, 1872-12-22
THE CATHEDRAL CHIMES.
4 Legend by The Author Of the
SCloenberg-Cotta Family.

4 Legend by the Author Of the
Scloenberg-Cotta Family.
In city whose history dates from the ages Of
tilycry bells and stately buildings, there stood,
Rnd st.nGs nov, for aught know, a cathedral,
Itch in all the fancies Of Gothic art 1nsl de It
was solemn with shade and gorgeous With Light
which came in through tho elaborate tracery OF
the stained windows, many -colored. and broken
as the sunbeams through tropical forest. Out
eide fretted pinnac1es and carved be0-toWers
sprang upward, grand, Jet fairy-ike, IS II stone
towers rose "a easily and naturally toward
Eeareu as oaks I'D pines. But the CHIEF glory
OF tits cathedral WAS it's bells. They were the
pride Of the city, and the great attraction to
strangers. Their history formed an important
part OF the civic chronicles.
4 lady of royal house had given them as q
thank-offering for hez Lords safe return from
the Crusades. AL her silver plate and orna-
mentR, With epoils Of Saracens from the 1e-
covered Holy Land, had been poured into the
mold when they were made, 80 that from their
birth all tender and sacred memories had been
fused into their very essence, and their first tones
echoed far-of times and lands. 4 Bishop, who
efterNard suffered martyrdom in the hands Of
African Moaleuls, had blessed them. Their first
peal had sounded in honor of great victory.
They hid summoned the people through ages Of
conflict to defend their liberties. They Ind
blended their life with the life OF every home,-
in family joys and family sorroTs. at wedding,
christening, and funeral. They had made Sun
days and holidays glad with their joyous voices.
And last, but not least, by alu Of an elaborate
mechanism Of hammers, rope, ard pulleys, they
had for centuries celebrated the departure Of
e-cry hour with e chora1e, and every half-hour
with q. straia like the yersicle Of a chant, and
every quarter Of an hour with little sprinkle OF
s%eet sound:
Imagine, then, the dismay OF the citizens
when, one A1onday morning, o'clock came. and
no sound issued from tho cathedral !; haf-past
8, silence; ., not note Of warning! Their
wonder was increased when the usual peal 1ung
cut. clear and full as e7er, for the morning SER
vice. and by midday the who whole city WAS in
2 commotion. It was plain something must be
wong with the machinery Of the chimes.
the town, clock-makcrs and bellfounders, with
tie men Of science, and the whole corporation,
il. : state procession, mounted the clock-tower-
I'VE Will soon set it right, they said to the
a@i7a:ed crowd Us they entered the beHry door.
The ropes Of tho machinery we're tested,-all
we're sound; not q flaw in the hammers; not
clog in tho wheels; not crack in the E1yery
metal Microscopes we're employed, con1ectures
were hazarded, experiments Of al kinds we're
tried, but not ray of Light Was thrown on the
perplexitv. The clever hands, and the wise
Eoa5E, md the will OF the authorities, we're all
taHled; and the procession resppeared to the
assembled multitudes with very crest-fallen
looks.
T,at afternoon little work was done in the
workshops. few lessons we're learned in the
schools. ali the routine of household habits was
interrupted; and when it grew dark the great
s9gnre was filed with people who we're afraid to
separate aud 60 to bed without the sanction of
terrible disaster to the city, and some thought
she end OF the world was como!
But when it WAS dark q sound very weird and
Grange. yet with music like the old familiar
din End grand against the starry sky. It was q
voice. not human, yet With q strange likeness to
e human Yoice, silvery as stream, thrilling IS
batue-trumpet, familiar to each listener as his
own,-uke the blended voice Of spirit and q
bell.
ave have borne it too long," said the bell-
@oice. ave were set here On high for other
prrposes than men have put us to- ls not this q
cathedral, 3 sanctuary, and shrine, sacred
NTH the dust Of martyrs, and dedicated TO- the
Ike im1nortals? Were not TO consecrated like
priests7 The touch Of holy hands is On us, and
Shall be debased to secular uses? Set apart
like sacred ministers in 3 sacred dwelling, shau
we be required to nningle in tho common clrcrm-
be near tbs heavens we serve, shall our sanity
voices serve to tell you when to cat and sleep ?
We have borne it too long. ne viii still serve
HeaTen, and summon you Oh sunday and hol-
daye. We will call yo1 to the solemn services OF
the church. We will, if necessary, sound tri-
umphant peal on days Of national thanksgiving,
in remembrance Of the victory which first aWoke
us into music. We will even condescend to ring
at your Weddings-becGuse marriage ls sacra-
ment-and at your baPtlsms: Me VIII ton sol,
when your bodies are laid IN the churchyard We
have seen slowly raised with the dust Of your
dying generations. But henceforth expect us
not to do work which your commonest house
eoeEs2ouf e!oeEs ese 90 eded d s to
work, and eat, and rest. We are sacred things,
set solemuly apart from all secular uses. Our
business is with Eternity, and the Church, and
Hea7ea. Call on us no more to commune with
Ne are your cathedral bells, but We viii be your
household clock-chirnes no longer"
Then the voice died away on the night ait.
For few minutes there WAS silence, but soon It
YVES broken by eobs and lamentations, and I'll
The people lifted up their voice as one nan, and
Tept. "
The houee-father said, j" Shall We never more
hear your voice calling us to morning and even-
ing prayer? Whenever you told US 1t WAS the
hour, the mother came from her work and the
children from their play, and together wo knelt,
a united family, and committed each other to
God"
And the mother said, your voices areb1ended
Tith every happy household no time Sweet bells!
II III Tie morning you 5r waEened Us to Begin a1other
busy day, aud the SUMS beams and your voices
came together to call US to serre God in our low
!; calling; 1nd both, we thought, came to us
from heaven and both, We thought, we're meek
and low]y, and ready. to minister to Us in orr
daily lives, because both we're sent from Him
who came among us onco, not to be ministered
unto, but to minister; End both, We thought,
which wcpt at Bethany, and Of the tones of tho
voice which spoke 1t Cana and at Nain; At mid
to nv husband and elder SONS. At your voice
was welcome to US all because we knew tho
fathers step would soon be on the threshold. At
8vou reminded me it was time to lay the little
ones to rest, and many 3 time hare you brought
happy and holy ttonghts to me in those psalms
slee1 and MI 1uT everyday life seemed to be