New-York tribune., 1884-01-12
WHAT A PROFESSOR OF BELLS SAYS.
Tom The Washington star.

"People used to play chimes with ropes
said the reporter suggesvey, man for every bel.
fessOr. "They could not play tunes All they could DO
was TO ring changes. The bell had to swing over ana
back and OF course that could not be done quickly
enough to make possible play tunes Now there are
secrets about playing the chimes Now you see
can phrase almost II not quite as well as on an 0rga
and the Professor struck OF stave OF two oil an ar
which must have startled the passershy who supposed
of the day "TheTe only nine bells here, continued
the Professor chatting away d oGaYG & anu % 3e bch
can he Waved so that yo could not tell what was miss
in can strike four notes a once this way although
have but hands" and the Professor pressing down
oS the steepe with deep chord Then, he ntinued
show you further what can be done with bells they
can be played softly or loud at Will. You see, know
Just where the clappers hang. BY pressing the lever
down only far you get soft note BY throwing It all
the way down you bring 1t out loud and clear. once
when was playing the chimes at the Centennial had TO
20 away one day, ana arranged with gentleman an
old English bell-rmger, to pla, the chimes t0r me- e
really knew nothing about music, but thought he knew
something about chimes. Everybody noticed the differ
This bell ringer knew nothing about the lights ana
for LOse. But will You 20 up and see the bells ~
into bclfry chilly Christmas morning more IMAM he
dreaded the discomfort readily accepted the nNlta5lo
Through little doorway they asccnded up long ladder
hike stairway into the dark steepe getting INTO maze OF
crossbeams and supports-huge tmbers placed In tie
steepe 10 strengthen after came near succunDn2 TO
a roof lifting nOr'wester few years ago. Up up into
region Of gray light and dust up until the reporter and
the Professor peercd into the wide mouths OF te Des
and were tangled among the ropes. flock OF pigeons
were cooling in the steeple uhhnd9l OF the ntruuGIs
and undturbed by the storm Of melody Thch the bells
had Just ceased pouring out. There Is science OF
bes sad the Professor These bells are said by some
neoule to be out tune. They of tune but
out tone. In tuning them they put out Of tone
See there, the rim of that bell has been cut or 1eyelod
of instead of being tapered of to fine edge That was
done in tuning, aud was wrong. You wouldn't believe
me II told you could make bell speak without touch
ing IT, Well, 1t can be done. Ifyou give sound
minor third above the eOnsOnant note of the bell II will
respoDd. will show you" The Professor cambered
over the ropes and mbcrs till he got his head under
the bells Then he began to pipe with his voice like
precenor exploring the region of harmony for the proper
ni,ch for hymn When he struck the right note, the
bell gave forth little hunming ring In response.
when bells tested said the Professor, they are
tested with an od-fashioned pitch-pipc With such
pipe could stand some distance from the bell and make
II respond you could hear 1t in the street That re
sponsc note il the harmonic OF the bell il Is the last
note that leaves the bell passing on the rim.