The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-06-30
Liberty" Bell.
BY A. M. HOPKINS.

~~NNN&
st was the morning Of Independ-
ence Day may years ago-so many,
indeed, that an old man can just
remember what happened when he
was boy.
This is the story of a celebration that
happened in little Ohio village that
was small then, and is still just a
speck on the map.
On the edge of the town there was
an old house hidden behind great trees,
as if trying to avoid the pubic eye. 1t
was, and is, the oldest house in town,
and in it lived George Bell, or Lib
erty'' Bell, as some Of the villagers
called him, alone with his dog and
Memory.
He was very old. Everything about
the place betokened age. There was
moss on the roof of his home, and the
burden of years fairly made his bones
creak. He bothered no one, and he had
a cheerful "good morning" for every
body. He was good citizen, but
'aueer," according to those who didn't
understand him.
This independence Day he came out
of his house with an old musket on his
shoulder.
The sun shone on his scanty white
locks and face scanned with age. His
hands trembled as he fumbled with his
powder horn, loaded, rested the weap-
on on the fence and pulled the trigger.
There was a mighty report. The rob-
ins took wire, and a flock Of black
birds swept out Of the great poplar
tree by the gate and gave voice to their
surprise at the tumult near their home.
Thirteen times that old gun doomed,
and then a quavering voice sounded,
Hip! Hip! Hurrahv' and a boy who
was peering with saucer eyes through
the fence-puzzled, charmed, half
rightened-asked, "Why do you do
that, Mr.. Bell, if you please?"
"Come in, Billy, lad," said the old
man. "Come in and help an old fell
low celebrate. 1 won't hurt you. Just
Law your little bunch of fireworks on
the chopping block, and I'll tell you
true story about times way back be-
fore your daddy was born"
Children read hearts quickly, and
moment later the beginning and the
end Of a century were together-yel-
low locks against white name, boy
on an old mans knee; the one earnest,
the other eager.
"Why do do it, my boy? Why do 1
celebrate? You want to know all
about it.
'fIt is because love my country, and
want everybody for miles around
to remember that this is the day dedi-
Gated to liberty.
Years ago there was young man
who had more money than was good
for him, Billy. He was plum worth
less. He didn't care for soul ON
earth except himself He was selfish.
He wore good clothes and strutted
about like a turkey gobbler He was
puffed up. He put in all his time hay
ing fun.
There was a war on in his coun-
try The people were fighting a bad
King who wanted to take away their
liberty, and there We're some terrible
battles. Men went without food. They
walked without shoes till their feet
bled. They froze because they did not
have clothes enough to keep them
warm. But they wouldn't give up
They said that all men should be free
and equal, Billy; that God meant that
it should be so, and they We're willing
to die rather than go back to the old
way of doing the things selfish King
wanted DONE
1.-The idle young man didn't go to the
war. He thought men were fools for
lighting. He said he had all the lib
erty he wanted. Perhaps, Billy, if he
had had mother he wouldn't have
been such a fool.
His brothers, three of them, lad,
went to the war. and two were killed.
Jacob was shot down in sight Of Gen
eral Washington. God bless him, and
Robert came home with both legs gone. |