Part 34 (1/2)

He was required to cast a bell for the Magdalen Church tower of that city of noble churches,--Breslau He felt that this was opportunity for his dalen bell

After a long period of preparation, his ed for use The for of the un

The old bell-founder had two faults which had grown upon him; a love of ale and a fiery te in the kettle, he said to his fire-watch, a little boy,--

”Tend the kettle for a o over to the inn, and take

”But, boy,” he added, ”touch not the stopple; if you do, you shall rue it That bell is my life, I have put all I have learned in life into it If any man were to touch that stopple, I would strike him dead”

[Illustration: FINIshi+NG THE BELL]

[Illustration: AT THE INN]

The boy had an over-sensitive, nervous temperament He was easily excited, and was subject to impulses that he could not easily control

The command that he should not touch the stopple, under the dreadful penalty, strongly affected hishe had been forbidden

He watched the reat kettle It bubbled, billowed, and ran to and fro In the co mass he knew that his master had put his heart and soul

It would be a bold thing to touch the stopple,--adventurous His hand began to rew, and his hand moved on

He touched the stopple The impulse was a wild passion now,--he turned it

Then his rew dark--he was filled with horror He ran to his master

”I have turned the stopple; I could not help it,” he said ”The Devil tempted me!”

The old bell-founder clasped his hands and looked upward in agony

Then his temper flashed over him He seized his knife, and stabbed the boy to the heart

He rushed back to the foundry, hoping to stay the strea of the stopple had not caused the round

[Illustration: THE DAY OF EXECUTION]

The old bell-founder knew the consequences of his act, and he did not seek to escape theistrates, and said,--

”My work is done; but I am a murderer Do with reatly excited the city The judges could not do otherwise than sentence him to death But as he was penitent, he was promised that on the day of his execution he should receive the offices and consolations of the Church

”You are good,” he said ”But grant one; rant es

”That I may hear the sound of es consulted, and answered,--

”It shall toll for your execution”