The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-12-27
4 UOa,fas.f,if C!och'.

: German of Cincinnati hes invented n
check which, though much smaller than
the celebrated one at StiaSburg, Is, from
it's description. much more complicated.
II is now on exhibition at the windows OF
:, iaUeIry store, and attracts much atten-
tion. The inventor calls it Die labehr
snI.r''-clock of life The elaboratenesss ,l OF
it's mechanism may be imagined from ''''
following description of the W"h"e' I'D
We see a glass case, a three SO tlIa a.
shaved clock four feet wIde "t 'ii0 iii'
60 and nine feet high. The movement
i niaced in the first story, on lour uelicaUe
= inns within which swings the unurlnG
no, dI,li1ln. which is in the significant form
~, bef hive Behind the pendulum there
* 4 picture representing mature manhood
"a country man behind his plough. The
four corners are carved, and represent the
four periods of lifc--infancy, youth. man
hood and age. The spaces TO the rightand
left of the clock are ornamentcd with two
oil paintinss, representing the spring time
of life, children playing i'll gadren). and
the autumn or end of life grave diggers III
a cemetery.
The second story consists of two tower
like palaces, on the doors Of which there
are two pictures that represent boyhood
and early manhood. In the one a boy rs
Just pushing his little bark away from the
shore. He stands upright III tlic boat, and
points to the distance he is about to begin
Lfe-''to paddle his own canoe" In the
other a young man, who has already made
some progress inthe journey OF LIE, enters
a room in Which there is an hour glass, that
reminds hin of the ticetness of time. On
this story there are three guardian angels.
- majestic tower crowns, as third story,
the ingenious structure n cock, as SYM
bol OF watchfulness, stands ON the top, di-
lectly over the portal, which opens the
tower in front. On this portal there is
Painting which represents the perishable-
ness of earthly things. The entire struc-
ture is, III appearance, very much like an
old Gothic castle.
Now let US see if we can describe the
mechanical action Of the clock. " hen 1t
marks the first quarter the door of the left
piece of the second story opens, and we see
a clIid issue from the background; come
oI,,aid to little bell, give it one blow,
;tIId then disappear. At the second quar-
tcr a youth appears, strikes the bell twice,
AID then he disappears d; at the third there
comes a man in his prime ut the fourth
We have 4 totterlng Old man, leaning on a
s,a1l, who strikes the bell four times. Each
time the door closes of itself. When the
hours arc full, the door of the right piece
OF tine Sc ecOnd story opens, and Death as a
skeleton scythe in hand, appears and marks
the hour by striking bell. But 1t Is at
tine twelfth hours that we have the grand |
spectacle i'll the representation of the day
of Judgment. Then, when Death has struck
three blows on the little bell, the co' on
the ton of the tower suddenly fial his
wings and crows in shrin tone; and after
Death has marked the twelfth hOur with
his hammer he crows again twice. I'M
mediately three angels, WHO stand as guar
dans in central position, raise then tEliIll-
r,ets with their right hands (in the left they
hold swords, and blow blast toward each
of the four quarters of the earth. At the
last blast the door of the tower opens, and
the resuuected childlen of earth appear,
while the destroying angel sinks out OF
slght.
The multitude stands for moment full
Of awe and wonder, when suddenly Christ
IN all his majesty, dcscends, surrounded
by angels. On hts left there Is an angel
Mo holds the scales OF justice: on his
right another carries the Book of Life,
wuIch opens to show the alpha ara "ineg"
The beginning and the end Christ waves
ms hand. and instantly the good among
the resurrected are separated from the
wicked. the former going to the right and
the Latter to the left. The -trChangel Mi
chaeI salules the good, while, on the other
side. stands the devil radiant with fend-
i,n delight. He can hardly wait for the
filal sentence of those who fall to him, but
IL obedience to the command of the central
figure, he withdraws. The figure of Christ
raises its hand again, with a threatening
mien, and the accursed sink down To the
realms ofhis Satanic majesty. Then Christ
hIesses the chosen few, who draw near him.
FINALLY, we hear cheerful chime of bells,
during which Christ rises, surrounded 10y
his angels, until Ae disappears, aud the
portal closes.
We look with aIrazeTcnt on this exhib-
ition of the mechanics ingenuity ; a com
plete drama is here represented, without
lhe aid of a human hand. And what eX-
cites our admiration still more is the per-
fection of all the movements they are
steady, calm and noiseless, with the excep-
ton of the threatening gestures oftle fig
ure of Christ and the movements of Luci-
fer who darts across the scene with light
nIng rapidly. OF course, the peculiar ac-
tion OF these two figures is Intentional on
the part of the artist and adds greatly 10
the effect.