Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-11-12

Englands sun was setting DER the hills 50 far away,
Filled the land with misty beauty at the close of one
sad day;
And the last rays kissed the forehead of man and
maiden fair;
He with steps 50 slow and weary she with sunny float
ing hair;
He with bowed head sad, and thoughtful;she with lips
so cold and white,
Struggling to keep back the murmur, /" Curfew must
not ring tonight"
Sexton" Bessies white lips faltered pointing to the
prison old
With its walls so tall and gloomy, walls so dark and
damp and cold
"Ive lover in that prison. doomed this very night to
die,
At the ringing of the curfew; and earthly help is
nigh.
Cromwelll not be here till sunset" and her face
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 pois-
oned darD,-
Long. long years I've rung the curfew, from that
gloomy shadowed tower.
Every evening Just sunset it has told the twilight
hour;
have done my duty ever.-tried to do it just and
right.
NOW I'm Old VIII not miss itgirl, the curfew ring
tonight"
Wild her eyes, and pale each feature stern and white
her thoughtful brow,
AS, within her hearts deep centre Bessie made SOL
emn vow,
She had listened while judges read without tear or
sigh,
At the ringing of the curfew Basil Underwood must
die !"
And her breath fast and faster her eyes grew
large and bright
One low murmur scarcely spoken, Curfew 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 20
oft before.
Not one moment paused the maiden. but, with cheek
and brow aglOw,
She gazed up the gloomy tower where the bell rung
to oand fro;
Then she climbed the slimy ladder dark without one
ray of light
Upward still her pale lips say ing Curfew shall not
ring Tonight"
She has reached the the opmost ladder DER her hangs
the great dark bell,
And the awful CLEAN beneath her, like the pathway
down to hell,
See the ponderous tongue is swim ging tits the hour
of curfew now
And the sight has chilled her bosom stopped her breath
and paed her brow.
Shall she let it ring? No. never and her eyes flash
with sudden light,
AS she springs and grasps it rmly Curfew shall not
ring tonight !"
Out she swung, far out the city seemed tiny spcch
below;
There, twx heaven and earth suspended as the bell
swung to and fro,
And the haf-deaf sexton ringing (years he had not
heard the belD,
And he thought that twilight curfew rang young Ba.
sil's funeral-kne
Still the maiden, clinging firmly, cheek and brow SC
pale and white,
Stied her frightened hearts wild beating. Curfew
shall not ring tonight"
1t was oer.-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 she this
night had done
Should be told long ages after the rays of setting
Light the sky with mellow beauty,-aged sires with
heads of white.
Tell the children why the curfew did not ring that one
sad night
Oer the distant hills came Cromwell Bessie saw him
and her brow,
Lately white with sickenng horror, glows with sudden
AT nsf9ep she tofu sto4J s-.o"ou
bruised and torn,
And her sweet young face so haggard. with look so
sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity,l his eyes with
misty light,
" Co. your lover lives" cried Cromwell, "Curfew shall
not ring tc-nght!"