The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-04-08
From the Columbus JournaI.I
Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight.


THE following beautif ul poem has been goin
the rounds of the press recently, first credite'
! to one and then to another paper, but origina
| with none. The authors name is unknown
( but the poem is worthy of preservation. Som
of our readers will re member it as one of tn
pieces on Fanny KEN BILE Buffers programme
the last time she entertained Columbus audi
| enca with readings. 1t is a magnificent piec
for recitation: I
England's sun was setting DER the hills so fa
| away,
And the last rays kissed the forehead of man
He with steps so slow and weary, she with sun
| ny, floating hair;
| 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 bps faltered, pointing
TO the prison old,
With its walls SO tall and gloomy, walls SO dark
and damp and cold,
I've lover in that prison, doomed this very
at the ringing of the Curfew, and no earthly
help is nigh,
Cromwell will not come till sunset" and her
face grew strangely while,
As she spoke in husky whispers-"Curfew must
not ring Tonight"
'Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton-every word
pierced her young heart
Like thousa nd cleaning arrows-like dead
ly poisoned dart:
"LOng years I've rung the Curfew from that
gloomy shadowed tower,
Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the
have done my duty ever, tried to do it just
and right,
Now I'm Old and will not miss it; girl the Cur
few rings Tonight"
Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and
white her thoughtful brow,
And within her hearts deep center, Bessie
made solemn vow;
She had listened while the judge read, without
tear or sigh,
"At the ringing of the Curfew-Basil Under
And her breath came fast and faster, and her
eyes grew large and bright
One low murmur, scarcely spoken-"Curtew
must not ring tonight"
She with light step bounded forward sprang
within the old church door,
Left the old man coming slowly, paths he'd
trod so oft before;
Not one moment paused the maiden, but with
cheek and brow aglow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower where the bell
swung TO and fro;
Then she climbed the Shiny ladder, dark, with
out one ray of light,
Upward still, her pale lips saying, "Curfew
shall not ring tonight"
She has reached the topmost ladder, DER her
hangs the great dark bell,
And the awful gloom beneath her, like the
pathway down to hell
See. the powerful tongue is swinging, it's the
hour of Curfew how
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped
her breath and paled her brow.
with sudden light,
And she springs and grasps it f1rmly-"Curfew
shall not ring to-night?'
Out she swung, far out, the city seemed a tiny
speck below
There, 'twixt heaven and earth suspended, as
the bell swung and fro;
And the half deaf sexton tyearS he had not
heard the belly
And he thought the twilight Curfew rang young
Basil'S funeral knell;
Still the mai1en, clinging firmly, cheek and
brow so pale and white,
Stilled her frightened hearts wild beating
''Curfew shall not ring Tonight"
IL was o'er-the bell ceased swaying, and the
maiden stapped= once more
Firmly on the dam J5ld ladder, where for hun
dred years before ------------4
Human foot had not been planted; and what
this night had done
Should be told long ages after-as the rays of
setting sun
Light the sky with mellow beauty, and aged
sires with heads of white
Tell the children why the Curfew did not ring
that one sad night.
Ger the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie
saw him, and her brow,
Lately white with sicBening horror, glows with
sudden beauty now;
AT his feet she told her story, showed her hands
all bruised and torn,
And her sweet young face SO haggard, with a
look so sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity-lit his
eyes with misty light
''Go, your lover lives" cried Cromwell; Sour
few shall not ring tonight"