The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-06
W. C. AND L. ASSOCIATION COLUMN.
Edited in the interest of the Cairo Public Library.
MEN, WOMEN AND BOOKS.
"curfow shall not ring tonight"


on all incident in English history. In the
days Of the Protictorate, young soldier,
was condemned to die "at the ringing Of
the Curfew." His friends lnterceded for
him in vain; and fair young girl, who was
attached 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 fruitess. She then
sought to bride the sexton for a single day,
but he was also memorable. The hour
drew on, and the executioner stood await.
ing the signal, which did not sound that
night.
The poem was written by Miss Rosa
Hartwick now the wife Of Edmund C..
Thorpe in April, 1857. She was born at
Mishawaka, Ind, July 18th, 1850, and was
in her 18th year when she read this little
story Of "Love and Loyalty and told it
so sweetly in rhyme. 1t was first printed
in 1870, in the Detroit Commercial Ad
vertiser Mrs. Thorpe was married in 1871,
and now resides at Litchfeld, Mich She
has written other poems, but none more
popular than this.
The ringing Of the curfew bell from
convrefeu, to cover up the fire. was prac,
tlce established in England by its Norman
conqueror All the inhabitants were re-
quired to cover their fires, extnguish their
lights and retire to rest at nightfal, and
the bell was rung as signal at the APP
pointed hour. In France this bell was
rung long before the time Of William the
conqueror, as a safe guard against fires.
The oldest record or document in the
state of Illinois, is at Kaskaskia, dated
l125. It is petition to Louis 18th king
Of France, asking grant Of common fields
commons, ETC. stating their great sufferings
the previous year (l724 from the great
food, which swept away all their improve
ments and obliged the people to flee to the
bluffs opposite the village and across the
KaskaSkia river.
BoDEDo RABELARs, whose statute has
lately been unveiled at Tours, was one Of
the most remarkable persons that figured
in the Rcnacence; learned physician and
philosopher, though known to PROSPERITY
chiefly a a protane humorist, called by
Bacon the greatest jester Of France. He
was at first Franciscan Monk but threw
of the sarcedotal character and studied
medicine In 1885 entered the service Of
! Cardinal DubeIlay and during this period
published Garagan,ua and Pantagruel.
II r 'hAN r VI JDlN hnN AMI y IN L.
A letter from Tunnis, Africa, says: 81
must tell you Of our visit to the Protestant
Cemetery to see the grave of John Howard
Payne, TIE author Of Home, Sweet Home.
This man, who neysr knew the joys OF
real home, died alone and unhappy in this
far.oif land We called upon our American
Consul at Tunis, who told Us Of some inter
estng things in connection with the last
years Of unfortunate countryman, who
died in the same room in which we were
then sitting, In a small enclosure planted
with cypress trees, and shut in with high
walls, we found this quiet restng.place OF
the dead, among many tombs Of foreign
consuls- English, German and other na.
tionalites. Our attention was first at
tracted to the plain white marble slab, rest.
ing on a square foundation, and oyerhung
by an immense pepper-tree, whose long
graceful branches reminded us of the
weeping willow of our own land. We
stood with uncovered heads as we read this
simple inscription
| John Howard Payne,
| Twice Consul Of the United States,
| Died April |, 1851,
| Born At Boston, JuneS, lTie
| Sure, when thy gentle spirit fed