Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-02-17
CCRFEW MUST NOT RING
TONIGHT.
WHO Is rHE AUTHoRf1

Englands setting DER the hills SO far
away,
FILLED the land with misty beanty at the close of
And the last rays kissed the forehead OF man and
maiden fair
lie with step SO slow HEd weary. she with sunny
floating hal.
He with bowed head, sad and thou ghtful, she with
lips . cold and white,
Struggled to keep back the murmur, "Curfow
must not ring tonight"
"Se1ton." Ressie's white lips faltered, pointing to
the prison old,
With its walls so tall and gloomy, walls so dark
and damp and colo,
"I've lover IN that prison, doomed thi. very
night to die,
At the ringing Of the Curfe~, and no earthly help
is nigh.
Cromwell will not come till sunset" and her face
gTew strangely white,
As IN. spoke in husky whispers-"Curfew must
not ring TO. night"
"Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton-every word
pierced her Young heart
Like II thousand cleaning ArroUs-like deadly
poisoned dart
Long, long years I've rung the Curfew from that
gloomy shadowRd tower,
Every evening, just at sunset, 1t has told the twi-
light hour;
have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and
right,
Vow m old, will not miss 1t; girl, the curfew
Tings to O-night!"
Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and
white her thoug ghtful brow,
And within her uearts deep centre Bessie made a
She had listened while the judges read, without a
teaI sigh.
"At the ringing Of the Curfew-basil Underwood
must die.'
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes
grew large AMI bright
Ore low murmur scarcely spoken-"Curfew must
not ring Tonight"
She with light step bounded forward, spran with
In the old church door,
Left the old mau coming slowly, paths he'd trod so
oft before;
Not one moment paused the maiden, but with
cheek aud brow aglnw,
Staggered up the gloomy tower, where the bell
swung to and fro;
Then she climbed the tlimy ladder DARK, Wbhout
ray Of light,
Upward still, her pale lips saying, "Curfew shall
not ring to night"
She has reached the toPmost ladder DER her hangs
the great dark bell,
And the awful gloom beneath her, like the path
WAY down to hell;
See, the pOnderOus tongue is swinging, tis the
hour OF Curfew now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her
breath and paled her brow,
Shall she let it ringi No, never her eyes nash
with sudden light,
As she springs aud grasps it nrmly-"Curfew shall
not ring tonight"
Out she swung, far out, the city seemed a tiny
Bpeek below;
There, 'tUixt heaven and earth suspended as the
bell swung TO and fro;
And the halfdesf sexton ringing tyears he had not
heard the bell,l
And be thought the twilight Curfew rang young
Basil funeral knell;
Still the maiden clinging firmly, cheek and brow 50
pale and white,
Stil her frightened hearts wild beating Curfc'r
shall not ring Tonight"
Il was oer-the bell ceased swaying, and the maid
en- stepped once more
Firmly On the damp cid ladder, where for hundred
years before
Human foot had not been planted and what she
this night had done.
Should be told long ages after-As the rays o. set
ting sun
Light the sky with mellow beauty, aged sires with
heads of white
Tell the children why the curfcw did not ring thai
one sad night.
DER the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie saw
him. aud her brow.
Lately white with sickening horror. glows with
sudd-n beauty now
At his feet she told her story, showed her hands
all bruised Snd torn,
AID her sweet yonng face so haggard, with = look
sad and worn.
Tou he'd his neart with sudden yity-lit his eyes
with misty light,
''6O your iover lives" cries cromWen-"Cur
few shall not ring tonight"