The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1883-02-01
The Curfew Heroine.

OF his cottage stoop and stood with
uncovered head in the clear
isweet-scented air. He had grow
blind and deaf in the service, but
his arm was as muscular as ever
and he who listened this day mark
ed no faitering in the heavy metal
ic throbs of the Cathedral bell
Old Jasper had lived through
many changes. He had tolled Out
his notes of mourning for good
Queen Bess, and with tears scarce.
ly dry he rung the glad tidings of
the coronation of James. Charles
l, had been crowned, reigned, and
expiated his weakness before all
England in Jasper's time; and now
he, who under his army held all
the commonwealth in the hollow
of his hand, ruled as more than
monarch, and still the old man,
rang his matin in sorrow.
Jasper stood alone now, lifting
his dimmed eyes up to the softly
dappled sky.
The walls of his memory SEEM
ed SO written over-so crossed and
recrossed by the annals Of the
years that had gone before-tha
there seemed little room for any,
thing in the present. Little reck-
oned he that Cromwell's spears
men were camped on the moor be-
yond the village; that Cromwell
s..Nself rode with his guardsmen
a league away; he only knew that
the bell that had been rung in the
tower when William the Conquer
or made curfew law had been
spared by Puritan and Round
head, and that his arm for sixty
years had never failed him at
eventide.
lie was moving with slow step
towards the gate, when a woman
came hurriedly in from the street
and stood beside him; lovely
woihan, but with face 50 blanched
that it seem carved in the whitest
of marbles with all It's roundness
dlmples. Her great solemn eyes
were raised to the aged face in pi-
tlful appeal, and the lips were
forming words that he could not
understand.
"Speak up, lass, / am deaf and
can not hear your clatter."
The voice raised and the hands
clasped and unclasped, and rung
themselves together palm and
palm.
For Heavens sake, Jasper, do
not ring the curfew tonight"
What not 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 nv
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 old age happy. 1 sold
my jewels that the Lady Maud
gave me, and the gold shall all be
yours for one curfew."
Would We bride me, Lilly de
We're? Ye're a changeling. Ye're
no the blood of the Plantagenets
In yer veins as ye're mother had
What, corrupt the bell-ringer un-
der her Majesty, good Queen Bess!
Not for all the gold that Lady
Maud could bring me! What is
your lover to me? babes haye been
born and strong men have died
before now at the ringing of nv
bell Avail"
And out on the village green,
with The solemn shadows Of the
heavens lengthing over it a strong
man awaiting the curfew 70 toll
Tor his death. He stood hand
some and brave and taIl-taller bv
IN inch than the tallest pikeman
who guarded MIN.
~a be lone that be should
u ia.f'0 y mattered in those
days. when the sword that he
gfs"t 'Ea4wsli welded was SO
pa. T. i what he or Others
e.@ T. ast 1aao ac.. bs
'.. 4. ao ID. 4
~ a,a. i3esa a-,
A a'-s eoy and ,5...1 r1>,