The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-24
CCRFEW SHALL NOT RING TONIGHT.

Slowly England's sun was setting DER the
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 footsteps slow and weary, she Win
sunny, floating hair:
He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful. she
with lips all cold and white,
Struggling TO keep back the murmur-
"Curiew must not ring Tonight
SEXTON Bessie's white lips faltered, point
ing to the prison old, m .
With its turretS tall and gloomy, Win ltS
walls dark, damp and cold.
"Tvc Il lover in that PRISON, doomed this very
At the ringing OF the Curfew, and no earthly
help Is nigh;
CROMWELL Will not come till sunset" and her
lips grew strangely white
AS she breathed the husky whisper:
"Curfew must not ring to- night
"Bessie," calmly spoke the. scXton-cvery
word pierced her young heart 80,
Like the piercing of an arrow, like deadly
poisoned dart, s.,,,
"Long, long years I've rung the Curfew from
that gloomy, shadowed tnwer;
Every evening, Just at sunset, it has told the
I have "r done my W., duty ever, tried to do it just
and right.
Now I'm old still do It,,
Curtew it must ring tonight"
Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and
white her thoughtful brow,
And within her secret bosom Bessie made a
solemn Vow.
She had listened while the judges read with
cat the siI ringing o Of turfew, Basil Underwood
must uie."
And her breath came fast and faster, and her
ewes grew large and bright
In an undcrtone she murmurcd:
"Curfew must not ring tonight"
She with quick steps bounded forward,
sprung within the old church door,
Left the old man treadins slowly paths so OFT
he'd lrod before;
Nor one moment paused the maiden, Dul
with eye and cheek aglow,
Mounted up the gloomy tower, where the bell
swung to and fro.
AS she climbed the dusty ladder on which
fell no ray Of fight,
Up and up--her white lips saying
"Curlew shall not ring lo-niSht.'
She has reached the topmost ladder, DER her
Awful is the gloom beneath her, like the path
way down to he'll.
Lo, the ponderous tongue is swinging, tits the
hour of CurIcw now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped
her breath and paicd her brow.
Shall she let it ring? No, never! Flasn ner
eyes with sudden light,
And she springs and grasps IT. firmly
'.CurIew shall not ring to-niGht!'
Out she swung. far ou:, the city seemed n
speck OF light below,
'Twixt Heuvcn and earth her form suspended,
as the bell swung to and fro,
And the sexton at the bell rope, OLD ana zeal,
heard not the bell,
But he thought it still was ringing fair young
Basil'S funeral Enell.
Still the maiden clung more firmly, and with
trembling lips and white,
Said TO hush her neartS wild beating
"Curicw shall. not ring tonight"
It was DER, the bell ceased swaying, and the
maiden stepped once more
Firmly OH the dark old ladder, where Tor hun
dred years before
Human foot had not been planted. Ihe brave
deed That she had done
Should be told long ages after, as the rays OF
setting sun.
Should iliumc the sky with beauty; aged
srcS, with heads OF white,
Long should tell the little children
Curiew did not ring that night.
Ger thedstant hills came Cromwell ;
Bessie sees him and her brow,
Full OF nUpeund iul! OF giaunGss, las no an
XiOus traces now.
Al his feet she tells her story, ,showsher hands
all bruised and torn;
And her face so sweet and pleading, yet with
sorrow pale and Worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his
eye with misty light;
go! your lover lives, Sald Cromwell,
"CurlcT shall not ring Tonight"