The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-15

thousands or Deiis All
atm. life would be blank and problem.
and vet. I think I am safe in saying that
none of US has ever given these oeus
more than q passing thought. nor SO
much as wondered how and when they
came to be or what greater things
thew might mean to us II We would
only take time to listen to them now
and then Stop a moment and let us
zee II we know how the bell comes
into being, First comes the plan on
paper. Then the crook is made. rms
is kind OF double wooden compass
the legs OF which are respectively
curved to the shape OF the inner ana
outer sides of the bell, a space OF the
exact form and thickness OF the bell
being left between them The compass
Is pivoted on a stake driven into the
bottom OF the casting pit. a stnihng
Of brickwork Is built around the STAKE.
leaving room for fire to be lighted
inside IL. The outside of this stui,ing
is then padded with fine soft clay. well
mixed and bound together with calves
hair, and the inner leg Of the compass
run round 1t. bringing II to the exact
shape Of the inside of the bell. Upon
this core. well smeared with grease.
is fashioned the false clay bell. In
scriptions are now moulded In wax on
carefully smeared with grease, then
lightly covered with finest clay, and
then with coarser clay until a solid
'.mantie" is thickened over the out
side OF the clay bell A fire is now
lighted and the whole baked hard. the
grease and wax inscriptions steam out
through holes at the top, leaving the
sham bell. baked hard and tolerahly
loose between the core" and the
cope" or mantle" The cope is then
lifted, the clay bell broken up. thu
cope" let down again, enclosing nov
between itself and the core the cN
act shape OF the bell. The metal. a
mixture OF copper and tin N the pro-
portion of 20 l. is then boiled and
run molten into the mould. Man has
done all that he can FOR the bell
when he has done this, and there is
nothing left for him TO DO but to walt.
When. at length. the proper number NJ
days or weeks-the extent VI time de-
ponds upon the size OF the bell--be
passed and the boiling metal IS cool
the anxious workmen gather around.
and at the word OF command from the
master work man. the new bell is lifted
from its dark cavern III the earth into
the light Of day
Thus the life Of n bell begins and
who shall say when II Will end? There
are bells now in existeuce that were
made over 1900 years ago. and they
are still enjoying well-preserved Old
age. The oldest specimens now e1tanr
are hand bells, and are often quad
rangular In shape, made OF thin iron
plates hammered and riveted iogetn ?
the producers. therefore. Of most
vile sound. This property. by the way
was probably held In great esteem. as
these bells were used 10 frightea the
devil
st. Patricks bell. now preserved r.
Belfast, Is of this charac ter ana n 90
deliberately ornamented with gers -
gold and silver hlagree work We r-at
OF II in the Ulster Annals when Gag
RES back It's data TO so 81 -tart "a tl-re
as $50, and how much older Il may be
than that can only be con3e-iu-ed
Other old bells q; inftres. a-e g.,
Ninian's bell, which is % be f0gul Iu
Edinburgh. and 81 CaeTs beN. tr
Switzerland. stu others ge have -y
allusion. II not e. actual arfi14stl-4.
Such are the BELLS g Cod whirs
tn" Israelitish high priest wore ans
the strange old Roman bell which Ii.
clan tells Us about. that ran. ~ rha
measured flowing o; water through a.
instrument call-d "ciersy1-s-
Bells summoned the 40 Romans 20
the publiL baths and were USED ? pro
cesslcns. whence Trey pAHEf-5 natura lly
Into the use Of tn= Western church
The first church bell % which We aara
record wss ufHd Il $50 AD ~ aag
they had bean int-o9 uce1 INTO Franc.
and In The seventh century We gnc
them in ENGLAND. Iselis were fhough.
Of SUCH gres. Tzius thgl tb~y VEN fre-
auenfly sent from Ilsly and France 70