Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-07-31
The Chimes Of Limerick.

|: The Chimes Of Limerick. J
Io A Beau6ful Story of How the Bells 81
Found Their Way to the Bsnh
of the Shannon <
0oOoooooooOoOOooo
Nearly half n century ago. before
the various provinces Of Italy had been
consolidated In the monarchical gov
ernment, there lived In the city Of
Genoa q young man called Giuseppe
Giovanni. For many centuries the fam
lily Of Giovanni had been makers OF
bells aud chimes.
Giuseppe's father had made some Of
the most famous chimes that rang In
Italy. but had never succeeded In &C.
complishing his idea 1t had been his
great ambition to make set OF chimes
that the whole world would come to
hear. bells Of heavenly tone. The elder
Giovanni was q hot headed man, q
stanch democrat and rather too free
Of speech. A few iii chosen sentences
derogatory TO the reigning powers
proved bis downfall. and one day as
Giuseppe was hard at work on an odd
bell for the cathedraps chimes litter
bearing the form Of his father. with q
deadly stab wound In his back. was
brought into the dingy little shop and
set down before the SON
Giuseppe" said the dying man.
keep out Of politics and live only In
your work. Strive only for your Ideal.
and In the end you may succeed where
your father failed. Aim for the very
highest. and may God grant that you
accomplish H."
A year after his fathers death found
the young artisan hard at work In his
shop. When his father died. he had
made a vow to accomplish the Ideal
that his father had valnly struggled
for. The bench at which he was work.
lng was rough hewn. long and broad
and Uttered with q confusion OF tools.
bits OF metal and unfinished bella On
one corner OF the bench was q collec-
ton OF tuning forks OF various sizes
aud metals. At one side Of the tun'gg
forks lay q dusty old violin and a -
der silver mounted nute. In the rear
Of the shop were a small furnace. a
half dozen molds and a heap OF scrap
metal covered with dirt and rust The
ceiling Of the shop consisted Of several
heavy beams covered with rough
boards TO which hundreds Of spiders
had fastened their webs From one
beam hung suspended an enormous
hell ntted with q long. slender clapper
capped on the end with q large brass
knob. This bell was Inscribed with
strange characters. a relic OF the last
crusade.
Giuseppe was polishing away with q
saDded cloth at the surface Of bell
that ALREADY sbone iusirously In the
dim light that struggled through the
little windows In the front of the shop
His fingers fairly dew as be turned,
twisted and rubbed the shiny bowl OF
metal A rough cloth succeeded the
saHded one and In turn made way for
one OF soft texture. Then the bell
was hung on little metal frame some
what like a gallows In construction.
A drawer was opened and bundle Of
cloth produced from Its recess and
swiftly unrolled 10 reveal q highly pol
ished and properly wrought little clap
per. which the young mechanic deftly
fitted In the inverted bowl Of the bell
A piece OF twine was attached to q
little knob on the bulb OF the clapper.
A gentle pull and q subdued silvery
tone filed the narrow confines OF the
shop. The tone swelled until IL fairly
rang. reverberating from wall to wall.
from rafter TO rafter. seeking out every
nook and Granny Of the shop. dying
away at last In q little shudder Of de-
light The young Genoan had clasped
his hands together and listened with an
agony Of intensity. straining his ears
for a scintllla Of fiaw In the tones.
and when the silvery Naturalization
had died away he leaned back with
sigh Of ecstatic relief.
Day after day and long into the
nights Giuseppe toiled with fervor
and energy almost fanaticaL He ate
but little and slept only when natural
fatigue compelled him. He became thin
and emaciated. and his eyes shone with
q feverish luster. but not for single
day did he give up his work. One by
one his bells grew into the size and
form he desired, and he gave to each
its proper tone. To him they were
things animate. He talked to them,
caressed. petted and scolded, and each
night when be ceased his labor he put
them away In their allotted places
with a paternal care and solicltude.
One beautiful August day Giuseppe
sat at his bench giving the finishing
touches to the last Of his set Of chimes.
Nearly two years had passed since he
began his work; two years. but
great change had taken place In the
appearance Of the young man. His
face was pale and wan. and his high
cheek bones and sunken cheeks gave
him deathly look.
Finally he hung the last bell on the
little metal stand. fitted 10 his clap
per and gave II q gentle swing. The
tone that followed began like the sigh
of a man. worn and wearled by a life
Of hopeless disappointment II grew
In deep crescendo until II became a
knell. a plant for the dead, then died
away 10 a broken sob. The GenOan
followed the tone from its inception
until It's last vibration ceased with an
earnestness that made the veins In his
forehead stand out and drew every
muscle tense. Then he sat back In his
seat with q smile Of Joy that was al
most beatiAc. The heavenly chimes
were complete. His work was done.
and now thousands would stand
speechless, struck dumb with the mag
nificent melody Of his chimes-his
bells. He with his own hands would
make such music with his bells that
wherever they were the whole world
would rpme to hear them. These were
the thoughts that filed the mind Of the
young musician-mechanic a. he listen
ed to the reserberating melody OF the
tone Of the last bell Then he fell back
In his chair and the color fed from his
face. The fever. which his untirine
energy had kept OF for 70 long. seized