The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-17
THE BELL on sF. JOHNS.
BY aurus SARGENT.

draI chime, Only an hour more and they
would let the glaring, bubbling metal
flow from the huge furnace into the mold
| which was buried deep in the black
| earth close by.
1t was just at evening, and In the gath
ering twilight the lurid blue flames that
| burst from the top of the tall chimney
flashed unearthly CLEANS upon the neigh-
boring windows and house tops.
| The scene within the foundry was
| weird and almost awful. The swarthy
forms of the workmen, partly lighted by
the yellow glare, moved about like Tar
| tartan shades, and the sooty beams aud
ponderous chains crossing half black.
half golden, under the golden roof, re-
called the engines OF Cyciops under MI.
Etna.
The town clock struck six. It was
| time for supper. All the men threw
their outer clothing.
'sBe back in half an hour, sharpP
cried the forge-master. "We shall make
the cast at q quarter OF seyeD."
"All right, STRIP cried the men In re-
sponse.
81 near some Of the town folks are
coming down to see the work." said one.
"Yes," said another, ''and ipll be
something to open their eyes. There
was never such bell cast in the whole
State as this one will be-"
In a moment more only one workman
and the master were lett in the foundry.
The former was to stay and watch the
s.blast." He had brought double al
llowance of dinner, and he would make a
supper of what remained.
"Perhaps we can get the inventor to
stay with you, George" said the master,
laughing, as he prepared to go.
"Yes, where is heW returned the man
in the same jesting tone.
"He's been around the works long
lenough to know when anything goes
wrong. Hollo! hollol ! sayl Where's
the .inventorp Come here. All, there
he is" And in silent answer to the
summons shock-haired fellow, with
large grey eyes, and pale, vacant face,
appeared from behind pile OF castings.
: He had on his back gray shirt, much
soiled with dust, and he wore q pair
Of huge pantaloens, head up by a single
! suspender.
1 "Weli, Mopus," quoth the man George,
J sIapping him rather roughly on the shoul-
der; sssnppose you've got wit enough to
help yell il anything's the matterp
The young fellow looked stupidity
around and nodded his head,
.sThen SIT here and look at that furnace,
and don't take your eyes off,"
, The poor lad smiled and meekly did as
he was ordered, just as an obedlent dog
would have laid down TO watch his own
er's coat.
i A queer fellow was this "Mopus,'
stupid enough In ordinary things to need
. world OF watching, but Withal wonder
fully fit to. watch a furnace. he knew
all the working OF the foundry by what
seemed a sort OF brute instinct, though
: | Ii W in IA A q a
, remnant of once bright mind.
II Ii anything 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 1t ought
to be done.
,l Two years before he had been an in.
. telligent, promising lad. He was the
son OF designer connected with the
foundry company, and had always been
allowed free access to the shops and tC
9 mingle with the men and watch theil
i, work. But one day q great lifting chain
broke with Its load, anu an iron frag
b ment struck him on the head, inflicting .
9 serious injury. From this he PARTIAL,
1 recovered, and only partially, tor hi
a reason was impaired. But his natura
love for machinery and mechanical ex
J, periments remained, and as he regainet
d | his bodily strength he spent most of hi
time making small wheels and shafts
: and putting together odd contrivances
which he would exhibit with immens
r pride and satisfaction.
l. This peculiar trait in the young fellow
:, gained ior him the humorous title oil tn
SInyentor." All the men felt a grea
q kindness Tor him, even though their man
d ner toward him was occasionally harsl
and impatient.
Such was the person left to help watc
l. the great blast for the casting Of th
q king bell OF the ohime oil st. Johns
PAINFULLY he kept his place before TIL
turnace, While the man George sat dow
~ at a little distance and began to eat hl
70 supper. Doubtless the latter intende
TO keep a general oversight, but he eel
:. tainiy made the inventors eyes do th
y most of tine looking. Whether he lelt
: kind Uf reckless trust in the instinct q
- his hall-wiJ;ed companion, or ihdolenti
. concluded that nothing wrong cOul
= happen, he was sadly TO blame for chare
y Ing himself so little with the importan
= duty before him.
y Not word was said by either watcher
: aud only the deep roar OF the iurnao
q was heard through the vast foundry.
George finished his supper and sauf
e tered into one Of the tool shops to lin
4 his pipe. "lnyentor' sat alone befor
N | bn6 RIbhb DIdbb, uV OHO AuSu
= ty OF his feeble mind enabled him to CON
= prehend what 1t meant, and even SOME
= thing OF the magnitude Of the eHterpris
tHHt was ripening inside those burnin
= walls. He tknew that the furnace wa
= full OF valuable metal, and that close bt
= side him, buried cut OF sight In the dee
- sand, was the huge mold, SO soon to b
y flied with the precious cast. He kiie,
j. and could see that all the channels 10
:, the fuw OF the fiery liquid were ready
4, and that near tue moith OF the furnac
! stood the long iron rod that was TO b
!, used when the moment came to let q
the molten stream.
a All this his limited thoughts took In b.
!, habit. Dimly conscious that somethIn
n was soon to be done, he sat with his eye
i on the furnace absorbed and intent.
n Suddenly something startled him
I. There was slight noise, and burnin
crack appeared near the top of the tul
mace. Then another crack, and scorcf
d ing brick fell out and rolled to the groun
10 at his feet.
D. The lad opened his mouth to shrek
of but 80 terrified was he that the sound
y stuck In his throat, as II he had been
10 tit Of nightmare.
4 A thin red stream followed the falle
>. brick, and trickled down the furnace sid
1t like running lava. Then came anothe
=