New-York tribune., 1902-03-23

hundred Of the worshippers kneelng in the shad-
Owy sanctuary the eager crowds surgng along
Broadway understand the mechanism by which the
great bells in the belfry overhead are set in motion.
Miss Thomass illustrates the truth of the saying
that the old order changeth. giving place TO the
The old English method of Ginning required
eight ten men, for each bell. A director
standing in front gave the signals. When of
the men received the word 10 play he swung his
bell by a dexterous movement, causing it TO stop
at just the right moment for the next bell to
tnue the air. The pictures OF ancient bellringers
with bulging muscles and accordion peated brows
familiar Christmas and Easter cards.
Needless to say, there is nothing Of this sort
going on in the graceful spire of Grace Church. In
a the base Of the great beIfry and leading
from the outer vestibue by a carved Gothic door,
is a keyboard like a woman's writing desk, at
which Miss Thomass sits to chime. The levers and
chains by which with great eXerton John Senior
rang the changes the bells for nineteen years
have given place electricity and OF the actual
working Of the bells nothing is visible save this
keyboard and two levers adjusted to the opposite
wall
There are only nine notes on the keyboard the
black keys being dummies.
When asked how she learned to chime. Miss
Thomas replied: Il never learned. When the new
electrical apparatus was put in l began, and have
kept on ever since" As she chimes Lead, Kindly
Light" gently pressing the keys with her slender
fingers she is able 10 continue animated
versation. There are ten bells and they weigh
ABOUT SVO POUNDS tOgetneI. lHey are all me-
MORALS Of one; the largest bell, which weighs
about 5000 pounds, having been given in memory
of the Rev Thomas House Taylor, of the early
rectors of the church The bells pitched in +
fiat the organist in the Chancel can, If he likes.
begin his voluntary in the same note on which the
bells
do you notice that the sound Of the bells comes
about late? That is thing that
makes Ginning difficult-the response Is not inn
mediate, in organ piano playing said Miss
Thomass. "a tube runs from the bedroom down to
my left that enables me TO hear the bells
readily if / seated in the Delfry, instead
OF a level with The sidewalk. but seldom
It except for weddings. Then the bells must peal
out the wedding march at precisely the same time
as the organ.
Those levers in the wall continued Miss
Thomass she began to chime Saint Anne"
turn the electric current and off. They
just like the levers used TO regulate the light in
the church. By the of 'damponers,' which
manage with my feet like pedals. can overcome
the confusion of sound due 10 tbe resonance OF the
bells st. Thomas has the SAME equipment also
Grace Chapel. Trinity chimes are rung BY levers
How many tunes can play on these nine keys?
Over four hundred or the hymns in the hymnal
l have myself transposed 337 for the chimes.
Everything / play has TO be in one of three keys
{, r or Z fiat. Besides these sacred tunes l have
arranged large number of secular airs, such as
The Harmonious Blacksmith. Bonnie, Sweet Bes-
sic The Blue Bells of Scotland The Bridal
chorus from Lohengrin,' and airs from Martha
Rgoletto.' The Bohemian Girl William Tell and
Faust