Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-20
A NAN IN THE BELL.


much more IA fashion among the young
men OF - than il Il now. Some Atty
years ago about twenty 81 rs who dwelt
IN ths vicinity Of the cathedral formed
club which used 70 RIM. every peal that
was called for.
One sunday | went with another into
the belfry % ring for noon prayers. but
the second stroke We had pulled showed
Us that the clapper OF the bell We were
~ was mufsed. Some one had been
buried that morning and IL had been
prepared II course % ring a mournful
note
We did not know of this. bat tbs rem
ely Was easy. Jack" said my com
panion. step up TO the loft and cut off
the hat. for the way We had Of muf-
fling was by tying piece OF an old hat
or Of cloth (tne former WAS preferred) on
one side Of the ciapper, which deadened
every second toll.
l complied. and mounting into the
belfry crept rs usual into the bell.
where | began 20 cut away. The hat
had been tied on IN some more compli-
Gated manner than usual. and l was per-
haps three OF four minutes IN getting il
OF. during which time my companion
below was hastily called away-by a
message from his sweetheart, believe,
but that Is not material to my story.
The person who called him was a
brother % the club who. knowing that
the time had come for ringing for serv-
ice. and not thinking that any one was
above. began 20 pull. ~ this moment
i was Just getting ont when felt the
bell moving. | guessed the reason at
once. IL was a moment OF terror, bat
by hasty and almost convulsive effort
j succeeded in jumping down and throw
ing myself on the fat of my back under
the bell
The room in which il was was little
more than sufficient 70 contain il, the
bottom Of the bell coming within q
couple Of feet OF the floor Of lsth Al.
that time certainly was not so bulky
o. am now. hut ash lay it was within
an inch of my face. had not lain my
self down u second, when the ringing
began. II was dreadful situation.
Over me swung an immense mass Of
metal. one touch Of which would have
crushed me TO pieces; the floor under
me was principally composed OF crazy
laths. and II they gave way was pre-
cipitated 10 the distance of about fifty
feet upon a loft. which would in ali
probability have sunk under the impulse
OF my fall and sent me TO be dashed to
atoms upon tho marble floor Of the chan
eel hundred feet below.
This was my first terror, but the ring
ing mad not continued a minute before a
more awful and immediate dread came
on me- The deafening sound Of the
bell smote into my ears with thunder
which made me fear their drums would
crack: there was not fiber OF my body
II did not thrill through. IL entered my
very soul; thought aud reflection were
almost utterly banished; only retained
the sensation of agonizing terror.
Every moment | saw the bell sweep
within an inch Of my face. and my eyes
II could not close them. though To look
st the object was bitter as desth-fol-
lowed ir instiDctively IN it's oscillating
progress until il came back again. 1t
was ia vain said 10 myself that il
could come no nearer at any future
swing tiran 10 did 40 first; every time il
descended endeavored TO shrink into
the very door 20 avoid being buried I'M
der tho down sweeping mass. and then.
refecting on the danger Of pressing too
weightily on nay frail support, would
cover up again "A Tar ~ dared.
A. -. -
fsct. was afraid the pulleys above
would give way and let the bell plunge
on me. AT another time the possibility
Of the clapper being shot out in some
sweep and dashing through my body. as
/ had sseu a ranrod glide through a
door. fitted across my mind. The dread
also. as have already mentioned, of the
crazy f0or tormented me. bat these soon
gave way TO fears not more unfounded.
but more visionary and OF course more
tremendous.
The roaring Of the bell confused my
Intellect. and my fancy soon began TO
tenn with all sosts Of strange and terri
flying idess The bell pealing above and
opening is jaws with a hideous clam0r
seemed % me az enc time a raying mon
sser raging to devour me; at another a
whirlpool ready 20 suck me into us bel
lowing abyss As gazed on it. il rs
sarned All shares. It was a flying eagle.
or rather a roc % the Arabian story
tellsrs. clspping its wings and screaming
over me.
AL looked upward intoit. it would ap-
PEAR sometimes ~ lengthen into inded-
mite extent or To he twisted at the end
into tbe spiral folds Of the tail Of a flying
dragon. Nor was the flaming breath or
herr glance Of that tabled animal want
Ing 20 completes the picture. MY eyes,
fnflansi bloolshot susl glsriug. invested
ire supposed monster with a full pro
pcrtion II unholy light.
Il would De endless were 70 merely
hint NJ all che fsnciss that possessed my
mind Every object that was hideous
ami rssring presented itself To my i'm
srination. I often thought that | was
IN a hurricane AZ sea and that ths vessel
A which was embarked tossed under
re With she most furious vehenence.
The ar. set in motion BY the swinging
Of thss bell. blew ever ma nearly with
Are violence and more than the thundsr
81 tempest sud the focr seemed e
~ unae- "A unsisr drunken man.
r1s the rr,cst awful = AL the ideas that
seirs,f or pie were drawn from the su-
parnRfursl
IN the vs@t csverr - The bel hisecus
faces appeared ard zlsred down on me
with rerr1fving fro~ns or with yriuning
r1ockerv sfiii more appalling. I found
vrts l-,refn NJ aeisriosis. and trpua hleti