The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1875-11-13
rnE ALL ~ ~ Jony

Er WItH HfUGftf
tn huge 8ad smoky f1uairy close
Do .Ha FHHrFf5 iu fhe town 81 g. re-
.r 81 HYrhmfH were getting ready fl
fFa LARGEST BELL VI thp 70. Iuln's
rs.aJf4I chime. Ouig 1n hour moro.
arH fHry would lee fhe gl1ring, hubbIing
maflI iDw from the huge furnace iufo
,.a mold which was buried deep in The
black c1rih close hy
4 wls Just at evening, and in Che
ufherng twilight thc Iurid blue flames
rlat burst FROM The top of thc tall chin.
/ rsg flashed unoarfhly CLEANS upon the
rrtgbboriug windows and house tops.
The scene within the foundry WAS
weird and almost awful. The swarthy
4 forms " the wUrkmen, partly lighted
BIS Che yellow glare, moved about like
Unitarian shades, and the sOOty beams
and pouderOus chains crossing half
blrk, half golden, under the golden
roof, recalled the engines Of Cyclops
under Mt. Etna.
The town clock struck six. 1t was
time for supper. All the men threw
down their tools, and ran and put on
their outer clothing.
"Be back in half an hour, sharp!n
cried the forgemaster. 1--WE shall
make the cast at a quarter Of seven"
IAN right, sir!" cried the men in re-
Spouse.
al hear some of the town folks are
coming down TO see the work. said
one.
-"Yes,n said another, "and it'll be
something to open their eyes. There
was never such a bell cast in the whole
State as this one will be.n
In a moment more only one workman
and the master were left in the foundry.
The former was to stay and watch the
"blast." He had brought a double al
lowance of dinner, and he would make
q supper Of what remained.
perhaps we al get the inventor
to stay with you, George said the
master, laughing, as he prepared to go.
"Yes, where is heP'' returned the
man in the same testing tone.
"lIc's been around the works long
enough to know when any thing goes
wrong. Hollo! hollo! | say! Where's
the inventorP' Come here. All, there
he is" And in silent answer to the
summons Il shock-haired fellow, with
large gray eyes, and a pale, vacant face,
appeared from behind a pile of castings.
He had on his back a gray shirt, much
Soiled with dust, and he wore n pair of
huge pa~ntaloons, held.up by a single
Suspender.
"Well, Mopus," quoth the man
George, slapping him rather roughly on
the shoulder; "suppose you've got wit
enough to help yell if any things the
matterPn
The young fellow looked stupidity
around and nodded his head.
"Then sit here and look at that fur
mace, and don't take your eyes off"
The poor lad smiled, and meekly did
as he was ordered, just as an obedient
dog would have laid down to watch his
owners coat.
A queer fellow was this "MOpus :"
stupid enough in ordinary things to need
a world of watching, but withal won
derfully fit to watch a furnace. He
knew all the working of the foundry by
what seemed a sort of brute instinct,
though really his strange sagacity in this
was a remnant of a once bright mind.
If any thing happened or went in an
unusual way he would always notice it,
and say what ought to be done, though
he could not tell, perhaps, why it ought
to be done.
Two years before he-had been an in
telllgent, promising lad. He was the
son of a designer connected with the
foundry company, and had always been
allowed tFnn anpaac 10 tho ShnnS onI IN
mlngle with the men and watch their
work. But nj day a great lifting chain
broke, with its load, and an iron frag-
ment struck him on the head, ~inflicting
a serious injury. From this he partial
Uncovered, and only partially, for his
reason was impaired. But his natural
love for machinery and mechanical ex-
pcerlments remained, and as he regained
ms bodily strength he spent most of his
tme making small wheels and shafts,
and putting together odd contrivances,
which he would exhibit with immense
pride and satisfaction.
Inc peculiar trait in the young fellow
gained for him the humorous title of the
INVENTOR All the men felt q great
kindness for him, even though their
manner toward him was occasionally
marsh and impatient
such was the person left to help
~aVCn the great blast for the casting of
1ne KING bell of the chime of st. Johns.
tathfully he kept his place before the
furnace, while the mar George sat down
AZ a little distance and began to eat his
supper. Doubtless the latter intended
20 Keep a general oversight, but he GER
AMY made the inventors eyes do the
L most OF the looking. Whether he felt a
Hinq OF reckless trust in the instinct of
ns halt-witted companion, or indolently
ISonciuded that nothing wrong could
aappen, he was sadly to blame for
onarglng himself so little with the i'm
Poftant duty before him.
Not a word was said by either watch
u,ahd only the deep roar of the fur
5 5ace was heard through the vast foun-
george finished his supper, and saun-
GGied INTO one of the tool shops to find
~ pipe. "Inventor +" sat alone before
NJ. e great blast. The one rational fac
y OF his feeble mind enabled him to
onPrehend what it meant, and even
t%nethlng of the magnitude of the en-
PIlse that was ripening inside those
rnlS walls. He knew that the fur
IN. was full of valuable metal, and
T~' close beside him, buried out of