Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1917 — OLD BELL RELATES OWN QUAINT STORY [ARTICLE]

OLD BELL RELATES OWN QUAINT STORY

Tongue of Kentucky Dark!**'' “Anfie» I us” Speak* After Many Year* Cju— Bur{ed ln Trte Louisville, Ky.—On the farm of G. P. Brooke, in Jefferson County, about five miles east of Louisville, there was recently hewn out of the. forks of a large dead walnut tree a farm bell which had long been almost hidden there. The farm is near the former home of Gen. Zachary Taylor, where a tall marble shaft marks the gray* of the President. ——- Recently, when Mr. Brooke cut down the old walnut tree and hewed out me bell, he reverently rang It, the first time it Lad spoaen for manylong years; the tone was rich and sweet. It was then photographed. A beautiful embossed crucifix stands out on the metal with two angels kneeling at the foot of the cross. The writer talked to the bell and got its confidence, and thia ia the story the bell told him. "I used to hang in th* belfry of Santa Crux Mission in Mexico, with two other bells, representing the Trinity. Every morning and evening we pealed out solemnly for matins and vespers. Among the worshippers at the mission was a lovely young signorita who lived near by with her father, a rich Spanish gentleman and soldier. She Wu.s very deyout and aever missed a call to prayer. She was beautiful, and many young Mexicans sought her hand. "War came on between our people and the Americans. The signirota’s father and all the young men Joined the army and he was killed fighting for his country. This left the young woman alone and very sad, but she was faithful and continued to come to the mission. The war grew worse and a great battle wa* fought in our town, the mission was destroyed And the other two bells were shot away by cannon. “Peace was declared and General Taylor permitted the old priest to ring me and a few people would pair within the battered wMls of the hallowed place, amonff them the beautiful’ lady. One day a young American captain came with the Signorita, and after that he accompanied her regularly. One day, after weeks had passed, I heard the captain say, ‘We will be marriedhere by the priest and then you will go back with me to my home in Kentucky.’ ‘But,’ she replied, ‘have you any bells like this one there? I cannot live without the sound of the bell, calling me to prayer.’

The captain told her he would take the bell with them if the priest would permit it, and build a shrine for her at his home. This seemed to satisfy the signorita and shortly they were united In the old ruins by the venerable priest, and 1 rang out my happiest tones for the marriage. The next day I was taken down and placed in charge of the captain’s old servant, whom he called ‘Uncle,’ but the signora afterward named him Padre. ■ ■ ' ~~ _____ “Long was the journey in General Taylor’s company before we reached the captain’s country; part of the time we traveled on horseback, part on steamboats? The captain told the signora he would build a lovely villa like l\er home in Mexico and erect a sanctuary for her and the bell. After reaching Kentucky the captain’s home was found to be only a log house, and I was temporarily hung in the forks of a strong young tree. The captain dearly loved the signora and no doubt fully intended to carry out his promise, but he became mixed up in politics, was away from home a great deal, and the villa was never built, nor the sanctuary.

“Every morning and evening Padre would ring me -for the signora’s call to prayer—just as I used to peal out in the mission. No one was allowed to do this but the old negro, who wks very attentive to his mistress. She was lonely, but taught the negroes many beauuTJß* things, and always that the sound of the bell meant a call to prayer. "Months and years sped by, the captain was hardly ever at home, and the young Spanish woman carednot to mix in the society of this new country, and became more lonely and sad, spending most of her time in weeping and praying, and finally, one dark, stormy night, the signora died all alone. After she was buried .the captain said the bell must not be rung again, so I. hung silent. Padre coming every day, with bared head, to look at me. “A year or so passed and the cap tain having moved away the farm was sold and became the property of the Barbour family. The new owner cared nothing for my sacred historyand had me rung as a farm bell to the negroes and call them frtm the fields at noon and evening. “As time rolled along my tree grew big and strong, so that after a while I could hardly swing any more; finally one day my rope broke. My tree grew larger and I became almost entirely hidden, only those parts with the crucifix could be seen. Later the old tree died.”