The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-01-02
aaaersua gatelIigsussr.
Currew Must Not Ring Tonight.

Curfeu Must Not Ring Tonight.
The following poem is founded on an in
cident in English history. In the days OF
the Irotectorate young soldier was con-
donned to die "at the ringing Of the Cur
few." His friends interceded for him in
vain; and fair young girl, who was at
tached to him, pleaded with his judges to
spare his life, at least until the hour when
she could see the stern Cromwell herself,
but her efforts were fruitless. She then
sought Sto bribe. the sexton to omit the
Cnrfsws for single day, but he was also
inexorable. The hour drew on, and the
executioner stood awaiting the signal which,
as the poem will show. did not sound that
night.
For the benefit Of our young readers We
may say that the ringing Of the curfew bell
vast practice established in England by its
Norman conquerer. All the inhabitants
were required to cover their fires, and ex-
tinguish their lights, and rest at night-fall,
and the bell was rung as q signal at the
appointed hour.
The poem was written by Miss Rosa
Hartwlck, now Mrs. Edmund C. Thorpe,
in April, 1867. She was born in Nishawaka,
Indiana, July 18th, 1850, and was in her
seventeenth year when she read this little
story of "Love and Loyalty" and told it so
sweetly in rhyme.
"cURFEw MUST NOT RING TONIGHT"
Slowly England's sun was setting oer the
hill-tops far away,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close
of one sad day,
And the last rays kissed the forehead of q
man and maiden fair,
He with footsteps slow and weary, she with
sunny, floating hair;
He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful
she with lips all cold and white,
struggling to keep back the murmur-
"Curfew must not ring tonight"
Sexton" Bessie's white lips faltered, point
ing to the prison old,
With its turrets tall and gloomy, with its
walls dark, damp and cold.
.'Ire lover in that prison, doomed this
very night to die,
at the ringing of the Curfew, and 10 earthly
help is nigh;
Cromwell will not como till sunset" and
@ her lips grew strangely white
aAs she breathed the husky whisper,
"Curfew must not ring tonight"
Bessie" calmly spoke the sexton-every
~. word pierced her young heart
Like the piercing of an arrow, like deadly
poisoned dart,
Long. long years I've rung the Curfew
from that gloomy, shadowed tower;
Every evening, Just at sunset, it has told the
twilight hour;
1 have done my duty ever, tried to do it
just and right,
Now pm.o but still must do it,
Curfew it must ring tonight.
Mild her eyes and pale her features, stern
and white her thoughtful brow,
And within her secret bosom Bessie made o
solemn VOW.
She had listened while the Judge, read
without tear or sigh;
cat the ringing of the Curfew, Basil Un-
derwood must die"
And her breath came fast and faster, and
her eyes grew large and bright
In an undertone she murmured,
.'Curfew must not ring tonight"
She with quick steps bounded forward,
sprung without the old church door,
Left the old man treading SLOWLY paths so
of he's trod before;
Not one moment paused the maiden, but
with eyes and cheek aglow,
Mounted up the gloomy tower, where the
bell swung to and fro,
As she climed the dusty ladder on which
fell no ray Of light,
Up and up-her white lips saying
"Curfsw must not ring tonight"
She has reached the topmost ladder, Ger
,-1aes- hangs the great dark bell;
Awful is the gloom beneath her, like the
pathway down to hell.
Lo,. the ponderous tongue is swinging, It's
the hour Of Curfew now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped
her breath and paled her brow.
I, Shall she let it ring? No, never! Flash
her eyes with sudden light,
And she springs and grasps it firmly
- - - ,Curfew shall not ring tonight"
Out she swung, far out. the city seemed o
speck Of light below,
'Twi1t Heaven and earth her form suspend
cd, as the bell swung to and fro,
And. the sexton at the bell-rope, old and
deaf, heard not the bell,
But he thought it still was ringing fair
young Basils funeral knell.
Still the maiden clung more firmly, and
with trembling lips and white,
Said, to hush her hearts wild beating
aCurfew shall not ring tonight"
Itwas DER, the bell ceased swaying, and the
maiden stepped once more
Firmly on the dark old ladder, where for
hundred years before
Human foot had not been planted. The
brave deed that she had done
Should be told long ages after, as the rays
of setting sun
Should illume the SKY with beauty; aged
sires with heads of white.
Long should tell the little children
Curfew did not ring that night.
Der the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie
sees him, and her brow,
Full of hope and full of gladness, has no
anxious traces now.
At his feet she tells her story, shows her
hands all bruised and torn;
And her face so sweet and pleading, yet
with sorrow pale and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his
eye with misty light;
"Go! your lover lives" said Cromwell,
"Curfew shall not ring tonight"
Cushing Brides.