Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-03-10
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England, sun was settinG Ger the hills so far
Filled the lard With misty beauty at the close
of5oue. sad day;
And tie last rays Kissed the forehead of a man
aud nailen mir
BE with steDs so slow and weary. she with sun
nv, AOat1ng hairs
He with bowed head. Sad and thoughtful, she
with lips so cold and white.
STRUGGLED to keep back the murmur. "Curfew
must not ring Tonight"
sexton Bessie's- white lips faltercd. pointing
to the prison old.
With its walls so tail and gloomy, walls SO dark
and damp and cold.
'Fee q lover in that prison. doomed this very
At the ringing of the Curfew, and no earthly
help is-nigh.,
Cromwell will not como TIL sunset" and her
face grew strangely WHITE,
As she spoke in husky Whispers Curfew must
not ring tonight"
'Bessie." calmly spoke the sexton-every word
pierced her young heart
Like a thousand cleaning arrows-like deadly
poisoned dart;
Long. long years Eve rung the Curfew from
that gloomy, shaded tower:
Every evening. just at sunset, it has told the
twilight hour:
I have done my duty ever, tried to do it lust
and right,
Now Pm old. will not miss it; girl the Curfew
rings tonight :"
Wild her ewes and pale her features. stern and
white her thoughtful brow,
And within her hearts deep centre Bessie made
solemn vow;
She had listened while the iudr,ps rood xv;+bo,,+
tear sigh,
eat the ringing of the Curfew- Basil Under-
wood must de-
And her breath came fast ard faster and her
eyes grew large and bright
One low murmur, scarcely spOken-"Curfeyy
must INST ring Tonight"
She with light step bombed forward. spraug
within the old church door.
Left the old man coming slowly, paths he'd trod
so oft before:
Not one moment paused the ma1dep. hut with
cheek and eyes aClow.
Staggered up the glsOmy tower where the bell
swung to and flo:
Then she climbed the shiny ladder, dark. with
out one raw of light.
Upward still, her pale lios saying "Curfew shall
not ring tonight! ~
She has reached the tcpmcst ladder. DER her
hangs the great dark he'll,
And the awful gloom beneath heT, llso the path
way down TO he'll:
See, the ponderous tongue is SWINGING tits the
hour Of Curfow now
And the sight has chiIeI fcr bosom, stopped
her breath ard palctI her brow.
Shall she let it rIng: No. never; her eyes fash
with sudden light.
As she springs ald Grasps it firmly-''Curfew
shall not ring Tonight"
out she SWING. far out, tie city seemed tiny
Spec. Lc!o7y;
There, twixt heaven and earth. susnended "a
the bell swung to and fro:
And the hGlf-deaf sexton ringing years he had
not heard the bell
And lie Thought the twilight Curfew rang young
Basil's funeral kneIi;
Still the MAIDEN elnPing firmly. cheek and brow
so raIe ard w!i3e
st'lied her frightened heari's Wild beating
CHTfeor shall HOt,rng 10 nishi.'
1t was oer-tle bel! ceased svaying. and the
maiden stepped once mere
Firmly on the damp old ladder. where for hun
6red years before
Human foot lad nos been pIaated; and what
she this nicht had done,
Should be told long ages after as the rays of
setting sun
Light she skv with mellow beauty. aged sires
= with heads Of white
Tell tie Children why the Curfew did not ring
toat oae sad n ght.
Der distant bills came Cromwell; Bessie saw
him, and Ler brow
Lately white witt. sIeSeniug horror, CLOVIS with
sudden beauty now:
At his feet she told er storr show we'd her hands
all bruised and torn,
And her sweet young face 50 hagcard. with
LOOK so sad and w,-rn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity-Iit hiseyes
with misty ight:
Go. your lover ives, cries Cron wcif; .'Curfew
shall not ring tO-.,i.hr.1