Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-01-13
Bells.

VI all the articles in common use.
alike iu our public and private life.
there is none that appeals TO more
emotions than the bell. There il none
which has figured moro prominently
in not few of the great tragedies OF
history and in many of the cherished
recollections OF childhood. Its history
is full of romance, from the time when
the drops OF water in the clepcydra
tho water-clock of antiquity, were made
10 sound like our most Il minulive bells,
to tho present, when the largest bell in
the world, now in actual use in Moscow,
weighs l2S tons. 1t is a story upon
which volume might be written. for
the historians, the poets, the musicians
and even nursery tales would furnish
abundant material
In England. for centuries the par
ish bell has tolled for the death OF the
poorest and richest alike, and THIS Gus
tom has prevailed TO some extent IN
New England. There was one singu-
lar instance in modern English history
when the bells peeled mingled notes of
triumph and mourning. The same
ship that brought the news Of the
great naval victory at Trafalgar con.
veyed also the remains of Nelson. and
when it arrived all the bells rang out
merry peels. broken at intervals by the
passing toll for the loss of the hero
who had won it.
In earlier times two OF the most
dreadful tragedies in all history were
ushered in by the ringing of bells. it
was upon Easier-tide i'm 1882 that John
of Procda had fixed for his attempt TO
free Sicily from the French and
Charles of Anjou The signal for the
rising and the onslaught Was to BE- the
first sound Of the yesper bells on the
appointed day. In the massacre that
followed more than s, 900 Frenchmen
persisted, and the event has since been
known as the Silica Vcspcrs.
The massacre of the Huguenots
occurred in l5z. and the signal for its
commencement was given BY the ring.
ing OF bell in the church Of St
German ! Auzerro.s, opposite the east
facade OF the Louvre.
Bells. indeed. play ed an important
part all the strife aud turmoil Of the
Middle Ages. They rang in cities
taken and given over to pllage, or in
token of ransom By victor who dared
to he merciful. or by the 10, ful gar
r.son when from thor unconqucred
walls they saw the besegers departing
One of the first acts of general after
capturing stronghold was TO break or
pull down the bells, and if opportunity
ever offered, the inhabitants never fall
ed to melt down the cannon of the
oppressors in their turn defeated. to
make good their loss.
In England. William the Conqueror
made the curfew bell an instrument Of
oppression. After Mahomet H. had
taken Constantnople. in 1853 he per-
United large bodies of the Greeks to re-
turn 10 their homes. but he
would never allow their bells to be
rung, knowing how easily they might
be used as signal for instruction.
While the bell has sounded the kneli
to many hopes it has peeled merily and
hopefully to many ears. 1t made the
fortune Of Wilmington. when il seem
ell 10 say:
Turn again, Wilmington,
Lord Mayor Of London
Moore sang beaut fully OF Those
Evening Bells, and Father Prout has
celebrated The Bells Of Shandon in
verses that will live as long Ms that
class river flows.
The bells that poets and prose writ
ers are turning Their attention to in
this happiest period of the year are
Christmas Bells, and soon their chimes
VII be heard 10 ring-in fancy ri
least whenever Christmas legends
are known and its customs cherished
-7exas StttngS.