A Brass Thimble Bell

From my window watchpost, I noticed a tiny gleaming object resting in the grooved wooden slats of the radiator cover below. I slid down the hem of the curtain to inspect it. It was a tarnished brass thimble, small enough to cup in both paws. I rolled it gently over a discarded cotton thread spool, tipping it upside down. With a dry pine needle from the planter, I tapped the metal rim. A clear, quiet chime rang out, vibrating softly through my paws. I set the needle upright inside the spool hole like a little clapper. Whenever the afternoon breeze drifts past the sill, my little alarm tower is ready to whisper.