Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-26


PROF. wEDDows-EELLs THAT SPEAK WITHOUT BE-
TSG TOUCHED-THE MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENT
FOR RINGING THE CHIMES, &C.
Christmas morning Just before the dawn. A light
twinNieS through the cathedral glass window in
the steeple tower of the Metropolitan church, and
minute later, still further up, another light APP
pears through the little narrow Sits OF windows
almost in the steepie st. Aloyslus' bell tolls 6
ocish. and then the chimes far up in the steeple
peal forth their joyous and melOdOuS welcome to
Christmas. n STAR reporter asceudcd to the little
steepc door at the head of the gallery stairs and
thence clallbered Up long, harrow and almost
Perpendicular fight OF steps, until he reached the
level OF the narrow Sits OF windows. There in a
little square apartment was Prof Widows the
master OF the bells ia the midst OF merry carlton
the notes OF which. rs they issued forth from The
cOf@r-ihroaJed bells, far overhead, were sOftened
IN this apartment Ike distant Ginning. For the
ceiliLG above was solid, excepting the small holes
the ciapperS or hammers OF the bells In the center
OF the apartment was O stand about five feet in
S51..1-.t,1ef out OF which protruded at convenient
I-I-ith the nine handles or levers, which in turn
MeEe connected with the rods and ropes that rang
the bells. a music book was spread open on a
Little bracket above the keyboard. or row OF han
dies, and jets OF gas either side threw their light
upon the page. The Professor, with eye intent upon
the notes, worked manfully at the levers until ne
had sent the last note OF the selection he pIy
ing spinning and humming through the morning
ar, when he turned painting and perspirng TO wei
come the reporter The welcOme c, hOwever,Was brief
as the Professor had to turn again to his music in
order to finish the fourteen selections comprising
night turned TO gray. Wayfarers whom pleasure
or duty called out Of their homes early Christmas
me i4 chlnes, ana when the last lingering note OF
,Home, Sweet Home" which closed the program
had Ced away. and the Professor turned TO the re-
porter, IL was broad daylight.
BELL RINGING VERSUS GINNING.
'People used to play chimes with ropes" said the
reporter suggeStiyely, "a man for every bell
THAT was bel-ringfng and not chining," said
the Professor ''They could not play tunes. All
they could do was to ring the changes The bell
had to swing over and back and OF course that
Could not be done quickly enough to make it
possible to play tunes. Now, there are some
Secrets about playing the chimes. Now You see
can phrase almost il not quite as well as on an
organ, and the Professor struck of q stave or two
OF All air Which must have startled the passerS by
who supposed the chimes had settled down to
Silence for the rest OF the day. There are only
nine bells here" continued the Professor chatting
away, IAN octave and one over. Now there are Sc
lectigus, played Oh three bells which require more
notes, but D. combining several notes, they can be
played 80 that YOU could not tel what was miss
Ing can strike four notes at care. this way, al
pressing down two levers with each hand again
awakened Se echoes Of the sJeepIe with deep
thOfL "Ihtn," lie continued, Ito show YOU fur
ther what can he done with bells they can be
PLAYED softly or loud at will. You see know Just
%here the clappers hang. BY pressing the lever
IL al the way down you bring IL out
loud ana clear. O1ce when was playing the
chimes al the Centennial had to 90 away one day
and arranged with q gentleman, an old English
DtiLfiAgeT. to play the chimes for me. He really
kne7c nothing about music but Thought he knew
soiit thing about chimes. Everybody noticed the
difference. This bellringer knew nothing about
the lghts and shades OF the bells. Bells are made
Tor .iiiioic and not Tor noise But will you go up
and oec the bello.'
CLIMBING INTO THE BELFRy.
The reporter, approaching the romance of climb
Ing into belfry on chilly Christmas morning
more than lie dreaded the discomfort, readily ac-
cep;eI the Invitation Through q little doorway
they aSccnd6d M & long laddeT-lika stairway into
the dark sreeple getting into maze of crossbeams
and supp0rts-4luge ttn.bers placed N the steepIe
70 strengthen II after ii near sIIcCumbing to
rO0l-HItlug n0rWeotera few years ago. Up, up into
The reporter and the Professor peeTe1 into the
Nfie mouths OF the bells and were tangled
among the ropes. i flock of pigeons We're cC9ing
IN We 7te4lle un'nlndful or the iutruders and
disturbed by the storm OF meOltv which the bells
na4 Just ceased pouring out. There is a science
oI Ht4>, slQ Ire Professor. "Tncse bells are said
by some people 10 be out OF tune They are not out
OF tame. but out CT tone. In tuning them they
they We're put out OF tone. See there. the rim OF
that bell has been cut or beyeed of instead OF be-
ing taIrred OIL, TO a fine edge. That was done in
tuning and was wrong. You Wouldn't believe NE
II told you could make bell speak without
touching 1t. Well, il can be done. III you give
sound a minor third above the c0nsOnant note of
the beIl. II viii respond. / will show you" The
Professor clambered the ropes and tmbers TIL
he got his head under one OF the bells. Then he
piorng the region OF harmony for the proper pitch
for hymn When he struck the right note the bell
gave forth little humIning ring in response.
"Nnen bells are tested" said the Professor .'they
are tested with an Old-rashOned pitch-pipe. With
such pipe. could stand some distance from the
bell ana make il respond YOU could hear Ii iii the
street. That response note Is the harmonic OF the
bell lt Is the last note that leaves the bell. pass
Ing of the rim"
THE TECHSICALITIES OF A BELL
The Professor explained the technical parts OF
the bell to the reporter. just above the rim is a
circle called the sounding bow, on which the ham,
lner strikes Above that and near the top is the
waist OF the bell. When the clapper strikes, the
Professor said, one, by placing his finger On the
bow. could follow tie sound, or the vibrations I'D
Tie side Of the bell TO the waist where it stops and
then down again, until the harmonic or last little
eli OF melody sped OF the I'm ana vanished. The
bells are made OF composition of copper and tin
about Sayenty-nine per cent being copper. Too
much TIN makes The sound TOO sharp. The propor-
tons OF the mixture have been established BY long
experience. 81 have an ifea," said the Professor.
~Ef'n he and the reporter had clafnbered down
again TO the little square room, II have an idea
th2t an improvement could be made on the bells
now In use. propose by changing the shape OF the
Del u get better results. For Instance, believe
could Get the same note out OF 1850 pound Ocll
as out OF that big 3DD pound bell up In the steep!e,
but won't explain my plan, FOR / may want 10
patent It. think. though. that i set of Chimes
sand dollars and every village haveits chimes"
n Suggestion.