Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-07-16

hubub lbu Allhulbat anu Aut lllllt can
mons had begun to speak on every cor
ner, when from my watch-window
spied a lantern in the Commodore's
dOor-yard. In another minute / had
scattered the ringers; and by the time
he had appeared on the scene of action
with the blacksmith, whom he had
routed from his bed, there was not
boy visible, except the small fellows
with their cannons on the nearest cross
street, who were unable to tell him
anything, simply because they did not
know.
The culprits, however, were all within
hearing, and lost not word of the old
gentleman's strong assertions, spoken
loud on purpose for their ears, which
he was shrewd enough to suppose were
within hearing, that he would lind out
"who they are; and rllprosecute every
one of them to the fullest extent of the
law"
The two men searched everywhere,
even to the belfry, from which their
lantern shone like a beacon, and they
tried every window and looked into
every pew; then, giving it up, the
blacksmith put a paddock on the outer
door, and they departed. -.
The boys gave them just time enough
to get home; then, at my sign, they
started up from their hiding places, and
the bell began to toll, deep, and strong
and quick Tom, who had planned for
every possible contingency, had carried
in his pocket, when he climbed up, a
strong cord wound round pebble to
which one end was secured; the other
he had tied to the clapper of the bell;
then, unwinding, he had hurled the
stone back down over the sheds; and
now they were using this strong cord
with will.
The bell had doomed furiously for
few minutes, when the lantern appeared
again in the Commodore S yard, and back
he came with his companion. They found
the church all right, not a window unfast-
ened, and every door secure; so re-
locking the outer ones, they proceeded
to an inspection of the sheds But
while they were still in the vestibule,
bending over the inner lock, Tom had
slipped in and hidden himself in the
wood closet. 1t did not require much
searching on the part of the men to find
the cord, which they tried to break by
their united efforts, and succeeded by
SdWllR IL hlOllH lllC tNl2b VI bIG IOOls
And now the sexton was so sure that
the bell would be at rest for the remain
der of the night that he laughed at the
blacksmith when he proposed that they
should sit on the meeting house steps
with their lantern and watch till day
| break, which was not very far of. He
dispersed the small boys, bidding them,
"Go home and 90 to bed, and come
come again at sunrise, then will ring
the bell myself; and yoa may all ring
till your hands are blistered. AS for
those rascals," raising his voice, " if
| they have broken so much as a pane of
| glass in this house, will have The law
on them tomorrow
The boys had pretty busy night of
| it, but they were not through yet. As
soon as the familiar lantern had van
| ished in the Commodore's house, win
dow in the church was gently raised, a
dark lantern in TOMS hand shone a
moment, there was good deal of
climbing in and out, of low talking, and
the sound of tools being used, and GER
tain other sounds strongly suggesting
that something was going on in the bel
fry. Then the boys dispersed just at
daylight, agreeing to keep watch and
see what happened next.
Promptly at sunrise came the sexton,
and crowd of small boys at his heels;
few men, too, had lounged along to
the church steps, and looked in as he
threw open the doors.
"And now," shouted the Commo-
dOre, "you may have all the ringing
you want, This is early enough for all
orderly folksr
So the little fellows snatched at the
rope, and ierked with all their might
with no result.
"Oh! clear out! said he, "and see
me do it! There TRdHS the way to
ring' pulling with one vigorous sweep
of his right arm, which drew the rope
clear to the floor; and so he kept on for
a minute or two, a puzzled expression
coming over his face; then suddenly he
called 10 the men outside. " "Seems TO
me this bell don't ring, or else have
gone deaf all at oncel HeyPn
mo" cried one of the small boys,
"tain't making no sound, Captain
The Commodore pulled and tugged,
then took off his coat and worked away
till his face was in blaze, and beads OF
perspiration rolled down his cheeks.
Those young rascals!' he said.
"They must have tied the clapper"
Upon which two men volunteered to 60
up and see. They soon returned with
the intelligence that the clapper was
"gOne entirely" But the Commodore
could not believe it, or was so obstinate
that he 'OOuld not till he had the evi-
dence of his own eyes. Sure enough,
gone it was.
Nor did it re-appear in its proper
place till the next Saturday night.
When the sexton went to ring fol-
church Sunday morning, there it was,
as if nothing had happened OF course
it made the talk of the town, and every
body thought that ByburY village haG
some rather remarkable boys. They
were now given full permiss on to ring
that bell as much as they wanted to n
| midnight before every coming Fourth
of July as long as they lived but, be
cause they could do it, they did not car,
to, and never did after that memorable
occasion. And their secret has beer
kept all of these years-the boys art
! now men-and nobody knows to thii
7 day who took that clapper off and pu
it on again Vide AaOdEe.