er were built; both of them as 'look-out'
and 'alarm' towers. The Drum Tower was furnished with a monster drum,
which it still possesses, of such a size that the thunder of its tones
might be heard all over the city, the sound being almost enough to
waken the dead.

The Bell Tower had been completed some time before attempts were
made to cast a bell proportionate to the size of the building. At
length Yung Lo ordered Kuan Yu, a mandarin of the second grade, who
was skilled in casting guns, to cast a bell the sound of which should
be heard, on the least alarm, in every part of the city. Kuan Yu at
once commenced the undertaking. He secured the services of a great
number of experienced workmen, and collected immense quantities of
material. Months passed, and at length it was announced to the Emperor
that everything was ready for the casting. A day was appointed; the
Emperor, surrounded by a crowd of courtiers, and preceded by the
Court musicians, went to witness the ceremony. At a given signal,
and to the crash of music, the melted metal rushed into the mould
prepared for it. The Emperor and his Court then retired, leaving
Kuan Yu and his subordinates to await the cooling of the metal, which
would tell of failure or success. At length the metal was sufficiently
cool to detach the mould from it. Kuan Yu, in breathless trepidation,
hastened to inspect it, but to his mortification and grief discovered
it to be honeycombed in many places. The circumstance was reported to
the Emperor, who was naturally vexed at the expenditure of so much
time, labour, and money with so unsatisfactory a result. However,
he ordered Kuan Yu to try again.

The mandarin hastened to obey, and, thinking the failure of the
first attempt must have resulted from some oversight or omission on
his part, he watched every detail with redoubled care and attention,
fully determined that no neglect or remissness should mar the success
of this second casting.

After months of labour the mould was again prepared, and the metal
poured into it, but again with the same result. Kuan Yu was distracted,
not only at the loss of his reputation, but at the certain loss of
the Emperor's favour. Yung Lo, when he heard of this second failure,
was very wroth, and at once ordered Kuan Yu into his presence, and
told him he would give him a third and last trial, and if he did
not succeed this time he would behead him. Kuan Yu went home in a
despairing state of mind, asking