Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-11-12
losing what looked like great metallic

closing what looked like great metallic
ring. sf
Men," he cried out, lifting his flushed
face, " the bell is cast!''
"Who did this?'' asked every excited
| voice, as soon as the cheering died away
Come with me, two or three of your
cried the master. g / think | know who
did it. It's miracler'
They hurried away to the home of the
half-witted boy. The attendant met them
with his finger on his lips.
:" The poor boy is in a brain-fever,
said he.
Does he say anything in his de-
lirium % said the master
ooh, yes, he raves all the time about
the big bell mold. hope it will fill,
hope it will FILL he says"
The men exchanged glances. 1t was
indeed true. The idiot had cast the great
bell of st. Johns. Just then the ply
stefan came out. Perhaps he will re
cover his reason by this shock and sick
ness, " he said Such things have hap
pened."
"Do you think so? Pray Heaven he
mayl" solemnly calculated the master and
his men, and turned away deeply moved
Two months later the great bell hung
from huge derrick in the lathe-room OF
the factory, and beneath it stood heavy
truck upon which it was about to be low.
cred. A silence fell upon the group Of
workmen as the pale face and feeble form
of Inventor" appeared, borne on 9
small reclining chair. He had recovered
his reason, and was fast getting back his
strength. His large gray eyes instantly
fastened themselves on the bell, thai
splendid masterpiece, whose making
meant so much to him. They had told
him the whole story of the casting and the
disaster in the foundry, but it all sounded
like wild romance to him.
81 remember nothing that happened, )
said he, shaking his head, with smile
cts all new to me all new and strange
so strange!''
EYES," said the master, devoutly; il
was Gods hand"
Every eye turned upon the invalid
Soma of the men felt almost afraid, it was
so much like a resurrection to have him
there among them, the boy they had
known so long unidentified, now young
man, keen and intelligent as if changed
into another being
81 should like to strike the bell once;''
two men lifted him up and put small
hammer in his hand.
He struck one gentle blow A deep,
sweet, me lrnful tone, solemn as the sound
of distant waterfalls, rolled from the great
bell and echoed through the foundry
Tears filled the eyes of the rough men as
they heard It,. :,
"Ah!" said the master, 4" there's hal
lelujah in that, and it may well begin
here. Long may this bell praise God
He saved it in the ruins of the furnace by
one wise thought in the ruins of human
brain. Our furnace is rebuilt, and be
hold this dear boy has his reason again
The bell and the boy shall glorify God to-
gether."
'Amenr' murmured the listeners.
Then the great bell was lowered and as
the truck was rolled away with its melo-
dious burden the boy was lifted and car
ried after it, and both went out into the
sunny day together, the rough men stand.
ing in the doorways waving their hands
''Little Inventor'' afterward well proved
his claim to the title so lightly given him in
his unfortunate boyhood. His name is now
read on many bell whose matches
richness of tone his genius and skill in
metals alone created.