Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-11-08
THE CURFEW HEROINE,

The story that is the basis of the we'll
known poem, "Curfew Shall Not Ring
Tonight" told in prose, is as follows:
1t lacked quite half an hour Of Cur
few toll. Theold bell-ringer came from
under the wattled roof of his cottage
stoop, and stood with uncovered head
in the clear, sweet-scented air. He had
grown blind and deaf in the service, but
his arm was as muscular as ever, and he
who listened this day marked no falter-
cathedral bell. Old Jasper had lived
through many changes. He had tolled
out his notes of mourning for good
Queen Bess, aud with tears scarcely dry,
he had rung the glad tidinss of the cor
onation OF James, Charles I. had been
crowned, reigned and expiated his weak
ness before all England in Jasper's time;
and low he, who under army held ali
the common wealth in the hollow of his
hand, ruled rs more than a monarch. and
still the old man, with the habit of a
long life upon him, rang his matin and
sorrow.
Jasper stood alone now, lifting his
dimmed eyes up to the softly drappled
sky.
The walls Of his memory seemed so
written over-so crossed and re-crossed
by the annals of the years that had gone
before, that there seemed little room for
= anything in the present. Little rocked
he that Cromweil's spearsmeu we're
camped on the moor beyond the village
that Cromwell himself rode with his
guard smen league away; he only knew
that the bell that had been rung in the
sower when William the Conqueror
made curfew law, had been spared by
Puritan and Roundhead, and that his
arm for sixty years had never failed hin,
at eventide.
He was moving with slow step toward
the gate, when woman came hurriedly
III from the street, and stood beside him;
4 lovely woman, but with face 80
bianched that it seemed carved in the
whitest of marble with all of it's round
ness and dimples. Her great solemn
eyes were raised to the aged face in pitt
ful appeal, and the lips were forming
words that he could not understand.
'Speak up, lass; l am deaf and can
not hear your clatter."
The voice raised, and the hands clasped
and uRclasped, and wrung themselves
CoSeSher, palm and palm.
For heavens sake Jasper, 10 not
ring the curfew tonight"
"What, ma ring curfew! Ye must be
daft, lassie."
"Jasper, for sweet heavens sake. for
my sake. for one night in all your long
life, forget to ring the bell! Fail this
once, and my lover shall live, whom
Cromwell says shall die at curfew toll.
Do you hear my lover, Richard Tenn
pie: See. Jasper, here is money to
make your life happy. Isold my Jewels
that the Lady Maud gave me, and the
gold shall all be yours for one curfew."
"Would ye bride me, Lilly De We're?
Ye're changeling. Ye've ma the blood
Of the Plantaganets in ye're veins as
ye're mother had. WHAT corrupt the
bell ringer under her majesty, good
Queen Bess? Not for oil the gold that
Lady Maud could bring me! What is
your lover to me? Babes have been
born and strong men have died before
u"u III" "r'n"ino If nv hall Avail
And out on the village green, with the
sole mn shadows of the linchens lengthen-
ing over 1t, strong MIN awaited the
curlew to toll for his death. He stood.
handsome and brave and tall-taller by
an inch than the tallest pikeman who
guarded him.
What had he done that he should die :?
Little it mattered in those DAYS. when
the sword that the great Cromwell WELD
ed was so prone to fall, what he or
others had done. He had been scribe
to the late lord up at the castle. and
Lady Maud, forgetting that man must
WOO and woman must wait. had given
her heart to him without the asking.
while the gentle Lily De We're, distant |
k1ns woman and poor companion to her.
had, without seeking, found the treasures
OF his love, and held them fast. Then
be bad joined the army, and made one of |
the pious soldiers whose evil passions
were never stirred but by sign or symbol
OF popery. But scorned woman's
hatred had reached him even there.
Enemies and deep plots had compassed
him about and conquered him. Tonight
he was to die. hs'a7S = -
The beautiful world lay as vivid pic
ture before him. The dark greenwood
above the rocky hill where Robin Hood
and his merry men had dwelt: the
trowning castle with its drawbridee and
square towers: the long stretch Of moor
with the purple shadows upon it: the
green, straight walks Of the village: the
birds overhead, even the daisies at his
feet he saw. But, ali more wildly
than 81, he saw the great red sun with
it's hazy yell lingering above the trees.
as though it Ditied him with more 4hon
human pity
He was God-fearing and God-sery- /,
ing man. he had long made his peace
with heaven. Nothing stood between
him and death-nothinr rdaa nIaail;no I,