The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-17

the open vent, but the leaks multiplied
continually. 1t was art running race
with ruin.
Poor Mopus stood powerless before the
coming catastrophe. His knees knocked
together and his head swan. A great
heap of red-hot bricks and rubbish fell at
his feet. He had barely thought to get
out of the way and save his life. He
| heard wild shout of human voices In
the distance, then an awful roar behind
him, and he saw and felt himself pursued
by surges of seething fire. Sharp, blis-
| tering pains pierced his flesh at hum
dred points. The restwas all horrible,
unintelligible dream. 1t was as II he had
suddenly sank into the earth and had
been swallowed up forever.
| BY seven O'Clock comparative quiet
reigned again on the scene OF the disas-
ter. Ruins lay everywhere. The en-
fgines had quenched the flames that had
caught the building, and the men, black
ened with smoke, Stood in silent groups
laround the renal, of the furnace. 1t
had Iaiien to pieces and nothing was lelt
but heaps of steaming rubbish.
Poor "Invent0r," who had been found
with the tapping-rod in mis- hands, lying
ON his face in the sand, frightfuly
burned, had been carried to his home.
Little was said, but the few words
spoken uttered with no mild emphasis
the natural wrath OF the master and
Hands against the man George, whose
excuses for himself only exaggerated
his offense.
.See what hers done,u said they, a few
days later, as they stood in the halt
burned foundry. "Five thousand dol
lars gone to waste IN minutel The
best Job in twenty years spoiled! The
rascal, to go hunting for his pipe and
leave that suffering idiot to watch!
Is that all he can say for himselie Out
upon such carelessnessl Why, the boy
didn't even know enough to bawl out
when he must have seen the furnace
] tumbling to piecesp
Tue master, who had more ct stake
than the men, of course felt The loss
more keenly than they. He almost wept
with mingled grief and rage. Suddenly
something peculiar caught nis eye among
the debris, and he cried in startled
voice:
"Hailol What's this? What's this~
He snatched up fragment OF one OF
the troughs which had led from the
mold. There were traces OF the stream
of bronze still running in 1t. Then the
possible meaning OF the iron ioHnd In the
Injured boys hand flashed upon him.
ssBring me a shovel, quickp he
shouted.
A spade was put into his hands, and
he began nervously to heave away the
hot mass that lay piled over the
belt mold. 1t was a hercuiean task, but
lhe worked like a giant, and three or
four OF his men took hold and helped
him.
Brick bats, ore, Stag, and ashes flew in
leyery direction. Presently the masters
spade penetrated the sand and touched
something hard. He stopped down.
Then he leaped up like one haif frantic,
and plying his spade with redoubied en-
ergy, tore away the remaining sand, dis
closing what looked like great metal
lie ring.
face, 'the bell is casl!p
"Who did thisW asked every excited
voice, as soon as the cheering died
away.
"Come with me, two or three OF you!"
: cried the master. Il think know VINO
did it. It's miracleV
|, They hurried away TO the home Of the
! hal -witted boy. The attendant met them
} with his finger on mis- lips.
"Tne poor boy is in brain fever"
said he.
: "Does he say anything in his de-
liriumW, whispered the master.
| IL.
) the uig bell-mould. i hope it will I'LL
l hope it will ill, he says"
: Tue men exchanged glances. 1t was
1 indeed true. Tue idiot has cast thu
! great bell OF St. Johns. just then the
{. physician came out. "Pernaps he will
/. recover his reason by this shock anG
e Sickness" he said. "Such things havt
happened"
"Do you think sop Pray heaven b,
2 tmayW solemny ejaculated the mas tel
t and his men; and turned away deeply
i moved.
Il Two mon tbs later the great bell hun,
from a huge derrick In the lathe room o
b the factory, aud beneath it stood heavy
Q truck upon which it was about TO be low
}. cred. A silence He'll upon the group o
Q workmeu as the pale face and feeble form
n OF "Inventor" appeared, bUrne in un ,
$ small reclining cnair. He mad recovered
u his reason, and was last getting bacl
r his strength. His large gray eyes III
g stantly fastened themselves on the bell
a that splendid masterpiece, whose making
u meant 81 mucn TO hllii. they had tol,
y MIN the whole story oil the Uasting, an,
u the disaster in the foundry, but vi
J. sounded like u wild romance 10 him.
10 VI remember nothing that happeded,' :
said he, shaking nis mead, With II sniie
:, "lts ali new ~ hlei all new aud stfang
g so stranger
Eyes" said the master, dSy0utly; III
/. was GoUs hand"
d Every eye turned upon the Invalid
g Some Of the fneh ielb almost afraid, |
l. was 80 mucn like resurrection 10 hav
r aim there among them, tile boy they hu,
}. known so long underWiLted, now u yOun
e man, Keen and intelligent, as ii change
Z into another being.
y II should like to strike the bell once !
p two men lifted Him up and put smal
hammer In his hand.
. He struck one gentle blow. A deer
y sweet, mourniul zone, solemn as th
Y lsound OF distant waterfalls, folled from
:, the great bell and een0ed through tn,
9 founagy. Tears filed The eyes oI tn
2 rough men as they heard 1t.
"Ahp said the master, "there's
Ihalleluiah in that, and IL may Well begi
y here. Long may this bell praise God
9 He saved II in the ruins Of the iurAac
8 by one wise thought in the ruins ol q hu
Imam brain. Our furnace is rebuilt, an,
!. behold this dear boy has his reaso
8 lagaini The bell aud the boy shall gle
+ rify God together"
/ "Amenr murmured the listeners.
q Then the great bell was lowered, an
las the truck was rolled away with ii
!, mel0dious burden the boy was lifted an
% faarri, d after il. and bOtn went out iut