The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-02-06
FIVE FAMOUS BELLS.


There is chime of bells which, if
rung one after another in longitudinal
scale, would reach round the world.
The bells hang in different countries,
and have each a separate history. This,
told chronologically, would give rec
ord of the world, for the bells reach
back to the early Egyptians and the
days of bondage. Taken separately,
they mark historic epochs. Our own
cracked ringing for independence. that
blessed crack that is its proudest mark
ing, but its sound is still sweetest music.
Before the moment it cracked for Joy
that bell could be heard far and wide
aad its peal easily reached the outskirts
of the young republic of which it WAS
the proud, cheerful spokesman.
Spain has bell that is it's prophet. 1t
is its soothsaYer, oracle and guide. This
bell, the famous Vlllela, was hung for
centuries in the historic castle, keeping
watch over the nation. 1t is the most
celebrated bell in Europe, though not
proud more handsome. Its fame rests not
so much upon its notes, though these
are high pitched, soft. and clear; nor
its sizs for there are other bells in Spain
much larger; but upon it's personality.
THE bells of the tower" have been
noted for centuries as having a power OF
their own. Ring out, wild BELLS" means
that the bells have it within them to
tell terror. And Chime, ye BELLS"
means they can speak for Joy. The bell
ringer does the best he can for them;
but it is true the bells add force of
their own. The Villela is a Spanish
| bell that for years has foretold any i'm
pending trouble to the nation. When
the father of little Alphonso died the
Villela began tolling in the night, and
tolled until morning light. In the ten
years Cuban war the bells struck awful
tones, on the nights of defeats. And
when great fires have touched the castle
and sickness or instruction threatened
| the throne the Villela has lifted up it's
voice in sudden loud warning. Last
week the Villela tolled again. In was
one short, quick stroke. Only a few
heard it, but they ran to tell the dread
full tidings. Did it mean more disaster
in Cuba? Was the war to drain the
royal vaults beyond perjury to debt.
The Villela would not tell, but it sent
out its warning note.
Russia has coronation bell 1t is the
largest in the world, and weighs half
million pounds. It's sound has never
been bounded it is said, like the
Emperor's voice, to reach heaven. 1t
hangs in Kremlin. 1t is the Emperor's
bell. and is rung only in honor of him.
AT the coronation it pealed forth as the
Emperor entered the church; and its
voice announced the conclusion of the
ceremony to the whole of Russia. The
coronation bell is rung by bellringer
blessed by the Emperor, the head of the
church. The bellringer does no other
work, and is always on duty. to tell Of
important events in the family of the
Emperor. He is pensioned. or late he
has been busy polishing up the bell for
special happenings. He rings when his
majesty goes to church, and in case of
the death of Russian monarch the
Kremlin bell tolls constantly between
the death and time of the funeral.
Since Russia is the home of bells, it is
not wonderful that it should hold the
largest unrung bell in the world. This
bell now makes building in the Krem-
lin. 1t was cast two centuries ago, but
was found too heavy to remove from the
pit. The Russian monarchs, one after
another, tried to have it lifted, and hun
dreds of lives we're sacrificed in the
shifting pit of sand. Finally fate inter
veped. A raging fire broke out and
heated the bell in its pit. A quantity of
cold water poured in around it. and
great piece, the size of a door. was
broken out. The Russian King imme-
diately ordered it lifted on a pedestal,
and set within the Kremlin, where it is
sometimes used as temple. Its walls |
are two feet thick and it is twenty-five |
feet high.
The dearest bells" in France are the |
Angelus, made famous by Millet, and |
the bells of Notre Dame. Millet's son |
still lives in the little house overlooking
the stone church. where the Angelus
bell hangs, and every night he goes out
to hear it toll, while the peasants bow
their heads and say mass The bells of
Notre Dame are the largest bells of
sweetness in the world. One of them
weighs thirty-five thousand pounds.
The maker who cast it would never dis
close the secret of its loud, sweet tone.
The Japanese have the largest bells,
but the crudest. So unskillful are they
that many Of them will not ring, and so
they are obliterated from the list of
bells. The best bells are mixture of
copper and tin, with a hammer one.
twentieth the weight of the bell. The
Japanese bells, even if cast correctly,