Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-07-02
CURFEW MUST NOT RING
TONIGHT.

By Request.l
Englands sum- while grandly setting DER the hills
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 slow and weary. she with sunny float
ing hair;
He with bowed head sad and thoughtful; she with
lips SO cold and white,
Struggled to keep back the murmur. 'Curfew must
not ring tonight"
Sexton Bessies white lips fatered. pointing to the
prison DID,
With Its walls tall and gloomy. walls dark and
damp and cold
"I've lover in that prison. doomed this very night to
die
At the ringing of the curew; and no earthly help is
nigh.
Cromwell will not till sunset" and her face grew
strangely white,
AS she spoke in husky whispers: Curfew must not
ring tonight.
.Bessie" calmly spoke the sexton (every word pierre
ed her young heart
| Like thousand cleaning arrow-like deadly pos-
oned dart)
"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 DID, will net miss it, Girl the curfew rings
| tonight"
Wild her eyes and pale her features stern and white
| har+ brou
And. within her hearts deep centre, Bessie made a
She had listened while the judges read, without a
| tear sigh
"At the ringing of the curfew BAIL Underwood must
die"
And her breath came fast and faster; and her eyes
grew large and bright;
One low murmur. scarcely spoken. 'Curfew mast 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 SO
oft before
Not one moment paused the maiden, but with cheek
and brow agow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower, where the bell swung
| to and fro;
Then she climbed the Shiny ladder dark, without
| ray of light,
Upward STILL her pale lips saying "Curfew shall not
| ring tonight"
She has reached the topmos ladder her hangs the
| great dark bell;
| And the awful gloom beneath her. like the pathway
down to hell;
See! the ponderous tongue is swinging; it's the hour
of curew now;
And the sight has filed her bosom, stopped her breath
and paed her brow.
Shall she let It ring? No; er Her eyes flash with
| sudden light,
As she springs and grasps it firmly: "Curfow shall
not ring tonight"
Out she swung-far OUT the city seemed tiny speck
| below
There twixt heaven and earth suspended the bell
| swung to and fro;
And the half-dead sexton ringing years he had not
heard the bel);
And he thought the twilight curfew rang young Ba-
| sls funeral knell;
Still the maiden, clingng firmly, cheek and brow SO
| pale and white,
stilled her frightened hearts wild beating; "Curfew
| shall not ring Tonight"
1t Ger; 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 AS the rays of setting
Light the sky with mellow beauty. aged sires, with
! heads of white
Tell the children why the eurfew did not ring that
| sad night.
Der the distant hills came CROMWELL Bessie saw
| him, and her brow,
Lately white with sickening horror glows with sud
den beauty now;
At his feet she told the story showed her hands al
| bruised and torn
And her sweet young face haggard, with look 81
| sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity lit his eyes will
| misty light
$50! your lover lvesr cried Cromwell. "Curfev
| shall not ring tonight"
|