The first set of stairs squeeze past that middle window. The small rope on the left is for tolling the bell. Our current tradition during memorial services is to toll the bell once for each year lived by the person being honored and remembered. The dark open space on the right, where the Flag is resting, looks like a dumb waiter shaft and is, in fact, where the weight for the original clock mechanism was hung. The wooden box with rocks and other debris can still be seen sitting there, although it is no longer used to operate the clock. At the top of the stairs is a narrow shelf that must be traversed to get to the next set of stairs. You are right next to the old window, so don’t loose your balance. Greeting you will likely be flies, ladybugs, pine bugs, and (in the summer) wasps. They are preoccupied with other things.