Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-11-12
THE BELL OF ST JOHNS.

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.
II was just at evening, and in the gather
ing twilight the lurid blue flames that burst
from the top of the tall chimney flashed
unearthly CLEANS upon the neighboring
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 Tartarian shades
and the sooty beams and ponderous chains
crossing half black, half golden, under tho
glowing roof, recalled the engines OF the
Cyclops under Mt. Etna.
The town clock struck six. Ii was time
for supper. All the men threw down their
tools and ran and ut on their outer cloth
iGg.
"Be back in half an hour, sharpl' cried
the foremaster. 1--WE shall make the cast
at quarter of seven"
"All right, sir I" cried the men III re-
sponse.
"I hear some of the town folks are COM
ing down to see the work." said one.
YES" said another, "and irll be some
thing 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 leGt in the foundry.
The former was TO stay aud watch the
"blasi.' He had brought double allow
ance Of dinner, and he would make sup
per on what remained.
perhaps we can get the inventor TO
stay with you, George" said The master,
laughingly, as he prepared TO go.
"Hes, where is her" returned the man
in the anne jeslng tone.
Hes been round the works long enough
to know when anything goe. wrong.
IIollo hollo! say Where's the inven-
tor? Come here. All, there he is I" And in
silent answer TO the sun mons, a shock hair
ed fellow, with large grey eyes, and pale,
vacant face, appeared rom behind pile of
castings. He had on his back a gray shirt,
much soiled with dust, and he wore pair
of huge panlaloons, held up by a single
suspender.
"Well, Mopus," quoth the man George,
der Suppose you've got wit enough TO
help yell if anythine's the matler?"
The young fellow looked stupidly around
and nodded his head.
"Then sit here and look at that furnace
and don't take your eyes off,"
Tha poor lad smiled aud meekly did as
he was ordered-just as an obediant dog
would have laid down 10 watch his own
er's coat.
A queer fellow was this "Mopus :"
stupid enough in ordinary things 10 need
world OF watching, but withal wonderfully
fit to watch a furnace. He knew all the
working OF the foundry, by what seemed
sort OF brute instinct, though really his
strange sagacity in this was a remnant Of
once bright mind.
If anything happened or went in an
unusual way, he would always notice ii,
and say what ought to be done, though he
could not tell, perhaps, why il ought TO be
done.
Two years before, he had been an intel
ligent, promising lad. He was tue son OF a
designer connected with the foundry COM
pany, and had always been allowed free
access 10 the shops, and 10 mingle with the
men and watch their work. But one day
great lining chain broke with its lead,
and an iron fragment struck him on the
head, infllciing a serious injury. From
this he partially recovered, and only par
TALLY, for his reason was impaired. But his
natural love for machinery and mechanl-
cal experiments remained, and as he re-
gained his bodily strength he spent most
of his time making small wheels aud shafts,
and putting together odd contrivances,
which lie would exhibit with immense
pride and satisfaction.
This peculiar trait in the young fellow
gained for him the humorous title Of the
Inventor" All the men felt great kind
ness for him, even though their manner
toward him was occasionally harsh and
impatient.
Such was the person left 10 help watch
the great blast for the casting Of the king
bell of The chimes of ST Johns. Faithfully
he kept his place before the furnace, while
the man George sat down at little distance
and began TO eat his supper. Doubtless
| the latter intended to keep general over
| sight, but he certainly made the inventors
| eyes do The most of the looking. Whether
| he felt kind Of reckless trust in the in-
stinct of his half wited companion, or in
dOlently concluded that nothing wrong
could happen, he was sadly to blame for
charging himself so little with the impor-
tant duty before him.
Not word was said 10y either watcher,
and only the deep roar of the furnace was
heard through the vast foundry.
George finished his supper, and saunler-
ed into one OF the tool shops to find his
pipe. "Inventor" sat alone before the great
blast. The one rational faculty of his fee
BILE mind enabled him TO comprehend
what il meant, and even something of the
magnitude oI the enterprise that was ripen-
ing inside those burning walls. He knew
that the furnace was full of valuable metal,
and that close beside him, buried out of
sight in the deep sand, was the huge mold,
so soon 10 be filled with the precious cast.
He knew and could see that all the chan
nels for the flow of the fiery liquid were
ready, and that near the mouth of the fur
mace stood the long iron rod that was to be
used when the moment came to let on the
molten stream.
All this his limited thoughts took in by
habit. Dimly conscious that something
| great was soon TO be done, he sat with his
eyes on the furnace absorbed and intent.
Suddenly something startled him. There
was slight noise and a burning crack ap-
peared near the top OF the furnace. Then
another crack, and scorching brick fell
out and rolled TO the ground at his feet.
The lad opened his mouth TO shrek, but
so terrified was he that the sounds stuck