Evening journal., 1908-12-08
The Wedding Bell.
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roriginaLl

plexions. light hair and blue eyes, there
lived a man named jacobson. He had
gathered some means by nard work, /
which would descend at his death to
his son John. Old jacobson was espe-
cially desirous that bis son should at
his marriage enhance the family pos
sessions by taking wife with dowry
equal to the Jacobson Inheritance, |
but John sadly interfered with his
fathers plans for him by falling in
love with Lucy Peterson. one Of the
blue eyed. light haired, fair complex
ioned maidens before mentioned. Lucy
had no fortune in prospect, and. as for q
dowry. there was no one to give her
one, for her parents and all here rela.
tives were poor as church mice.
Nevertheless young Jacobson inter
viewed he father on the subject only
10 receive the alternative of giving upI
Lucy or being dlsinherited. John
would have chosen the latter had it
not been for Lucy. who would not con-
sent to the sacrifice. Her lover pleaded
with her. but without effect. She said
that a dowry was necessary, and II she
could not get one there must be no
marriage.
Old jacobson was very much inter.
ested in a new church, the only edi1ce
for religious worship for miles around.
There had been subscriptions and fairs
and all manner of devices whereby to
raise money for its building and when
It was finished every one was tired Of
the struggle. The consequence was
that the church remained without q
bell. and everybody knows that a
church without a bell IS like a clock
without hands. One day when young
jacobson was trying to induce his
father to relent and permit him to
marry Lucy the Young man said:
How much . dowry do you re.
quire. father"
1t happened that the old mans mind
was at that very moment on the def
cient church bell. You may marry
Lucy" he said. IF she will provide a
bell for the church. It must be the size
to Ill the tower provided for it and
must have 20 per cent Of silver in its
composition"
John turned away disneartened. He
knew very well that Lucy had no mon.
ey for such a purpose and that the re.
quirement was equivalent to saying
that he could not marry Lucy at all
When he saw his sweetheart again he
told her what his father had said She
made no remark at the time, but the
next time she saw John she said
do you love me well enough TO wal;
for me for n long while?
Il will never marry any one else"
John replied.
Very we'll Go 10 the crossroads
/ just beyond the church. There in q de-
serted garden you will find a corn
stalk growing. Pluck the ears. which
are ripe, aud bring them to me"
John. wondering. brought her the
ears Lucy put them away and the
next spring planted them at one end OF
her fathers garden. When the autumn
came she gathered so much seed that
there was not room for even small
portion OF it in the garden. She took a
measure to one farmer, another meas
ure to another and so on, until she hat
exhausted her seed, asking them tC
| plant the kernels and telling them thai
the crop was 10 go 10 buying bell fol
the church. They were all interested
and gladly did as she suggested.
The next autumn there were a mum
ber of farmers who had seed to spare
and Lucy gave the surplus to others
and the next spring there was not z
farmer Interested in the church VIII,
did not plant portion Of his grounC
with corn for the church bell Blu
long before this all knew that the,
would not only get the bell for thi
church, but that Lucy, whom they al
loved. would get her lover for n hus
band. Another year passed, and th'
crop was so large that It was wifi
difficulty enough prepared ground wal
I found to plant it. but there were rea
2 sons why every one should help 10 IN
b utmost, and every kernel was planted
q And so the Increase went on till a
h the end OF the ffth year the Who'll
4 crop was sold. and there was plenty O
r money to buy a bell large enough Z
ft the tower ana with a greater per
centage Of silver In its composition
than had been stipulated.
Old man Jacobson was SO delighte
with Lucy's plan that he willingly fu
filed his promise. though 50 great wa
the interest in the matter among IN
. farmers that IL he had not they wou
h have turned him out OF the church.
K But It was decided that the mavriag
should not come Off til the bell ha
G been cast and put INTO the tower an
that it's first strokes should celebrat
u the wedding or the one whose plan ha
resulted in its procurement. SO a con
mittee went TO the city, contracted 70
I. the casting and in due time It was fir
ished. There was a dispute about th
inscription 10 be put on it. some wish
Ing to call IL the corn bell. while other
wished it 60 be inscribed as the wet
ding bell Tie latter prevailed.
When it was set up in the tower oi
Jacobson provided a fine wedding. a
which every man. woman and chill
who had planted the seed was presen
AS the wedding party moved TO tn
church those who had been instrumeI
tai In the bells production heard a 81
very peal come from the tower. and n
gave a joyous shout In reply. The
ne. "a -.