Knoxville Weekly Chronicle

"The Evening Bells,"

Many of our readers are no doubt familiar
with Thomas Moore's beautiful song of
"The Evening Bells," but they may not
be familiar with the incident which suggested them. The incident is as follows:

In the Cathedral of Limerick there hangs
a chime of bells which were cast in Italy
by an enthusiast in his trade, who fixed
his home near the monastery where they
were first hung, that he might daily enjoy their sweet and solemn music. In
some political revolution the bells were
taken away to some distant land, and the
maker himself became a refugee and exile.
After some years he found his way to Ireland. On a calm and beautiful evening,
as the vessel which bore him floated on
the placid bosom of the Shannon, suddenly the evening chimes pealed from the
cathedral towers. His practiced ear caught
the sweet sound, and he knew his lost
treasures were found. His early home, his
old friends, his beloved native land, all
the best associations of his life were in those
sounds. He laid himself back in the boat,
crossed his arms upon his breast and listened to the music. The boat reached the
wharf, but still he lay there silent and motionless. They went to him, but his spirit
had fled. The tide of memories that came
vibrating through his heart at the well
known chime had snapped the silver cord
and set him free. It was this incident
which suggested to the poet the lines which
are appended:

Those evening bells! those evening bells!
How many a tale their music tells!
Of youth, and home, and that sweet time
When last I heard their soothing chime!

Those joyous hours have passed away,
And many a heart that then was gay
Within the tomb now darkly dwells.
And hears no more those evening bells.

And thus 'twill be when I am gone, And I
That tuneful peal shall still ring on;
While other bards shall walk these dells,
And sing your praise, sweet evening bells.

Parish Visitor.