The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-05-16

were complete, His work was done,
/ and now thousands would stand
speeches., struck dumb with the mag
nifcent melody of his ehimes-his
bells. He with his own hands would
make such music with his bells that
wherever they We're the whole world
would come to hear them. These were
the thoughts that filled the mind of the
| young musician mechanic rs he listen
Cd To the rcverberating melody of the
| tone of the last bell Then he fell back
In his chair and the color fled from his
face, The fever, which his untiring
energy had kept off for so long, seized
him at last.
The next morning nelghbor passing
by the shop Glanced to look In the win
dow and saw the form of the fever
stricken young man lying across his
workbench. lie went inside, thinking
that he might be dead and when he
found what his real trouble was lifted
Giuseppe to the cot he had used for
bed in the back of the shop. A ply.
sician was summoned, and an old wo-
| man was sent to nurse him.
For five weeks Giuseppe tossed on
his cot ravlng about his bells-"his
glorious chimes"-"his children with
the heavenly voices"
In order TO go on with his work In
making his set of chimes Giuseppe had
been compelled to borrow. What little
his father had left behind him had
been exhausted before the end of the
first year. He had borrowed on the
strength of the generous sum that had
been promised him by the cathedral
which was TO have his chimes. When
he fell sick and gave promise never TO
regain his health again, the bailiffs
came and took away his chimes TO
satisfy his creditors.
But Giuseppe Giovanni did get well,
his health came back, and when he had
strength enough to get up from his
couch he went TO find his chldren-his
bells, His first thought was TO hear
again their voices, to make them sing
such melodies MS the world had never
heard, as no bells had ever sung. And
when he found that they were gone no
became stupid-he could not realize
that they We're gone. Who could have
come and taken away his bells. his
children, whose conception had taken
years-long yenrs Of unremittlng toll?
lie went TO the physician who had
tended him during his fever and was
told that the bniliifs had come TO his
shop and taken them for his creditors.
lie went TO the baillffs and was told
that his chimes had been sold Mt pub
lie sale TO the highest bidder. foreign
or whose name or country was not
known to them. lie begged them on his
knees to give him some clew that might
lead him TO the purchaser. They told
him gruflly and unciyilly that II was
none of their concern who bought the
chimes so long rs they were sold and
his creditors satisfied. There was a
little money over the claims against
him, he was told-n few llre-but he
flung the offered money In their faces
and left them, his heart broken aud his
spirit gone. 81, ,a,o,
in gt MA Eht shS he sat s ns chIn resting , ON
his breast. the picture of a despairlng
and broken man. All night long he sat
thus, and when morning came he rous.
ed himself aud, raising his hands above
his head said, God grant that some
where In this world of thine may
again find my chimes-my bells-and,
If but once, only once, that ! may hear
again their volcesr
The next morning the Genoan set
out with ono purpose-to travel tho
world, if need be, to search for his
chimes. Day after day, week after
"a
or year he trudged along from town to
town, city TO city. country to country,
valnly seeking his chimes. Part Of the
tlmo he spent In various eathedrals
and churches mending chimes and ring
Ing them. to the delight Of all who lis
tened. Before he had even reached
middle age he was bearded old man,
bowed and bent and travel worn; but,
like tho Wandering Jew, he pursued
his weary way.
The broad waters of the Shannon
were colored a beautiful red by tho
fading rays Of the setting sun, which
was almost yisibly dropping through
the trees to the west OF the city of
Limerick, when an old man with head
aud shoulders bent and leaning heavily
on a stout staff came slowly along the
highway that led TO little ferry at the
river bank. His long beard was as
white as snow and hung nearly to his
whist. His face was swarthy like that
of a man constantly exposed to the
sun. When he spoke to the ferryman,
1t was in n voice used to many tongues.
| The boatman helped him from the
shore into his sklff and gave him his
coat for cushion on the rough hewn
plank which answered for seat. The
old man raised his head feebly and
looked about him. Finally his eyes
fell on tho splre OF Hereford cathedral,
and there they rested, lighting up for
n few seconds with glimmer Of hope.
The boatman pushed off from the
shore, and slowly and noislessly the
| sklff made Its way across. No sound
above the gentle ripple at the boats
| bow disturbed the silence of the even
Ing Suddenly the faint sound of
bell stirred the air. 1t Increased In
volume; thon the note Of another bell
lntermingled, then another and anoth-
! er, until the melody or Il full set OF
chimes rose and fell In the evening
stiffness. The boatman, who had rest
ed his oar TO listen, turned to the old
man In the rear of the boat and saw
him standing erect, his arms outstretch-
ed and his face wreathed In smiles Of a
great gladness. Ills eyes were raised
1 to the sky with an expression Of
4 Thanksgiving. He continued in that at
titude until the last note of the chimes
died away, and then he fell in heap
In the back Of the boat. The boatman
went TO him and, laying his hand on
the face OF the old man, felt that 1t
was cold New York Sun.
JerVeS, Take