Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-08-18
for a long time yet, but the bill had been

for long time Yet, but the bill had been
sent in.
About flvf; years previously the rector
had surprls ed and delighted the parish by
presenting the church with magnificent
peal OF FIVE bells. Nobody knew where
he bad got the money from, and nobody
cared except Mrs. Livingston. When she
inquired about it she was told not to in
terfere. This beneficent gift had gained
the rector enormous kudos. Three depu-
tations with banners had called on him at
separate times, thanked him in the hearth
est manner, and then gone round to the
back door and compelled Mrs. Livingston
to provide them with beer The local pa
pers were surcharged with laudatory lead
ers. The curate had preached the most
fulsome sermon on the subject, and the
Bishop had written to the rector to express
his sincere approval of the gift. The
bells were continuously rung-by tyros-
for almost whole week, and the deaths
of three infirm old ladies who lived near
the church, were hastened by the pro-
cess.
When Rev. and Mrs. Livingston re-
turned from the seaside after Mrs. Lii
Gngston's illness, it was found that the
large bell had got somehow shifted and
could not be rung. 1t was suggested by
certain evil-minded persons that some one
who lived near the church, feeling that
their brains were being drummed away by
the continual pealing the whole of every
Sunday, as well as Tuesdays and FRIDAYS
and every saints day, had induced some
hireling to ascend the tower at night and
disable one Of the bells This suggestion
was dismissed with the contempt it de-
served. How could any one, however,
near the church he was fortunate enough
to live, ever grow tired of hearing the
beautiful bells that dear Mr.. Livingston
had presented to the parish?
Be that as it may, the bell had got
wrong, and it remained to put it right
But before sending for men to do it, the
rector took upon himself to ascend the
tower and examine it, late one afternoon
and all alone. Now the monks who built
our old churches seem to have taken a
fendish delight in making the ascent of
the towers as perilous as possible. This
was no exception. The staircase began in
the most respectable way. There were
nice square-stone steps for little distance,
and up went the reverend, though corpu-
lent gentlemen, as merrily as could be.
But after it had wound twice around it be-
came perfectly dark for a while, and as
one of the steps seemed to have worn quite
away, the rector came down with his knees
on one step and his forehead on another
in the most undignifed manner imagin-
able
After this he proceeded more cautiously.
The stone steps came to an end, and were
succeeded by wooden stairs, worm-eaten
and crumbling away. Up he went, past
the great clock that licked so loudly that
it seemed as if it was shouting tc warn him
to go no higher, till he came to a shaky
ladder which led up to the belfry. This
ladder wanted mending sadly. Several of
the rungs had fallen out, and consequently
the rector had to stretch his legs consider
ably to step from one to the other. How
ever, he reached the top in safety, although
feeling rather nervous, for he had not been
in the belfry for many years, and it seemed
somewhat alarming. There was a strong
wind blowing, and the wooden shutters
ratified and the bell axles creakcd as if
they were living things. The longer he
stayed the more frightened he felt, and
the less inclined to commence the down
ward journey. He looked through the
narrow shutters and wished he was back
in his house, which he saw below, with
the children playing IN the garden. 1t is
far more difficult thing to climb down
than to climb up, and this is unfortunate,
for whereas an ascent is generally volun-
tarily, one often has no choice whether to
descend or no. This is what struck the
rector as he looked down the ladder; and
the more he looked at it the more dan
gerous it seemed.
Suddenly the weathercock whirled
round with shrek so close to his ear
that he started and turned round in a
hurry to retreat. The first step of the
ladder was very long one for the two top
rungs were out. There was no rail to hang
on to. He clutched hold of bell wheel
to steady himself, and it swung round and
terrified him by making the bell speak
with Earring sound. Then he knelt on
the dusty floor, and sent one of his legs
down to reconnoiter. 1t had been vaguely
wandering about for some time, feeling for
the ladder, when bat in the roof started
off for its evening exercise, and brought
down lump Of plaster on the rector's
head. At this most critical moment he
went crashing down through the lath and
plaster floor of the clock story-down to
the bottom of the tower In his fall he
caught hold Of a bell rope, and the bell
answered with a tremendous clang 1t was
his death-knell.
The sexton, who was in the church.
yard, hearing the bell ring and the thud
of the body on the floor, rushed into the
church and found the rector in dying
condition. He was carried to the house,
and expired within an hour. AS he lay
dying, he was just able to speak to his
wife.
MARY, l have been very, very wicked
to you'll leave you in great trouble-you
must try and forgive me-"
al do forgive you everything. Are you
thinking of the lectern that is not paid
for? We shall soon pay off that debt with
the insurance money, you know"
The dying mans face grew whittier than
ever, and he clenched his hand convul-
sively.
"The policy-I sold it-fve years ago
for the church bells"
The parishioners were very sorry when
they heard that the rector was dead and
sun uOre 50 WHICH tHey nedru tHdt MS
widow and five children were not only
left utterly destitute but saddled with a
debt of $50 for the new lectern, for this
news seemed unpleasantly suggestive of
subscription lists. A list was indeed
opened and half the lectern debt was paid
off Then they closed their purses and
felt they had done their duty.
The present rector is particularly proud
of his bells; and for the number and va
riety of its altar cloths and the general
excellence of its decorations the church is
unsurpassed in the whole county.-Cora-
hill Magazine.