. She had read, further, in
Godfrey's guide-book, that "some little time after the bell had been in
use, the sound of its mellow tones had reached the Hub; and so
bewitching were the musical vibrations of this queenly bell (e) of
Nantucket to many of the good people of the renowned 'City of Notions,'
that the agents of the Old South Church negotiated with the agents of
the Unitarian Church, saying that they had a very fine clock in their
tower; that they had been so unfortunate as to have their bell broken,
and wished to know at what price this bell could be procured. The agents
of the Unitarian Church replied that they had a very fine bell in their
tower, and would like to know at what price the Old South Society would
sell their clock. The bell weighs one thousand five hundred and
seventy-five pounds; the Boston gentlemen offered one dollar a pound for
it, and upon finding they could not get it at any price, they asked
where it came from; and having ascertained its history, sent to Lisbon
to the same foundry and procured that which they now have." And she had
been told further that this same bell had been removed to the new church
on the Back Bay. With all this pleasant association with the bell of her
own church, of course she must pay it a visit. So at about nine o'clock,
after Mr. Gordon and Tom had gone off with two gentlemen for a day's
blue-fishing, she, with Mrs. Gordon and Bessie, started out for their
morning's sight-seeing. In a half hour's time they had climbed the
stairs to the tower, and were admiring the fine new clock,--a gift from
one of Nantucket's sons, now living in New York,--which had been first
set in motion two years before, to replace an old one which had told the
time for over half a century. A little farther up they saw the famous
bell, and Miss Ray did wish that she could read Spanish so as to
translate the inscription which was upon it. A few steps more brought
them into the dome itself. Here, then, was the place where "Billy" came
to sight the steamers; and here was where a watchman stayed every night
to watch for fires. Whenever he saw one, Bessie said his duty was to
hang a lantern upon a hook in the direction of the fire and give the
alarm. She said that this had been the custom for years. As they were
all enjoying this finest view which the island affords, Bessie spied the
Old Mill in the distance, and as she had that painted on a shell as a
souvenir of her Nantucket trip she must surely