family, had then offered up a
tcrycnt prayer, at the conclusion Of which
we all arose from our knees, when our
ears were greeted by the clear, deep peals
Of The ringing church bell.
d" So late p exclaimed Mrs. Sedgwick
looking at the clock. g Our time piece
must be slow"
=" That is not the first bell for church -
replied her husband solemnly. "Therc
has been death in the village. The
bell is tolling for Martin Lord. .
" Such then is the unhappy end .
unused his wife "Wel, it will be
wrong to mourn his death. If death
was ever a merciful providence it is so in
this case"
= Is it a person who has been long
sickf' / asked
Instead of answering my question d.
rectly, Mr.. Sedgwicll said
There Is very melancholy history
connected with that young man. 1t i,
now some time since the excitement
occasioned BY this strange tragedy died
away but the tolling of the bell this
morning must bring it back forcibly t.
every heart. Perhaps you would be very
much interested to hear the story 2"
I | expressed my desire to listen to thc
narrative upon which my friend gave mt
details of the following story, the which
relate with only slight variation from
the original:
" Martin Lord was once the flower aoc
hope Of one of the most respectable fami
lies in the village. His aniablo DISPOSE
ton and superior intellect procured fol
him universal love and esteem.
Although of slight figure, and palc
features, which indicated a constitution
by no means robust. Martin was remark.
aole for his uncommon beauty; and, in.
deed, his fine, noble forehead, shaded b,
locks OF soft brown hair, his large ex,
presslve blue eyes, straight nose, with
the Grecian nostrils, and rather voluptu.
Gus mouth, entitled him in some measure
to that consideration.
|" Martin was a great favorite with the
ladies', old and young; but he never
showed any marked partality to any one
nntll he became intimate with Isabella
Ashton, The daughter Of our late clergy.
man, who died Of grief about year ago
=" No two beings could be more differ
ent. Isabella was the most young and
thoughtless girl in the village. She could
have but little sympathy with a person
ofsuch deep feeling and intellect as Mar
tin; and beautiful as she was, it seemed
strange that he should have given his
love to her There is no doubt but she
was attached to him perhaps she loved
him as well as she was capable of loving
any one; but in this instance, as In ali
others, her affections were secondary TO
her love Of sarcasm and mischief
" Martin and Isabella had been pointed
out as lovers by the village gossips, for
several months; he was nineteen. and she
was Of the same age when The tragedy
occurred, which the toling Of the bell
has recalled to my memory.
IL was on an autumn evening. nearly
Eve years since, that Isabella took advan-
tage Of the absence of her father to have
a social gathering Of young people at
their house. Martin, of course, was pre-
sent, With the fairest youths and maidens;
and being under no restraint from the
gravity Of the clergyman, who was not
expected home ill late, the company en-
joyed themselves freely with jests, songs.
and social games.
" The hour at which such parties usual
ly broke up had already passed, and
there was no relaxation in the gaiety Of
the young people, when some one foolish