The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1872-03-14
Select Miscellany.
THE ALARM-BELL OF ATRI.
NJ N. W. IOEGrrLLOw


At Atri in Arbuxso, . small town
OF ancient Roman date, but scAnt renown-
One Of those little places that have run
Half mp the hill. beneath blazing sun,
And then sRt down to rest, as il to say,
81 climb no farther upward, come what may -
The Re Giovanni now unknown to fame,
So many monarehs since have borne the name,
Had great bell hung IN the market place
Beneath q roof, projecting IOmO small space,
By way of shelter from the and rain.
Thsn rode he through the streets with all ais trHI
And, With the blast Of trumpets loud and long,
Made proclamation, that whenever wrong
Was done to any man, he should but ring
The great bell in the square, and he, the king,
Would cause the syndie to decide thereon;
Such WAS the proclamation of Kiag John
How happily the days in Atri sped,
What wrongs were rightsd, need not ere be said.
snnice il that, a. all things must decay,
The hempen rope at length worn away,
Unrsvsled at the end. and strand by strand,
Lo0senSd and waSted in the ringers hand,
Till one, who noted this in psoing by,
Nsndsd the rope with braids Of briony,
So that the leaves and tendrils Of the vine
Hung like votive garland at q shrine.
BY chance It happened that in Atri dwsn
knight, with spur on heel and sword In belt,
who loved to hunt the wild boar in the woods,
Who loved his falcons VITA their crimson hoods,
Who loved his hounds an horses, and all sports
And prOdigsiitieS of camps and courts;
Loved, or had loved them for at last grown old,
His only passion the love OF gold.
He sold his horseI, sold his hawks and hounds.
Rented his vineyards, ERd his garden grounds,
Kept but one Stsed, his favorise steed Of all,
To stsrve and shiver in a naked stall,
And, day by day, sat brOoiing In his chair.
Dtvising plans how beat to hoard aud spare.
At length he said "whst ia the use or need
To keep at my own cost this lazy steed,
Eating his head of 10 my stables here.
When rents are lev and proveRdsr Is desrl
Let him 90 feed upon the public ways;
I want h i'm only for the holidays"
So the old Etesd turned into the heat
OF the long, lonely, silent, shadowless street;
And wandered 10 suburban lanes forlorn,
Bsrked at BY dogs, and torn BY brisr and thorn.
One afternoon, NS in that sultry CLINE
IL 10 the custom in the summer -time,
With bOltee doors and WindOw-shuttsrS closed.
The Inhabitants Of Atri slept or dOEsdi
When suddenly upon their senseI fell
Tie loud alarum Of the accusing belll
The syndie started from his sweet rspose,
Turned on his couch, and listened, and then IOse
And donHsd his robes, and with reluctant pacs,
Went painting forth into the market place,
Where the great bell upon Its crOss-bssm swung.
ReitsrAtinE with persistent tongue,
In half art;cuIste jargon, the old sOng:
s'SOms one hath done wrong. hath done 4 wrong
But ere be reached the belfry's slight arcade,
He szw, or thought be saw, beneath its shade,
No shape of humAn form, Of woman born,
But poor steed detected and forlorn,
WHO With upIfted head and eager eye
Was tugging at the vinss of brionV,
'sDomsneddio r. cried the Syndic straight,
s'ThIs is tue Knight Of Atri's stasd Of state
BE calls for justice, being sore distressed,
And pleads his cause loudly 80 the best"
Meanwhile from street and lane a noisy crowd
Had rolled together. like summsr cloud,
And told the story Of the wrstched beast
In i've and twenty different ways at least,
With much gssticuIAtIOn and sppsal
To heathsn gods In their excessive zeal.
The knight was called and questioned; In reply
Did not confess the fact, did not dsnyi
Trestsd the m after as pleasant jest,
And set At nAuEht the Syndic and the rest,
Maintaining In an angry undsrtons,
That he should do Whist pleased him with his own
And thersupOn the Syndic grsvsly read
The proclamation OF the King then said:
"Prids gOsth ssrth on horseback grand aud gay,
But somsth back on foot, and begs It's way;
Fame 10 the perfume Of heroic deeds,
OF flowers Of chiFHlry and not OF weeds;
These are familiar proverbs but fear
They never Jet have reached your knightly ear.
What fair renown. what honor, what rspute.
Can come to you from starving this poor brute
He who serves we'll and speaks not merits more
Tran they who clsmor loudest At the door.
Thsrsfore the law decrees that tho sissd
Served you in YOUTH hsncefOrth yen shall take hs'
To comfort his old age, and to provide
Shelter ia stall, and food and field bssidsl"
The knight withdrew abssbsd; the people all
Led home The stsed in triumph to his stall,
The King heard and approved, and laughed in gle
AID cried aloud: hight well it plesseth mel
Church bells at best but ring TO the door
But 20 not In TO mass; my bell doth more:
IL cons,h into court and pleads the cause
OF creatures dumb aud unknown to the laws;
Aud this shall make, in every Christian cline,
The bell Of Atri famous for all time"
Il Atlantic Monthly.