-thepoorboyofthehumbletownofmarbach?ah,indeed,therewasnoonewhothoughtorsupposed,noteventheoldchurchbellwhichhadbeenthefirsttosoundandchimeforhim,thathewouldbethefirsttosingthebeautifulsongof"thebell."theboygrewapace,andtheworldadvancedwithhim.

whilehewasyetachild,hisparentsremovedfrommarbach,andwenttoresideinanothertown;buttheirdearestfriendsremainedbehindatmarbach,andthereforesometimesthemotherandhersonwouldstartonafinedaytopayavisittothelittletown.theboywasatthistimeaboutsixyearsold,andalreadyknewagreatmanystoriesoutofthebible,andseveralreligiouspsalms.whileseatedintheeveningonhislittlecane-chair,hehadoftenheardhisfatherreadfromgellert'sfables,andsometimesfromklopstock'sgrandpoem,"themessiah."heandhissister,twoyearsolderthanhimself,hadoftenweptscaldingtearsoverthestoryofhimwhosuffereddeathonthecrossforusall.

onhisfirstvisittomarbach,thetownappearedtohavechangedbutverylittle,anditwasnotfarenoughawaytobeforgotten.thehouse,withitspointedgable,narrowwindows,overhangingwallsandstories,projectingonebeyondanother,lookedjustthesameasinformertimes.butinthechurchyardtherewereseveralnewgraves;andtherealso,inthegrass,closebythewall,stoodtheoldchurchbell!ithadbeentakendownfromitshighposition,inconsequenceofacrackinthemetalwhichpreventeditfromeverchimingagain,andanewbellnowoccupieditsplace.themotherandsonwerewalkinginthechurchyardwhentheydiscoveredtheoldbell,andtheystoodstilltolookatit.thenthemotherremindedherlittleboyofwhatausefulbellthishadbeenformanyhundredyears.ithadchimedforweddingsandforchristenings;ithadtolledforfunerals,andtogivethealarmincaseoffire.witheveryeventinthelifeofmanthebellhadmadeitsvoiceheard.hismotheralsotoldhimhowthechimingofthatoldbellhadoncefilledherheartwithjoyandconfidence,andthatinthemidstofthesweettonesherchildhadbeengiventoher.andtheboygazedonthelarge,oldbellwiththedeepestinterest.hebowedhisheadoveritandkissedit,old,thrownaway,andcrackedasitwas,andstandingthereamidstthegrassandnettles.theboyneverforgotwhathismothertoldhim,andthetonesoftheoldbellreverberatedinhishearttillhereachedmanhood.insuchsweetremembrancewastheoldbellcherishedbytheboy,whogrewupinpovertytobetallandslender,withafreckledcomplexionandhairalmostred;buthiseyeswereclearandblueasthedeepsea,andwhatwashiscareertobe?hiscareerwastobegood,andhisfuturelifeenviable.wefindhimtakinghighhonorsatthemilitaryschoolinthedivisioncommandedbythememberofafamilyhighinposition,andthiswasanhonor,thatistosay,goodluck.heworegaiters,stiffcollars,andpowderedhair,andbythishewasrecognized;and,indeed,hemightbeknownbythewordofcommand-"march!halt!front!"

theoldchurchbellhadlongbeenquiteforgotten,andnooneimagineditwouldeveragainbesenttothemeltingfurnacetomakeitasitwasbefore.noonecouldpossiblyhaveforetoldthis.equallyimpossiblewouldithavebeentobelievethatthetonesoftheoldbellstillechoedintheheartoftheboyfrommarbach;orthatonedaytheywouldringoutloudenoughandstrongenoughtobeheardallovertheworld.theyhadalreadybeenheardinthenarrowspacebehindtheschool-wall,evenabovethedeafeningsoundsof"march!