The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-10-14

A
Issued Every Thursday Morning.
$500 Year. Invariably I'm Advance.
"CUEEEW MUST NOT RING TONIGHT .
In the time of Cromwell young soldier, for
some offense, was condemned to die, and the
time of Ills death was fixed ''at the ringing OF
the Curfew.'' Naturally such doom would
be fearful and bitter to one in the years OF his
hope and pride, but to this unhappy youth death
was doubly terribly, since he was 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
even with Cromwell himself bnt all in vain.-
In her dispair, she tried to bride the old sex
ton not to ring the bell, but she found chat to
be impossible. The hour drew near for the eX-
ecution. The preparations were ompleted.-
The officers Of the law brought forth the pris
oner, and waited, while the sun was Sc ting for
the signal from the beethoven. 10 the wonder
OF everybody, it did not ring!, Only one hui
man being knew the reason. The poor girl,
half wild with the thought OF her lovers peril,
had rushed unseen, up the winding stairs, and
climbed the ladders to the belfry loft and seized
the tongue of the bell The oll-sexton was in
his place, prompt to the moment He threw
his weight upon the rope, the bell, obedicnt to
the practiced hand, reeled and swung to and fro
in the tower. But the brave girl k. pit her hold
and no sound issued from its metallic lips
| Again and again the sexton drew the rope, bat
with desperate strength the young heroine held
on. Every moment made herposition more fear
full; every sway of the b4l'shugc weight threat
enc d to, fling her through the high tower Win
dow bit She would not let go. At last the sex
ton went away. Old and deaf, he had not no
| tced that the Curfew gave no peal. The brave
girl descended from tile. belfry, wounded aud
| trembling. She hurried from the church to the
place Of execution. Cromwell himself was there
and was just sending to demand why the bell
vas silent.
Slowly Englands sun was setting DER the hll-tops
far away,
And the last rays kissed the forehead OF man and
| maiden fair r.
He with footsteps slow and weary, she with sunny
floating har
| He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful she with
| lips all cold and whIe,
| Struggled to keep back the murmur-
| -Curfew must not ring tonight
SEXTON, Bessies white lips faltered, pointing to
| the prison old,
With its urres tall and gloomy, with its walls dark
| damp cold,
Eve lover III that prison. doomed this very night
|
At the ringing OF the curfew, and no earthly help is
nigh;
Cromwell will not come till sunset" and her lips
grew strangely white,
| AS she breathed the husky whisper
'.Curfew must not ring te-night.''
Bessie, calmly spoke the sexton, every word
t. pierced her young heart
| Like the 4iercng Of an arrow, like deadly pois
| oned dart,
"Long, long years I've rung the Curfew from that
| gloomy, Swallowed tower:
Every evening, just, at Sunset, it has told the
twilight hour;
Now I'm DID, still must do it
''Curfew it must ring tonight"
Wild her eyes and pale her features stern and white
her thoughtful brow,
And within her thoughtful bosom Bessie made sol
emn vow.
or sigh,
At the ringing OF the Curfew, Bassu Underwood
must de-
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes
grew large and bright
In an undertone she murmered-
''Curfew must not ring to might
She with quick steps bounded forward, sprung with
in the old church door,
Left the old man treading slowly paths SO oft he'd
trod before;
Not one moment paused the maiden but with eyes
and cheek aglow
Mounted up the gloomy tower, where the bells
swung to and fro;
And she climed the dusty ladder which fell nc
ray of light
| Up and up--her white lips saying
"Curfew must not ring tonight
She has reached the topmost ladder DER her hangs
the great dark bell
Awful is the gloom beneath her, like pathway down
to hell.
Lo, the ponderous tongu is swinging it's the houl
of Curfew
And the sight had chilled her bosom, stopped hel
| breaqh and paled her brow.
| Shall she let it ring? No. never: Flash her eyes
with sudden light, e
And she springs and grasps it firmly
"Curfew shall not ring tonight
Out she swung far out, the city seemed a specb O
| light below,
'Twixt heaven and earth her form suspended, thu
bell swung to and fro.
And the sexton at the bell-rope old and deaf heard
not The bell, RI
But he thought it still was ringing fair young Bas
| lis funeral knel.
| Still the maiden chung most firmly. and with trem
| hing lips and white.
| Sud, to hush her hearts wild beating tsl
| Curfew shall not ring tonight
1t was oer the bell ceased swaying, and the nader
! stepped once more,
Firmly on the dark old ladder, where for man,
| years before,
Human foot had not been planted. The brave dcet
! that she had done
Should told long ages AFTER the rays of setting
| Should Hume the sky with beauty aged sires
| with heads of white,
Long should tell the little childr n
Curfeg did not ring that night.
Der the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie see
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 al
bruised and torn.
And her face so sweet and pleading vet with sorrow
pale and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity lit his eve will
misty light
SEQ! your lover lives" said Cromwell
''Curfew shall not ring Tonight"
A Kansas water melon weighing ninet,
pounds is looming up in Western papers. Thinl
OF tnat-nenety phunds! And think OF how
the boys looked the over fence and hankered.
Singer. the sewing machine man. died wortl
h,.th oh, b,tt 50.