Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-08-10
curfew Must Not Ring Tonight

Englands sun was slowly setting DER the hills
so far away,
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,
lie with steps so slow and weakened, she with
sunny, floating hair;
lie with sad bowed head, and thoughtful, she
with lips so cold and white,
Struggling TO keep back the murmur, "Curfew
must not ring tonight"
"Sexton," Bes3ic's white lips faltcrcd, point
ing to the prison old,
With Its walls 80 dark and gloomy-walls so
dark, and damp, and cold
"lyo lover in that prison, doomed this very
night to die.
At the ringing OF the Curfew, and no eathly
help is nigh,
Cromwell will not come till sunset" and her
face grew strangely white,
Al she spoke In husky whispers, "Curfcw must
not ring TO might"
"Bessic " calmly spoke the sexton-every word
pierced her young heart
Like thousand cleaning arrows, like a
deadly poisoned dart;
"Long, long years I've rupg the Curfcw from
that gloomy shadowed tower;
Every evening lust at sunset, 1t has told the
twilight hour;
have done my duty ever. tried to do ii just
and right.
Now I'm old, will not miss it; girl, the Cur
few rings to-nightw
Wild her eyes and 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 judges read, without
tear or sigh,
AT the ringing Of the Curfew-Basil Under
wood must die.n
And her breath came fast aud faster, and her
eyes grew large and bright
One low mnrmnr scarcely spoken" "Curiow
must 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 aglow,
Staggered up tho gloomy tower where the bell
swung to and fro;
Then she climbed the slimy ladder, dark, " it'll
out one ray oflght,
Upward still, her pale lips saying, "Curfcw
shall not ring tonight"
She has reached the topmost ladder, o'er her
hangs the great dark bell,
And the awful gloom beneath her, like the
pathway down to hell;
See, the ponderous tongue is swinging, "tis tho
hour Of Curfew now
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped
her breath and paled her brow.
Shall she let It ringf No, never! her eyes fiasl
with sudden light,
As she sprang and grasps II nrmly-"Curfev
shall not ring to-nightw
Out she swung, far out, the city seemed tiny
speok below;
| There 'twxt heaven aad earth suspended
as the bell swung to and fro;
And the half-dcAf Sexton ringing years h,
| hoN huN hOhih tne utllsI
And he thought the twilight Curfew ran;
young Basll's funeral kncll,
still the maiden cllngng firmly, check ant
brow 80 pale and white,
stilled her frightened hearts wild beating
Curfew shall not ring to.nightw
1t was o'er-the bell ceased swayng, and tn,
maiden stepped once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder, where for hun
dred years before
| Human foot had not been planted; and wha
she this night had done,
Should be told in long yeais 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 no
ring that one sad night.
Der the distant hills came Cromwell, Bessi
| saw him, and her brow,
Lately white with sickenng terror, glows wit
sudden beauty now;
At his feet she told herstory, showed her hand
| all bruised aud torn;
And her sweet young face 50 haggard, with
look so sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity-lit hi
| eyes with misty light;
"Go, your lover lives!" cried Cromwell; "Cur
few shall not ring tonight