The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-07-13
THE ALARsr.BELL OF ATRI.

At Atri in Abruzzo, a small town
~ ~ ancient homan date but scant renoWn,-
2lT IIafr ol 1 lhose little places that have run
nan nan up the hlll beneath a blazing sun,
ana ana then sat down to rest, as if to saw
r,io pi no no Iurther upward, come what may;"-
60 ne T,n t'Io GIoyanni, now unknown to fame,
30 ~ many monarchs since have borne the name
tiru P,,S : great eat Del hung in the market place
BE B9ITlIh IToI Ia roof projecting small space,
ny ny way way OF shelteEsron the sun and rain.
ihen rode he through the streets with all his
MAJ Maie WIN the blast OF trumPets loud and long,
31aue 4T proclamation, that whenever wrong
Tbe saof Ioidf tii 70 any man, he should but ring
W. S EIeat Deii IN the square, and he, the King
cSI " noIlu u cause the Syndie to decide thereon,
ouch was the proclamation of King John.
How happily the days in Atri sped,
" nat wrongs were righted, need not here be said
SIIhee II that, as all things must decay
TnTaveaS a. rope t9 at length was worn away
~ one, who noted this in passing by
Sn nehaed noe the rope with braids Of briony,
30 that the leaves and tendrils of the vine
huls IKE a Votlye garland at a shrine
By chance it happened that in Atri dwelt
"A h hlSht, with spur on heel and sword in belt
Hh Mho loved to hunt the wild boar in the woods
MI MLo ioVed ms falcons with their crimson hoods
VINO loved his hounds and horses and all sporfs
ana Prodlgallties of camps and courts =
Loved, or had loved them for at last grown old
MS only passion was the love of gold.
He sold his horses, hawks and hounds.
TS 1ehteu ms Vineyards and his garden grounds
Kept but one steed, his favorife steed of ali,
10 StarNe and shlyer in naked stall
ANA, day by day, sat brooding in his chair
Devising plans how best to hoard and snare
AZ length he said: ''What is the use or need
10 Keep at my own cost this lazy steed
F-3ttlnS ms head OF in my stables here
Mhen rents are low and provender is dear?
Let him go feed upon the public ways
Io ! want am mn MN only for the holidays"
al GId dhe long , lonely, silent, shadowess street.
6hd a wandered IN suburban lanes forlorn,
Barked at by dogs, and torn by brier and thorn.
One afternoon as in that sultrv CLINE
~ IL Is the custom In the summer time
M w ltn polGed doors, and window shutters closed
IrIi ne lhhaPltants of Atri slept or dozed;
When Suddenly upon their senses fell
Ihe loud alarum of the accusing beIII
Ihe Syndfc started from his sweet repose
turned on his couch, and listened and then arose
and and donned his robes, and with reluctant pace
VIII IN P4aIhllng ant lorth INTO the market place,
mHere the great bell upon its cross beam swung
heIteTatlng with persistent tongue
~ ~ . nan artleulate jargon, the old song:
'0oLiie one Aath done awrong, hath done wrong!,
But ere he reached the belfry's light arcade
fie saw, or thought he saw, beneath its shade
No shape of human form. of woman horn
but but a poor steed detected and forlorn,
Who with uplifted head and eager eve
Was tugging at the vines of briony,
,DCSomeneddio!" cried the Syndic straight
- MS Is the Knight of Atri's steed of state
he calls for justice being sore distressed
ana pieaos his cause as loudly as the best"
4ea Meanwhile awhile from street and lane noisy crowd
nag L3d IiI roied together like a summer cloud,
ana told the story of the wretched beast
In five and twenty different ways ot Least
hi5 nEe Knight was called and questioned; in reply
4Aot No4lASSS lLC licC, QlQ not denV.
Treated the matter as a pleasant lest
Maintaining ID an undertone
Ihat he should do what pleased him with his own.
And thereupon the Syndic gravely read
Inc proclamation Of the King: then said
Pride goeth forth on horseback grand and oov
But cometh back on foot, and begs its Vyav 80
faine Is the perfume of heroic deeds
Oi MOWERS of chivalry and not of weedsl
Ihese are familiar proverbs, but / fear
dney never yet have reached your kniphtIv ear
what fair renown, what honor what repIIta
S;th come to You from starving this poor brute
lie who serves well and speaks not merits more
IMAM they who clamOr loudest at the door
therefore the law DEGREES. that rs this steed
heed ~ 'S
To comfort his old age and to provide
Shelter III stall, and food and field beside"
The Knight withdrew abashed. the people all
LED nome the steed in triumph to his stall
glee $3.50 -''' 7''" III
And And cried aloud; Right well it pleaseth mel
church bells at best but ring US to the door
But go not into mass my bell doth more
IL cometh into courts and pleads the cause
vi creatures dumb and unknown to the laws
nnu A this snail make, in every Christian Cline
The bell of Atri famous for all time"
ATLANTIC MONTHLY