The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-16
The Wedding Bell.


where the young girls have fair com
plcxlons. light hair and blue eyes, there
lived man named jacobson He had
gathered some means by hard work.
which would descend at his death to
his son John. Old jacobson was espe-
cially desrous that his son should at
his marriage enhance the family pos
sessions by taking u wife with a dowry
equal to the jacobson inheritance,
but John sadly interfercd 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, aud, az for n
dowry. there was no one TO give her
one. for her parents and ull here rela-
tlves were poor as church mice
Nevertheless voting jacobson inter
viewed his father on the subject. only
TO receive the alternative of giving up
Lucy or being dlsinherited. John
would have chosen the latter had II
not been for Lucy. who would not con
sent to the sacrifice. Her lover plendcd
with her. but without effect. She said
that n 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 edifce
for religious worship for miles around.
There had been subscriptions aud fairs
and all manner of devices whereby to
raise money for its building. and when
1t was finished every one was tired Of
the struggle. The consequence was
that the church remained without n
bell and everybody knows that a
church without 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 of a dowry do you re-
qulrc father?"
II 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. II must he the size
to Oil the tower provld for II and
must have 20 per cent of silver In Its
composition"
John turned away dlsheartened. He
knew very well that Lucy had no mon
ey for such q purpose and that the re-
qulrement 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 wait
for me for a long whilcT
Il will never marry any one else"
John replied.
Very well. Go TO the crossroads
serted garden you will find corn
stalk growing. Pluck the ears, which
are ripe. and 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 Il small
portion OF 1t In the garden, She took q
measure to one farmer. another meas
ure to another. and so on. until she had
exhausted her seed. asking them "a
plant the kernels and telling them that
the crop was TO 20 10 buying n hell FOR
the church. They were all Interested
and gladly did az she suggested.
The next autumn there were mum
Der OF farmers who had seed TO spare
and Lucy gave the surplus to others
and the next spring there was not q
farmer Interested In the church who
did not plant portion OF his ground
with corn for the church bell. But
long before this all knew that they
would not only get the bell for the
church. but that Lacy, whom they al
loved. would get her lover for hus
band. Another year passed, and the
difficulty enough prepared ground was
found to plant II, but there were rea
sons why every one should help TO the
utmost, and every kernel was planted.
And so the Increase went on til al
the end of the fifth year the whol,
crop was sold, and there was plenty OF
money 10 buy bell large enough tC
ft the tower and with greater per
centage Of silver In Its composition
than had been stipulated.
Old man Jacobson was so delighted
with Lucy's plan that he willingly fu!
filled his promise, though so great wai
the interest In the matter among the
farmers that II he had not they woult
have turned him out of the church.
But II was decided that the marriage
should not come Off til the bell haC
been cast and put into the tower ant
that Its hgst strokes should celebrate
the wedding OF the one whose plan lia(
resulted IN Its procurement. So com
mlttee went TO the city. contracted 70
the casting, and In due time II was fin
ished. There was a dispute about thu
inscription TO be put on It. some wish
Ing to call 1t the corn bell. while Others
wished 1t TO be Inscribed az the wed
ding bell. The latter prevailed.
When II was set up In the tower oil
Jacobson provided fine wedding. n
which every man. woman and chilli
a a