The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-11-23
The Bell Of st. Johns.


of workmen were getting ready to cast
the largest bell Of the st. Johns cathedral
chime, Only an hour more, and they
would lot 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
gathering twilight the lurid blue flames
that burst from the top of the tall chin
ney flashed uuearthly CLEANS upon the
neighboriug windows and house tops
The scene within the foundry was
weird and almost awful The swarthy
forms oe the workmen, partly lighted by
the yellow glare, moved about like Tar.
tartan shades, and the sooty beams and
pondelou chains crossing half black, half
golden, under the glowing roof, recalled
the engines of the Cyclops under Mt.
KtDa.
time for supper. All the men threw
down their tools and ran and put on their
outer clothing,
"Be back in half an hour, sharp ~
cried the foremaster, 1--WE shall make
the cast at a quarter of seven"
"All right, sir !" cried the men in re.
sponse.
III hear some of the town folks are
coming down to SEQ the work. said one.
YES" said another, land it'll be
something to open their eyes, There was
never such q bell cast in the whole state
as this one will be-"
In moment more only one workman
and the master we're left in the foundry.
The former was to stay and watch the
blast" He had brought double al.
lowance of dinner, and he would make a
supper on what remained.
perhaps we can get the inventor to
stay with you, George" said the master,
laughingly, as he prepared to 60.
Yes, where ia he ?" returned the man
IN the same jesting tone.
"He's been round the works long
enough to know when anything goes
wrong Hollo hollo say! Where's
the inventor 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 a gray shirt, much
soiled with dust, and wore pair of
huge paDtaloons, held up by a single sus.
pender
"Well, Mopus," quoth the man George,
snpping him rather roughly on the shoul.
der ; suppose you've got wit enough to
help yell if anything's the matter 2"
The young fellow looked stupidity
around and nodded his head.
Then sit here and look at that furnace
and don't take yorr eyes off,"
The poor lad smiled and meekly did
as he was ordered-just as an obedient
dog would have laid down to watch his
owners coat
A queer follow was this "Mopus )"
stupid enough in ordinary things to need
world Of Watching but withal wonder
fully fit to watch 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 it,
and say what ought to be done, though
he could not tell, perhaps, why it ought
TO be done.
Two Jears before, he had been an in.
telligent, promising lad, lie was the son
of designer connected with the foundry
company, and had always been allowed
free access to the shops, and to mingle
with the men and watch their work. But
one day great lifting chain broke with
its load, and an iron fragment struck him
on the head, inficting serious injury
From this he partially recovered, and
only partially, for his reason was impair.
and experiments remained, and as he re.
gained his bodily strength he spent most
Of his time making small wheels and
shafts, and putting together odd coptri.
vances, which he would exhibit with i'm.
mense pride and satisfaction.
This peculiar trait in the young fellow
gained for him the humorous title of the
Inventor" All the men felt a great
kindness for him, ever though their man
ner toward him was occasionally harsh
and impatient.
Such was the person lett to help watch
the great blast for the casting of the king
bell Of the chimes of St. Johns. Faith
fully 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 oversight, but he certainly mad'
the inventors eye do the most Of tht
looking, Whether he felt kind of reck
less trust in the instinct of his half wittet
companion, or indolently concluded tha
nothing wrong could happen, he was sadl,
to blame for charging himself so it'll
with the important duty before him.
Not word was said by either watcher
and only the deep roar of the furnace wa
heard through the vast foundry.
George finished his supper, and saun
tered into one oft the tool shops to find hi
pipe. "Inventor" sat alone before tn
great blast. The one rational faculty O
his feeble mind enabled him to compre
hend what it meant, and even somethiD
of the magnitude of the enterprise tha
was ripening inside those burning walls
He knew that the furnace was full Q
valuable metal, and that close beside hin
buried out of sight in the deep sand, wa
the huge mold, so soon to be filed wit
the precious cast. He knew and coul
see that all the channels for the flow c
the fiery liquor were ready, and tha
near the mouth of the furnace stood tn
long iron rod that was to be used whe
the moment camo to let on the molte
stream.
All this his limited thoughts took in b
habit. Dimly conscious that somethin
great was soon to be done, he sat with h
eyes on the furnace absorbed and inten
Suddenly something startled hin