The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1916-11-09

A BELL
By F. 4. MICHEL

One Of the fascinating though sad
legends Of the middle ages is about tlle
casting Of ST. Mary's beIl at Breslau
the capital Of silesia. IN 1896 In those
days these cathedral bells were only
second Ia importance 10 the edifice
that held them. The composition and
castlng d one Of them were matters
Of great skill Many a man was made
Or marred by bis success or failure 70
make a bszl that would produce mar
felolis tones
caspar uirich who had served an
apprenticeship at bell casting. was the
nephew u the bishop Of a cathedral IN
Brabant and through bis uncIe's In
anenee obtained an order 10 cast the
big bell thar was 70 be swung ID one
" tie great towers u Tie church thai
had been hundred years Ia building
caspar began his work With all the
confidence Of youth. but as lie proceed
ed Il eyaporafed He prepared his
mold. which must be Of exacf dimen.
sions Any deviation from his caIcuIa-
lions ia the uniformity 0f space into
which the molten metal was 10 be
poured would ruin the bell. The com
bination Of metals was easier. though
II his calculations were NOT correct tie
result would he unfortunate Bui the
most dangerous part u the work was
the running. on Of the metal from the
erucible into the mold
By the time Cnspar Tlrfch came TO
this last step ia the manufacture OF
the bell be had Host all the confidence
with which he had started The only
thing remaining 10 be done was 10
turn the si0lcoek Ia the bottom Of
the crucfble. giving free eggcss a. the
metal fiuid. He could not bring him
self 10 take this last step. he sat
down on bench before the embryo
bell. rested bis elbows on his knees
and bis chin on bis hands aud gave
himself up 70 gloomy forebodings.
He was awakened from them by
stranger who had silently entered the
buildings man tan and slender. who
moved with such q callike tread that
caspar did not hear e. He was dress
Ell IN workman's clothes and wore
leather apron
who are your asked caspar. look
Ing up AZ him.
IAN ironworker have made many
bells
Have you spoiled manyg
TO this there WAS no response except
a low chuckie Bur the stranger said
= can make this one a wonder.
How can sou do ihafs
-By adding certain metals to those
you have already put In
caspar produced a paper giving the
list 81 Ingredients In the bell and the
quantity u each and handed Il 90 the
stranger. who glanced at It hastily
and said:
There Is not enough iron
Caspar went over his calculations
whiie the stranger waited and. having
done so. said that he feared the criti
clsm was Just Nevertheless be was
demoraiIzed and not certain OF any
thing But the stranger. who was a
very aggressive person, took up a
crncible Of molten iron-for there was
melted metal Of every kind used ia
the bell at hand-and was about 10
POUR some Of It into the composition
when Caspar's young wife. Ursula, en-
tered the foundry She had come to
sympathlze with aud encourage her
husband. Seeing the stranger, she
paused and shrank back.
And the stranger shrank back too.
Swinging aside the crucible from
which he was about to pour the iron.
his eyes were fixed on a gold cross
that hung from Ursula's neck on her
bosom. With cringing step he sided
to the door and went out like a dog /
with his tail between his legs.
who Is he asked Ursula Of her
husband. "and what WAS he about TO
doy"
who he Is ! know not. but he told
nc that he had made many bells aud
could make mine a success. After
looking ut my constituent metals be
aid had not Sufficient iron and was
about 10 add iron to the mixture when
ron entered"
III seems to me Casnar. said the
wife. that Instead Of listening TO a
stfUN~tl We rNbHtH HNh Att1 ' ism "
ell as II anything Is needed.
And. sinking on her knees. she pray
Il 70 the Virgin to signify what would
ldd 10 the melody Of the bell When
The had finished her prayer she touch
Il bar Of iron Then she put her
land on some copper. At once she felt
tingling sensation running up
through her arm.
~put Ia copper. Caspar.- she said
Caspar poured IN stream OF copper.
his wife called on him 10
tcp. The tlngling IN her arm had
eased. She put her hand on other
Metals with no response tn she came
0 lump OF silver when the tinglsag
When Ursula called
gain Caspar ceased TO pour the metal.
nd there being no other metal at hand
o more was added.
Then Ursula babe Casnar turn the
lopcock, but he declined to do so.
cling her to do It herself she did