The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-03-18
CURFEw MUST NOT RING TONIGHT.

=, The following beautiful poem has been going
the rounds Of the press recently, first credited 10 one
and then TO another paper, but originally with none
The authors name is unknown, but the poem Is
worthy OF preservation We publish IL at the request
OF numerous readers:
England's sun setting oer the hills so far
Filled the with misty beauty at the close of one
And the last rays kiss'd the forehead of man and
maiden fair
He with ster. so slow and weary, she with sunny
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" Bessiess white lips faltered pointing to
With its walls so dark and gloomy, walls so damp
and cold,
At the ringing of the Curfew, and no earthly help
Cromwell win no, come till 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 thousand cleaning arrows-like deadly,
Long years I've rang the Curfcw from that gloomy
shadowed tower;
Every evening, just ut sunset, Ii has oled the twi-
Ihave done my duty ever, tried to do it just and
Now I'm old will not miss it girl, the Curfew rings
tonight"
Wild her eyes and pale her features stern and white
her thoughtful brow,
And within her hearts deep center, Bessie made a
solemn vow:
She had listened while the judges read without tear
or sigh,
"At the wringins of the Curfew--Basil Underwood
must die"
md harh hraa fast and f,ata md har
grew large and bright
One low murInur, scarcely spoken" Curfew mus,
not ring to-nishtW
She with light step bounded forward, sprang within
the old church door,
Left the old man coming slowly, paths he'd trod SC
Not one moment paused the Maiden but with cheek
and brow agow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower whore the bell swung
Then she s"d Climbed the shiny ladder dark without
Upward stil, her Pail lips saying, Curfew mus no,
ring tonight"
She had reached the topmost ladder, DER her hangs
And the awful gloom beneath her, like the pathway
down to hell;
See the pondcrous tongue is swinging tits the hour
And the sight has chilled her BOSOM stopped her
breath and paled her brow.
Shall she let IL rngy No, never her eyes flash with
As she springs and grasps it rmly--"Curfew must no,
ring tonight!
Out she swung, far out the city seemed tiny speck
below;
There, 'twixt heaven and earth suspended, as the
bell swung to aud fro;
And the half deaf sexton ringing (years he had not
heard the bell,)
And he thought the twilight Curfcw rang young
BasiPs funeral knel;
Still the maiden clinging firmly, check and brow
pale and white,
Stilled her frightened hearts wild beatingC Curfew
shall not ring tonight"
II was o'er-the bell ceased swaying, and the maiden
stepped once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder, where for hundred
years before
Human foot had not been planted; and what this
night had done
Should be told long ages afteras the raysof setting
Light the sky with mellow beauty, and aged sres
with heads of white
Tell the children why the Curfew did not ring that
one sad night.
Der the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie saw
him, and her brow,
Lately white with sickening horror, glows with
sudden beauty now;
At his feet she told her stery showed her hand all
bruised and torn
And her sweet young face so haggard, with q look
sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity---lit his ewes
with moisty light;
Go, your lover lives" cried Cromwell: "Curfew
shall not ring tonight"