Milford chronicle., 1883-07-06
THE BELL RINGING BOY.
The Old story ns,ora with a Few variations.

Il would like to ring that bell. Say,
won't you let me ring that bell? TIL
give you fifty cents if you let me ring
that bell
The speaker was a mild-eyCd Young
fellow with an innocent look upon his
face that inspired confidence at first
sight. He was a Boston boy and was in
Waterloo, Canada, with only fifty cents
in his pocket. He hadn't had any
breakfast or dinner, and when he had
offered Charley Hall, the proprietor Of
the hotel, fifty cents for the privilege of
ringing the huge dinner-bell that set in
the office, he was playing for a stake
Charley gave the youth a casual
glance, "sized him up" as fresh, "
and then told him he could ring the bell
as long as he wished to for fifty cents.
The young man laid down his last
fifty cents, seized the bell and began a
vigorous ringing.
As it happened to be about the dinner
hour, the proprietor thought this a good
joke.
In through the parlors, out upon the
veranda and even up into the chambers
sounded the clang of the bell. The
guests soon became annoyed and then
exasperated. "What in thunder have You
got that bell ringing for?' asked one.
'Tie rope to that calf and haul him
in, " said another "If you don't put a
stop to that confounded nuisance we'll
quit your house, said third
The landlord, thoroughly bewildered,
both by the ringing of the bell and the
of the guests, went ont to the
fellow and said;
"Come, haven'tyou rung that tbellabout |
long enough? The guests are all COM
planning about it.
"Rung it long enough? Bless your
soul, I haven't hardly begun yet, What
DO you suppose paid you the last fifty
cents that had in the world for? Long
enough? Pshaw You must be crazy,
nan. just listen to that bell Amt
hat a splendid sounding bell? What a
bell Listen to the fine
one of that bell, man, and then think
low you could ask me to stop ringing
hat bell. I'd rather ring this bell than
,at my dinner. Don't keep botheriug
ne; let me attend to this bell. "
By this time the attention of the town
,fiicers was attracted to the matter, and
he landlord was told he must discon-
inue the ringing of the bell
Condemn it, said the now thoroughly
landlord, "I'm not ringing
he bell"
"Well, you must stop it, no matter
rho it is that's ringing it.
To the bell-ringer again went the an
oyed landlord and repeated his request
his time a little more severe. 81 want
ou to let up on this business. You
ave made noise enough, and I think it's
ime to stop. Do you want to alarm the
hole country?"
"Just listen to that bell amt that a
aisy bell? That's the best bell 1 think
ever heard. Where did you get this
elf Oh, it's splendid Say, just ,
stem to this bell What an exception
lily fine sounding bell. What will you
Ike for that bell ?"
'The question amt what I'll take for t
le bell, but what you'll take to let up" Z
nd the excited landlord.
"Well, I don't know that 1 care to l
op, but amt that a fine sounding bell i
it's all the same to you about $40, 1 L
INK would be about right" t
81 won't give you $40, but I'll tell you a
hat I'll do; I'll give you 50 and the
est dinner you ever had if you'll stop Il
ght where you are. 0
agreed; let's have your So. Thanks. P
ow we'll go to dinner, and in a few p
inutes the ravenous youth from the fl
Hub was putting away roast beef and A
licken salad at a marvelously rapid Il
tie. h