Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-30
THE MESSAGE
Of THE BELLS
A New Year Story.
BY PRICE.

Sun clouds scudded gustily across the
Sky. hiding the peaceful face of the
moon, whose radiance touched the
edges of her solnbe veil with Il fringe
of silver. The great gray tower lifted
jts head far aioft i'm the midnight still
ness. and the wind moaned around it's
rough hcwn corner Il requiem for the
dying year. Within the tower sat the
old bellringer. waiting for the stroke Of
twelve from the clock, and, AS he
waited. his thoughts drifted back to the
years long buried in the dimness of
white hair had been crisp and black,
when his long slender fingers We're
strong and supple and struck from the
midnight chimes music of enhancing
beauty.
An life had been worth the living
in those far-off happy days. People a
predicted u wonderful future for him,
and i'm spite of the poverty that re-
tarded his progress. and a great ambi-
ton possessed him. Obstacles We're
pushed aside, difficulties overcome, as
he worked by day and studied by night.
ana the bells in the tower spoke mar
velous things to the many who listened.
and who. listening. praised. Their
praise was sweet. but Elspeth's was
sweeter, ana. when one New Years
eve. he told her of his love and won
her promise to be his own, his heart
peat WIN Il rapture that thrilled
through the chimes that night till lis
back from dreamland to hear.
ON. happy memory! oh. long ago.
II was on another night like this that
ttuprecht Was born: and the joy which
bea1ned from the pale young mothers
face was reflected In his own. as he left
ner baby ON her bosom and rushed to
the bell tower to make his chimes a
paen of praise to the Father who had
hiied his life with blessing. How they
loved him-that baby-their only one
their all! How he and Elspeth had
watched each new NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
proudly guided the first tottering step:
how carefully repeated the first lispiny
word. How .joyfully they trained and
taught him. while the father. too busy
an his struggle for their maintenance to
realize his great ambition. transferred
II uncomplainingly from his w future
to that of his son! Nor had their hopes
been vain. Tne boy studied-improv-
ing every opportunity with untirins
zeal until at last the great organ i'm
the cathedral below Numbered it's glori-
GUS music responsive to the touch of
tae boylsh fingers. People thronged
10 near. Ruprecht's services were de-
handed elsewhere-brilliant prospects
opened before him, and the Inevitable
separation drew near.
New Years eve! How MANY anni-
versarles this shadowy hour held. The
boy babe them goodby while Elspeth
chung tn him and Sobbed. and her h1s-
band rushed away to tell the chimes
nus agony as he had poured into them
ms JOY. AS he sat waiting even as
some one entered the belfry chamber,
and the voice he loved said tenderly:
Mem Water, let me play the chimes
tonight. viii leave with them a mes
sage to comfort % when you are sad
"a message for you and the mother.
too.
"When l hear it in the far-off land IT
VIII ne my mothers voice that sings to
me- ana when you play it, mein Water.
II. VIII say to you, 'Ftuprecht loves me.
Ihen you will pray God watch over my
boy and Keep him safe for me- and the
All-Father will hear"
When Ruprecht struck the massive
Keys 1T was the simple old .pleyers
hymn he played, but he lent his beau
itiful voice to the clangor Of the bells
anu sang his mothers favorite words:
.Chlld'en of the Heavenly King
AS We journey sweetly sing:
Sing Your Saviour's worthy praise
Glorious in His works and ways."
a momen later he was gone. The
years had been many and long sine
then. but no tidings ever came. and
.flspeth's hair grew white before the
look of expectancy in her lear eyes,
changed to the calmness of esignation,
He was dead. of course. They knew
now that it must be so. though they
had not given up hope till they had
LETT the old home and followed their
Wanderei' tn the new country. They
had heard of the wrecked ship. to be
sure. but hope dies hard. Perhaps if
they had beer patient-had stayed on
amid he scenes of his childhood-he
might have come back to them: but
now could they be patient when the
world was so wide. and half OF it lay
tween them and the land that had
called their child. They were only
waiting now-he and Elspeth for the
summons which should call them to
the happy reunion in a home where
there would be no sad goodbys, where
music Knows no minor. n hearts for
get how to ache.
The first stroke of midnight sounded
and an instant later the bells pealed
forth. while tho old man sang with
trembling lips n voice that no one
heard b u God-as he had sung every
New Year since that one.
children OF he Heavenly King
AS We Journey sweetly sing:
Sing your Snvinur's worthy praise.
Glorious in His works and ways"
Then, rs the last reluctant echo died
away, he stumbled down the narrow
stairs toward hOme n Elspeth.
Not lar from the beethoven stood q
mansion. where a great throng had as
sembled to watch the old ear out and
the new year in. Silken draperies
rustled. Jewels cleaned. music rippled
Oh the perfulned air. and happy voices
rang sweet and high. But every sound
was silenced. and bright eyes grew dim
in the Hood of melody which suddenly
poured about the gay throng. They
crowded toward the music room. try
ing to catch a GlimDge of the player.
! Those who were near saw a slender
man. with lair curling hair brushed
back from a brow as pure as a woman's.
The face was pale n the eyes sad.