The Democratic advocate., 1895-05-04
4Oetrg.
CURFEW MUST NOT RING TO-
NIGHT
BY MRS, Rosa HARrv1cK THORPE.

By MRS. Rosa HARrvIcK THORPE.
Englands sun was slowly setting DER the hill-tops
Filling all the land with beauty at the close Of one
And its last nays kissed the forehead of man and
maiden fair
He with steps so slow and weary; she with sunny,
floating 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. Bessie's white lips hltered, pointing to
the prison old,
With lis walls so tall and gloOmy,-moss grown
walls, dark, damp and eold,-
sIve lover in that prison. doomed this very night
to die
AT the ringing of this curfew and no earthly help
is nigh.
Cromwell win not come till sunset" and her lips
grew strangely white.
AS she spoke in husky whisper. "Curfew must not
ring tonight"
bessie calmly spoke the sexton (eyery word
pierced her Young heart
Like cleaning death winged arrow-like deadly
poisoned DART
Long, long years I've rung the eurfew from that
gloomy, shadowed tower;
Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the
twilight hour
have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and
right:
Now I'm old, I viii not miss it. Curfew bell must
ring tonight r
Wild her eyes and pale her features stern ana white
her fhouVhffill brow.
And within her hearts deep centre Bessie made
solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges read without
tear or sigh,
AT the ringing of the curew Basil Underwood
must die"
And her breath came fast and faster. and her eyes
grew large and bright;
one low murmur, faintIy spoken, "curfew must
not ring tonightr -
She with quick step bounded forward, sPang
within the old church door,
Len the old coming slowly; paths he'd trod 50
on before;
Not one moment paused the maiden hut with
cheek and brow aglOw,
Staggered up the gloomy tower where the bell
swung to and fro:
As she elimbed the shiny ladder, ON which fell no
nay of right
Upwari still, her pale lips saying. "curfew shall
not ring tonight -
She has reached the topmost ladder; DER hes hangs
the great dark bell:
Awnll is the gloom beneath her like the pathway
down TO he'll.
Sec the ponderous tongue is swinging; lis the
hou= of curfew now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her
breath and paled her brow.
shall she let it ringe Nc never her eyes fash with
sudden light,
As she springs and gulsps it firmly furfeW shall
not ring tonight"
out she swung. far ont city seemed speck Of
light below
There twixt heaven and earth suspended as the
bell swung To and fro,
Ana the sexton at his bell rope old and deaf heard
not the he'll
sadly thought that twilight carfew rang young
Basils funeral kuell;
sim the maiden eiinging hrrnly, qHiyering lip and
iair face white
staled her frightened hearts wild heating "cnr-
few shall not ring ioHighi e
II was o'er-the he'll ceased swayiug; and the
maiden stepped once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder where Tor hnn'irSd
years before
Human foot had not been planted. The brave tecd
that she had done
shouid be told long ages after. As the rtys of
setting
Light the sky with golden hcansy, aged sires with
heads Of white.
Tell the children why the Curfew iid not ring ihat
one sad night
ocr the distant hills comes Cromwell Bessie 49,
him; and her brow.
LATELY white with sickening horror. has noanNious
traces now.
Al his feet she tells her story shows her hands all
bruised and torn
Aud her sweet young hace stiIl haggari, with ihe
anguish 1t had worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity. lit his eyes
with misty light,
'.tsoi your lover lives cried Cromwell Curfcw
shall not ring tonight
wide they dung the massive portals. led ihe
prisoner forth to die.
All his bright y0ung life before him. 'iteEih the
Garkening English sky
Bessie came with dying footsteps. eyes agiow With
lovelight sweet,
Kneeling on the turf beside him, laid MS pardon At
his feet
in his brave strong arms he elasped her kissed the
face upturned and white.
Whispered. Darling you have saved me "curfew
viii not ring tonight.