Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-08-20
2netifal.
"curfew Must not Ring tonight"

I'm the time Of Cromwell, ayoung soldier, for some
offence, was condemned to die, and the time Of his
death was fixed .at the ringing Of the en-. few
Naturally such doom would be fearful and bitter to
in the years of his hope and pride, but to this
unhappy youth death was doubly terrible, since he
soon to have been married to beautiful young
lady whom he had long loved. The lady, who loved
him ardently in return, had used her utmost efforts
to avert his fate pleading with the judges and
with Cromwell himself, but all in vain. In her de-
spair she tried to bride the old sexton not to ring
the bell but she found that impossible. The hour
drew near for the execution The preparations were
completed The officers of the law brought forth the
prisoner, and waited, while the sun was setting, for
the signal from the distant beethoven To the wonder
Of everybody, it did hot ring Only one human be-
ing at that moment knew the reason The poor girl.
ha wild with the thought of her lovers peril had
rushed, unseen, up the winding stairs, and climbed
the ladders into the bey lott and seized the tongue
of the bell The old sexton in his place, prompt
to the fatal moment. He threw his weight upon the
reeled and swung to and fro in the tower. But the
brave girl kept her hold and sound issued from its
metallic lips. Again and again the sexton drew the
rope but with desperate strength the young heroine
held on. Every movement made her position more
fearful every sway of the bells huge weight threaten
ed to fling her through the high tower window; but
she would not let go. At last the sexton went away.
Old and deaf he had not noticed that the curfew
no peal. The brave girl descended from the belfry,
church to the place of execution. Cromwell himself
was there, and was just sending to demand why the
bell was sient.]
Slowly Englands was setting DER the hill-tops
far away,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one
And the last rays kissed the forehead of man and
maiden fair,
He with footsteps slow pnd weary she with sunny
floating hair;
he with bowed head, sad and thoughtful, she with
bps all cold and white,
Struggled to keep back the murmur-
s'Curfew must not ring Tonight"
"sexton, Bessies white lips fatered, pointing to
the prison old,
With its urrets tall and gloomy with its walls dark,
damp and cold,
"Ive lover in that prison. doomed this very night
to die
At the ringing of the Curfew, and no earthly help is
night;
Cromwell will not come till sunset" and her lips
grew strangely white
As she breathed the husky Whisper
"Curfew must not ring tonight"
Bessie calmly spoke the SEXTON every word pierre
ed her young heart
Like the piercing Of arrow, like deadly poisoned
dart,
Long, long years I've rung the curfew from TINT
gloomy, Swallowed tower;
Every evening" just at sunset it has told the twilight
hour;
have done my duty ever, tried to do it Just and
Now I'm old still must do it,
"Curfew it must ring to night"
Wild her eyes and pale her features stern and white
her thoughtful brow,
And within her secret bosom Bessie made a solemn
She had listened while the judges read without tear
sigh,
Sat the ringing Of the Curfew, Basil Underwood
must de-"
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes
grew large and bright
Iu an undertone she murmured -
"Curfew must not ring to night"
She with quick steps bounded forward, sprung within
Left the old man threading slowly pa tbs so oft he'd
trod before;
Not one moment paused the maiden, but with eye
and cheek aglow,
Mounted up the gloomy tower, where the bell swung
to and fro.
And she clmed the dusty ladder on which fell no ray
Of light,
Up and up,-her white lips SAYING
"Curfew shall not ring to night"
She had reached the topmost adder, DER her hangs
the great dark bell
Awfulis the gloom beneath her, like pathway down
to hell.
Lo, the ponderous tongue is swinging, it's the hour
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her
breath and paled her brow.
Shall she let it ring? No, Flash her eyes with
sudden light.
And she springs and grasps it firmly
"Curfew shall not ring to night"
Out she swung far out, the city seemed speck Of
T~1xt heaven and earth her form suspended, as the
bell swung to and fro,
And the sexton at the bel-rope old and deaf heard
not the bell
But he thought it still ringing fair young Basils
funeral knelI.
Still the maiden chung most firmly, and with trem-
bling lips and white
Said to hush her hearts wild beating,-
"Curfew shall not ring Tonight"
1t was DER the bell ceasc ayng and the maiden
stepped once more
Firmly on the dark old ladder, where for hundred
years before
Human foot had not been planted. The brave deed
that she had done
Should be told long ages AFTER the rays Of setting
Should ilnme the sky with beauty; aged sires with
heads OF white
Long should tell the little children
Curfew did not ring that night.
Ger the distant hills Cromwell; Bessie sees
him, and her brow,
Full of hope and full of gadness has no anxious ira
ces now.
At his feet she tells her story, shows her hands ali
bruised and torn;
And her face so sweet and pleading yet with sorrow
pale and worn,
Touched bis heart with sudden pity, lit his eye with
NIFTY light;
go your lover liver" said Cromwell,
"Curfew shall not ring to. night.''