Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-05-19
CuRFEw MUST NOT RING TO.
NIGHT.
BY MRS. ROSA THORPE.

Euglands sun was slowly setting DER the hills 80
PARKWAY,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close Of
one sad day;
And the last rays kissed the forehead of man
and maiden fair,
He with step so slow and weakened, she with
He with sad, bowed head, and thoughtful, she
with lips 80 cold and white,
Struggling to keep back the murmur "Curfew
must not ring tonight
Sexton" Bessie's white lips faltered, pointing
to the prison old,
With its walls 10 dark and glOomy-wans 30
dark, 10 damp, and cold
I've lover in that prison, doomed TINS very
night to die.
At the ringing of tho Curfew, and no earthly
help is nigh.
Cromwell will not come till sunset, and her face
grew strangely white,
AS she spoke in husky whispers "Curfew mnst
not ring tonight
Bessie, calmy spoke the sexton-every word
pierced her young heart
Like a Thousand cleaning arrows like deadly
poisoned dart;
Long long years I've rung the Curfew from
that gloamy Swallowed tower;
Every evening, just at sunset, 1t has told the
twilight hOur;
have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and
right,
Now I'm old, I will not miss it; girl the Curfew
rings tonight"
Wild her eyes ana 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 juages read without a
tear or sigh,
AT the ringing of the Curfew-Basil Under
wood must die,"
And her breath came fast and faster and hel
eyes grew large and bright
One low murmur, scarcely spoken-'C urfeW
must nOtring tonight!
She with light step bounded forward sprane
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 witt
cheek and brow aglow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower where the bel
swung to and fro;
Then she climbed the shiny ladder, dark, with
out one ray Of light,
Upward still, her pale lips saying: "Curfev
shall not ring tonight.
She has reached the topmost ladder, Ger he,
hangs the great dark bell,
And the awful gloom beneath her, like the path
way down to hell
See the ponderous tongue is swinging, It's tn
hour of Curfew now
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped he
breath and paled her brow.
Shall she let il ring No, never! her eyes aasl
with sudden light,
As she springs and grasps it firmly-"CurfeV
shall not ring tonight!
Ont she swung far out, the city seemed tin
speck below;
There, 'twixt heaven and earth suspended, a
the bell swung to and fro;
And the halfdeaf sexton ringing years he ha
not heard the belD,
And he thought the twilight Curfew rang your
Basil's funeral knell;
Still the maiden clingng firmly, cheek and bro'
so pale and white,
Stilled her frightened heart wild beating-"Cul
te,o shall not ring tonight"
| It was o'cr-the bell ceased swaying, and tn
maiden stepped once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder, where for hui
| dred years before
Human foot had not been planted; and what st
this night had done,
Should be told in long years after-as the ray
Of setting sun
Light the sky with mellow beauty, aged sire
| with heads Of white,
| Tell their children why the Curfew did not rim
that one sad night.
Yer the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie sa
him, and her brow,
Lately white with sickening terror, CLOVIS wit
sudden beauty now;
Athis feet she told her story, showed her hane
| all bruised and torn
And her sweet young face so haggard, with
| look so sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity-lit his ey'
| with misty light;
go, your lover liyes!'' cried Cromwell! "Cu
few shall not ring tonight"