The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-08-28
THE BELL TOLLED ONE.
DIR. shumway's Odd Experience with his
Conscience.

DIR. Shumway's Odd Experience with his
Conscience.
A loud clang of the bell of the Dunn
vile Church (and | call the place Dunn
vile because that is not its name) awoke
the people at midnight. The single
stroke was like hard blow with a
sledge-hammer, and the stiffness through
out the village had been perfect that
night, as on most nights. The bell gave
out tremendous dong, like a brazen
cry of terror at the untimely blow, and
then, with shuddering reyerberations,
became silent by the time the inhabit-
ants-some of them summer visitors
like mysef-were sitting up in their
beds, startled, wondering and wide
awake. Uncommon things are indeed
uncommon in this little New England
village, and within ten minutes after the
bell tolled one at midnight, dozen
hastily dressed men were at the church
door. Foremost was the sexton, bare
headed and barefooted, wearing nothing
but red night-shirt and pair of trous-
erS. Next came the village lawyer, and
he was truly bareheaded, for he had
forgotten to put on his wig. All ques-
toned the sexton, who could not give
satisfying answers. He had heard the
bell ring, and that was all he knew
about it. The group grew larger every
second, and gazed eagerly up at the
belfry.
Lets go in,'' said the school
master.
"That's a good idee," was the re-
Spouse, in tone that accorded praise to
the sehoolmaster for strtkingly novel
suggestion.
Fully a hundred men, women and
children went quietly toward the door OF
the church, for women and children had
added themselves to the gathering OF
men: but not one entered, although the
door had been unlocked. There was
bright moonlight outside, while the in
terror was dark, and who knew what
dreadful thing might be in there? Ac-
ton was plainly expected OF the sexton
and the schoolmaSter. They met the
call with manifest reluctance. The sex
ton lighted lantern, and offered it to
the schoolmaster, who did not take it
The trembling pair stepped hesitatlngly
into the entry, and stepped out again. A
Young fellow, who had recently acqulr-
ed a reputation for bravery by catching
a runaway horse, was turned to IN TIN:
emergency. He had Just come out of ;
sound sleep, and at such a time trit1e'
impress us with weirdness; but he made
a deceptive pretenSe of fearlessneSS,
seized the lantern and entered the
church. The sexton and the schoolmas
ter followed this leader, and other
followed them. The bell-rope wa!
found hanging into the entry through
the hole in the ceiling, as usual. Th'
sexton pulled it, shyly and gently a
first. and then hard enough to hav'
swung the bell against the clapper unde
ordinary circumstances.
There's something wrong about tn
bell" he said; "'Twon't turn
Lets go up and see," said the sug
geStive schoolmaSter.
However, the schoolmaster did no
lead the way, and the young man OF re
puted bravery again felt that he mus
act or let his reputation suffer. A stair
way led to the first landing in the stee
ple. and as far as that he was followe'
bv as many as could crowd into tn
space. A ladder reached the rest OF tn
way up to where the bell was hung, an
he climbed rapidly, while the other
strained their eyes with looking up a
the light of the lantern that he carried
Timbers crossed the belfry, obstructin
the view; Vet the folks on the plattorr
below were as quick as the climber
see that black object was hanging Jus
underneath the bell.
Whats that?' the sexton shouted
The Young fellow held the lantern tc
ward the dangling object, which at ths
instant turned slowly round, and all sa'
that it was the body of man hangin
by the neck. The women screamed an
turned their eyes away from the slght
a face wrung by the contortive agonlt
of death by strangulation; out their CT
riositv was stronger than their horror
and thew quickly looked again.
ssWho is tips the schoolmaster asked
s'Dr SUBWAY" the young man o
the ladder answered.
Cant be. y
sYes. it isl"
II was indeed DIR. Shumway, the phys
clan Of the village, who had for man
Years been loved and respected, and
whose life nobody would have pickle
ont a motive for suicide. He had rigge
\ rome TO the clapper Of the bell in sue
an ingenious way, that, when he leape
from the ladder with a moose around h
neck. the ben was struck one hard blow
The body was lowered as soon as pc
sible. but life had entirely gone. ont OF !
The wonder was why he had killed hin
self. and eoniectures were wide and VIII
until the following document, careiul
written ia the Doctors own haha, WI
found in his pocket
DIR. sHUMwAY'S EXPLANATION
| hone that am not a murderer.
fear that am. Between the hope al
the fear there is nothing but miserab