The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-11
FAMILY LIVING AMONG BELLS
Births. Deaths and Marriages In . Great
Cathedral Tower.
From the Mericnn Herald.


So far above the pavement that those
who walk In and ont among the hundreds
of passing vehicles appear like creeping in
scots. and 30 high that the ordinary noises
of the city reach upward only as a confused
murmur. lives the family that has the dis
tincton of beng the most elevated in Mex
ico's Capital The home of this family Ia
high up in the eastern tower OF the Cathe-
dral and there, among the bells that for CEN
turtles have called the faithful to the services
Of the church. this family has lived for years.
and there is every indication that the tower
will be their home for many years to come.
Two years ago Manuel Brena. the head Of
this family. died. and now his widow. Luisa
de la Brena. assisted by her three sons and her
daughter. looks a ter the ringing of the bells
and cares for the great clock that has mark cd
time for 80 many years for the residents
of that part of the city.
Brides have been led TO the little home
among the bells. births have there been
celebrated and death many times has come
to the occupants. 1t was more than 100 years
ago that man was placed In charge of the
bells. and those who now live there are the
lnea descendants of this man. This man
was the grandfather of Lrisa de la Brena.
who now is grandmother herself. When
her husband died he was an old man. and
the woman is no longer young but il is prob
able that the time honored position of bell
ringer will not pass to new hands when she IL
carried down the winding flight of stairs.
Doubtless the work will fall to one or all Of
her sons who now spend their time in looking
after the work of ringing the bells at inter-
walls the time of which is no doubt known
to the priests themselves no better than to
them.
They are belrngers by birth and by edu-
cation Those who sing the masses before
the affairs know the time for the ringing and
the length OF the performance no better nor
as We'll as the members of the Brena family.
There are three sons. Francisco, Augustin
and Antonio. and one daughter. Maria Guada-
upe. The. mother and daughter care for
the home. and the sons handle the ropes their
father. their grandfather and their great
grandfather once handled.
Probably not one man out Of ten knows
that family is living in one Of the Cathedral
towers and probably not one man out of
hundred knows anything of the condition
of that home BY far the majority of those
who do know there is a family there it is
ina gined that they live like ordinary poems
The idea doubtless prevails that the family
lives like the poorest portero. but should
any one pay a visit to this home above the
city they would find home far superior to
the average home in Mexico City.
The Brena home is one of the most COM
Portable of homes Its sanitary condition
is naturally FAR superior to that of nine
tenths of the l. >mes on level with the thou
sands of buillitg' that compose the city.
and the air that reaches the Cathedral home
seems filtered of the nanseous odors that are
not uncommon to those who live below. The
fresh air Of the country seems blowing about
one and it requires no effort of the magma
ton to bcleyc it really is the same untainted
atmosphere Of the hills that circle the city
Instead of living like poems the Brena
family lives among luXures the poor of the
city never have the pleasure of knowing. The
cement floors are covered with carpets and
furniture and pictures give to the several
rooms that are located there a homelke air
in spite OF the immense number OF steps
II is necessary to take in order to reach them.
At one side of the parlor is piano. and Miss
Brena and one of her brothers are skilled
in its use The music of the church and music
that is never beard in the organ loft may
frequently be heard by those who sit in the
benches in front of the Cathedral Many
have wondered where the sounds came from,
and few have discovered that they come from
among the bells Of the old Cathedral.
II was there the mother was married more
than thirty years ago and doubtless 1t will
be there that the daughter will be married
some day. For the mnidens OF the Brena
family the bells of the Cathedral are wedding
bells and on those occasions the men of the
family perform double duty when they pull
the ropes. and those below seldom know that
the ringing is for anything more than one Of
the regular services OF the church