Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-09-09

spoken, uttered with no mild emphasis
the natural wrath of the master and tn,
hands against the man George, whose
excuses for himself only exaggerated
his offcnse
''See what he's DONE" said they {
few days later, as they stood in the hal
burned foundry. give thousand dol.
lars gone to waste in minute! 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 himself
Out upon such carelessness Why, the
boy didn't even know enough to bawl
cut when he must have seen the fur
mace tumbling to pieces !"
The master, who had more at 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
his eye among the debris, and he cried
in startling voice:
"Hallo! What's this9 What's this?''
He snatched up fragment of one of
the troughs which had led from the fur
mace to the mold. There were traces
of the stream Of bronze still running in
it, Then the possible meaning of the
iron found in the injured boys hand
flashed upon him.
Bring me shovel, quick !" he shout
ed.
A spade was put into his hands, and
he began nervously to heave away the
hot mass that lay piled over the bell
mold. 1t was a herculean task, but he
worked like q giant, and three or four
of his men took hold and helped him.
Brick bats, ore, Stag and ashes flew
in every direction. Presently the mas
ters spade penetrated the sand and
touched something hard He stopped
down. Then he leaped up like one
half frantic, and, plying his spade with
energy, tore away the re-
sand, disclosing what looked
like great metallic ring
MEN" he cried out, lifting his flush
ed face, ''the bell is cast !"
"Who did this :" asked every excited
voice, as soon as the cheering died a.
way.
"Cone with me, two or three of
you'll" cried the master, Il think |
know who did 1t. It's a miracle!"
They hurried away to the home of
the half-wrtted boy The attendant
met them with her finger on her lips.
''The poor lad is in a brain fever,
she said.
"Does he say anything IN his delir
ium 2" whispered the master.
20, yes, he raves all the time about
the big bell mold. Il hope it will fill
i 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
physician came out. Perhaps he will
recover his reason by this shock and
sickness" he said. "Such things have
Mapped,
DO you think so? Pray Heaven
he may!' solemnly calculated the mas.
ter and his men; and they 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 lowered A silence fell ups
on the group of worknen as the pale
face and feeble form Of 'sInventor" ap-
peared, borne in on small soft reclin
ing chair. He had recovered his res
son, and was fast getting back his
strength. His large gray eyes instantly
fastened themselves on the bell, that
splendid masterpiece, whose making
meant 30 much 20 him. They had
told him the whole story of the casting
and the disaster in the foundry, but it
all sounded like a wild romance to
him.
81 remember nothing that happened,
said he, shaking his head with a smile
otis all new to me, all new and strange
so strange!
eyes" said the master, devoutly, S'it
was Gods hand
Every eye was turned upon the inva
lid. Some of the men felt almost afrslC
it was so much like resurrection to
have him there among them, the boy
they had known SO long under witted
now young man keen and intelligent
as if changed into another icing.
81 should like to strike the bell once
said he. Two men lifted him up ant
put a small hammer in his hand.
| He struck one gentle blow. A deep
sweet, mournfnl tone; solemn as tn,
sound of distant waterfalls, rolled iron
the great bell and echoed through tn
foundry. Tears filled the eyes Of tn
rough men as they heard it.