Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-08-20
THE BELL OF ATRL

is built halfway up the side of a steer
hill. A long time ago the king Of
Italy bought fine, large bell, and
had it hung in tower in the market
place. A long rope that reached al
most to the ground was fastened tc
the bell. The smallest child could
ring the bell by pulling upon this
rope. ut is the bell of justice, said
the king.
When at last everything WAS ready,
the people of Atri had great holi'
day. All the men and women and
children came down to the market
place to look at the bell of justice.
It was very pretty bell, and was pol
ished until it looked almost as bright
and yellow as the sun.
"How we should like to hear il
ringr' they said. Then the king
came down the street. "Perhaps he
will ring it," said the people; and
everybody stood very still, and waited
to zee what he would do. But he
did not ring the bell. He did not
even take the rope in his hands.
When he came to the foot of the 10 Yer
he stopped, and raised his hand.
"My people, he said, "do you see
this beautiful bell 1t is your bell /;
but it must never be rung except in
case of need. If any one Of you is
wronged at any time, he may come
and ring the bell: and then the judges
shall come together at once, and hear
his case, and give him justice. Rich
or poor, old or young, all alike may
come but no one must touch the
bell unless he knows that he has been
wronged."
Many years passed by after this.
Many times did the bell in the mar
ket place ring out to call the judges
together. Many wrongs we're righted,
many ill.doers were punished. At
last the hempen rope was almost worn
out. The lower part of it was un-
twisted {; some of the strands were
broken; it became so short that only
a tall man could reach it.
"This will never do" said the
judges one day. "What if a child
should be wrongedP 1t could not
ring the bell to let US know it."
They gave orders that a new rope
hould be put upon the bell at once
"a rope that should hang down to
the ground, 80 that the smallest child
could reach it. But there was not
rope to be found in all Atri. They
would have to send across the noun
tains for one, and it would be many
days before it could be brought.
What if some great wrong should be
done before it came1 How could the
judges know about it, if the injured
one could not reach the old roper
"Let me fix it for you" said man
who stood by.
He ran into his garden, which was
not far away, and soon came back with
long grapevine in his hands. "This
will do for a rope,' he said; and he
climbed up and fastened it to the bell.
The slender vine, with its leaves and
tendrils still upon it, trailed to the
ground.
eyes," said the judges, "it is very
good rope. Let it be as it is.
Now, on the hillside above the vii.
lage there lived man who had once
been a brave knight. In his youth he
had ridden through many lands, and
he had fought in many battle. His
best friend through all that time had
been his horse-a strong, noble steed
that had borne him safe through many
a danger.
But the knight, when he grew older,
cared no more to ride into battle; he
cared no more to do brave deeds; he
thought of nothing but gold ; he be.
came rniser. At last he sold all that
he had except his horse, and went t.
live in little hut on the hillside.
"What is the use of keeping that
lazy steed p said the miser to himself
one morning. Every week it costs
me more to keep him than he is worth.
I might sell him; but there is not a
man that wants him 1 cannot even
give him away. 1 will turn him out
to shift for himself, and pick grass By
the roadside. II he starves to death
30 much the better"
So the brave old horse was turned
out to find what he could among the
rocks on the barren hillside. Lam,
and sick, he strolled along the dusty
roads, glad to 6nd blade of grass ol
a thistle. The boys threw stones a