Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-12-18
THE CURFEW.

sweet scented air He had grown blind
and deaf in the service, but his arm WAS
as muscular as ever, and he who listened
TINS day marked no faltering in the heavy
metallic throbs of the cathedral bell. Old
Jasper had lived through many changes.
He had tOlled out its notes of mourning
for good Queen Bess, and, with tears
scarcely dry, he had rung the glad tidinas
OF the coronation of James Charles had
Oeen crowned, reigned, and expiated hts
weakness Before all England in Jasper,s
Time, and now he who under his army
he4d all The commonwealth In the hollow
OF ms hand ruled as more than monarch
and still the old man, with the habit of n
long life upon him, rang his matin and
sorrow
Jasper stood alone now, lifting his dim
med eyes up TO the softly dappled sky.
The walls of his memory seemed so writ
ten over-so crossed and recrossed by the
annals of the life that had gone before that
there seemed little room for ANYTHING I'm
the present Little rocked he that Crom-
wells spearsmen were camped on the
moor beyond the village-that Cromwell
himself rode with his guardsmen league
away; he only knew that the bell that had
Deen rung In the tower when William the
Conqueror had made curfew a law had
been spared by Puritan and Roundhead.
and that his arm for sixty years had never
failed him at eventide.
he was moving with slow step toward
the gate, when woman came hurriedly
in from the street and stood beside him
lovely woman, but with face so blanched
that it seemed carved in the whitest of
marble wit al - ,I,...
Her great, solemn eyes were raised 10 the
aged face in pitifui appeal, and the Iips
were forming words that he could not
understand.
Speak up, lass. am deaf and cannot
hear your clatter."
The voice raised, and the hands clasped
and unclasped, and rang themselves to-
gether, palm and palm.
For heavens sake. Jasper, do not ring
the curfew tonightp
What, ma ring curfewl You must be
daft, lassie."
Jasper, for sweet heavens sake-for my
sake-for one night in all your long life for
get TO ring the beiii Fail this once. and INV
lover shall live, whom Cromwell saws shall
die at curfew toll. Do you hear, NV
lover-Htchard Temple See, Jasper, here
h money to make your old age happy.
sold my jewels that the Lady Maud gave
me, and the gold shall be yours for one
curfew."
Would you bride me. Lily de Verey
Ye're changeling Ye've ma the blood of
the Plantagenets in ye're veins as ye're
mother had. What corrupt the bell ringer
under her majesty, good Queen Bessy Not
for all the gold that Lady Maud could !
bring mel What Is your lover to meY |
Babes have been born and strong men have |
died before now at the ringing of my bell. !
Await awaP'
And out on the village green, with the |
shadows of the lindens lengtheninQ over it. |
a strong man awaited the curfew 70 toll for /
his death. He stood, handsome. brave and |
tall-taller by an inch than the tallest pike !
man who guarded him
What had he done that he should dieS
Little IL mattered in those days. when the /
sword that the great Cromwell welded
wasso prone to fall what he or others had
done. He had been scribe to the late lord /
up at the castle, and Lady Maud, forget
ting that man must WOO and woman must,
wait, had given her heart to him without the
asking, while the gentle Lily de We're, dis
tant kinswoman and poor companion to her.
had without seeking found the treasures of
his true love and held them fast. Then he
had Joined the army and made one of the
pious soldiers whose evil passions had
never been stirred but by sign or symbol
Of popery. But scorned womaa's hatred
had reached him even there. Enemies and
deep plots had compassed him about and
conquered him. Tonight he was to die.
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 frown-
ing castle, with its drawbridge and square
towers; the long stretch Of moor with the
purple shadows upon il; the green, straight
walks Of the village; the birds overhead;
even the daisies at his feet he saw. But.
all, more wildly than all, he saw the great ,
red sun with its bazy veil lingering above ,
the trees, as though it pitied him with
more than human pity.
He was God fearing and God serving
man. He had long made his peace with {
heaven. Nothing stood between him and
death-nothing rose pleading between him I
and those who were TO destroy him but q
the sweet face Of Lily DE We're, whom he {
loved. She had knelt at Cromwell's feet I
and pleaded for his life. She had wearied /
heaven with her prayers, but all without
avail
Slowly now the great sun went down.
Slowly the last red rim was hid behind the
greenwood Thirty seconds more aud his '
soul would be with his God. The color
did not forsake his cheeks. The dark
rings Of hair lay upon warm brow. It '
was his purpose TO die as martyrs and
brave men die What was life that BE
should cling TO it, He already felt the air
pulsate with the first heavy roll Of the
Heath knell. But no sound came. Still [ Il
Iacing the soldiers with his clear gray eyes s
upon them be waited. The crimson ban
ners in the west were paling to pink. The
kline had ceased their lowing and had been
gathered into the barnyards. s
All nature had sounded her curfew, but a
I'D Jasper was silent. b
The bell ringer, with his gray head yet 9
'ared, had traversed half the distance that n
ay between his cottage and the ivory COW o
red tower when form went fitting past a
lin with pale, shadowy robes floating \