Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-02-01
BELL LORE.
Probable Origin OF the Saying ~Sfr.
TafIorS MIKE a Man.

TaiIOrs Make n Man.
The metal used for Il bell is three
parts OF copper and one of tin. and this
composition is almost rs old as the
known history Of mankind. for il was
discovered by Layard i'm the bells OF
old Nineveh. The tim hardens the met
nj. but too much makes II brittle, and
bell is 4 dainty and delicate creature
and above all things must not be driv-
on TO cracking. Sometimes an enttu-
siastic ringer will bump the bell
against the wooden stay above and
crack H. Sometimes the long falling OF
The clapper on n particular spot will
make crack. and the bell should be
turned every generation or so to make
the clapper fall on new place. Clock
hammers are the bells great enemy.
for they strike il sideways and not In
the direction Of its swing. and besides
they sometimes catch IL as it sweeps
past. y ringer who 10 save his muscles
rings 10y rope attached TO the clapper
viii destroy the bell in next to no
time.
Silver has now and then been tried
for bells. but. strange 10 say. is almost
as unmusical as lead. In the middle
ages. when great bell was TO be cast
crowds OF the faithful would some
times make sacrifice Of their gold and
silver ornaments and plate by casting
them into the melting pot. but the only
effect was 20 depreciate the tone.
In China and other eastern lands
bells are ruRg TO Brighten away devils.
and some OF the biggest bells in the
{ fr,
even i'm Christian England Il was long
believed that bells would dlssipate
storms. and when they were cast there
was solemn ceremony. az which they
received names. This was called by the
common people the baptism" OF the
bell.
The bishop began the ceremony by
solemnly washing the bell with water
into which salt had been cast: then he
anointed ii with holy and chrism oil
/ in the form Of a cross. formally conse-
I Grating and dedicatinS the bell 10 the
/ divine service. Candles were burned.
l and the bell was solemnly incensed.
Many old bells had quaint and curl
\ GUS inscriptions. \ bell at Sherborne.
/ in DorSetshire, dated 1862, was evil
I IDENTIFY intended chiefly as a warming
in case of fire. for it was inscribed:
Lord. Quench this furious flame.
Arise. run, help put out the same.
The greatest bell in the world is that
ut Moscow. weighing 100 tons. But APP
I parently there was some accident at its
birth. for IL is cracked, and there is
no record OF ii ever having been rung.
In England the greatest bells are Great
Paul Of London. made in 1881. and
weighing nearly seventeen tons; Big
Ben OF Westminster, 1858. thirteen and
one-half tons. and Peter OF York, 1S45.
ten and three-Quarters tons. Big Ben
and Great Peter were both cast 10y the
Whitechapel foundry. Great Peter cost
about $1,000 and IS over eight feet
across. 1t was cast at Whitechapcl and
allowed twelve days TO cool Even its
clapper weighs hunderweight. II
took sixteen men TO toll II. Now it is
little used. but always rings the old
year out ON the night Of Dec 81. II
is also sometimes used as "a minute
bell ut deaths and funerals.
one curious thing about death bells
is that in them probably originates the
foolish saying that Nine tailors make
man. In many parts Of the c0un-
try the death bell rings three times for
Il child, six Tor woman and nine for
Il man. Ii is suggested that the true
reading Of the prOverb is that Nine
'tellerS make a man"
Formerly the passing belr' was rung
not after bur before the departure OF
dying person. which must have been
very disconcerting TO the invalid The
idea was that the soul got up out of
the body and walked away. although
invisible. SO the bell was rung 10
warn the invisible world, the door and
I window Of the SickroOm were opened
TO give the soul free choice OF ex-
IFS and all looking glasses were care
fully draped over. For although YOU
could not see the soul. YOU might
catch a glimpse Of il in the glass, with
dire results TO yourself unless the mir
rors were carefully covered.-London
News