Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-02

10 the LuliDl OF Aflf lJlspaAtH
In reply 20 "N. l.. w Glen Wilton, l
enclose you the words Of "Curfewi,
PAGES. Va, January %, 1886.
England's 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 kiss'd the forehead
OF q man, and maiden fair:
He with steps so slow and weakened,
She with sunny floating hair;
He with sad, bowed head and thought
full
She with lips so cold and white,
Struggling 10 keep back the murmur,
"Curfew must not ring tonight
Sexton" Bessie's white lips faltered,
Pointing to the prison old,
With its walls 50 dark and gloomy.
Walls 90 dark and damp and cold.
1--WE a lover I'm that prison,
Doomed this very night 10 die.
At the ringing OF the 'Curfew,'
And no earthly help Is nigh.
Cromwell will not come till sunset
And her eyes grew strangely white,
AS she spoke In husky whispers,
"Curfew must not ring tonight
Bessie" calmy spoke the sexton.
Every word pierced her young heart,
Like a thousand cleaning arrows,
Like deadly. poisoned dart
Long. long years I've rung the curfew
From that gloomy, shadowed tower,
Every evening. just at sunset.
1t has told the twilight hour,
| have done my duty ever.
Tiled TO do It just and right,
Now I'm old. / will not miss H.:
Girl, the curfew rings tonight"
wild her eyes and pale her features.
Stern and white her thoughtful brow,
And within her hearts deep centre
Bessie made a solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges
Read without tear or SIGH.
AT the ringing OF the cuffew.
Basil Underwood must diel'
And her breath came fast, and faster,
And her eyes grew large and bright,
One low murnur scarcely spoken,
"Curlew must not ring tonight"
She with light step bounded forward,
Sprang within the old church door,
Left the old man treading slowly
Paths he'd trod 50 oft before;
Not one moment paused the maiden,
But with cheek and brow aglow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower.
Where the bell swung 70 and fro.
Then she climbed the Shiny ladder,
Dark. without one ray OF Light
Upward still her pale lips saying:
"Curfew shall not ring tonight
She has reached the topmost ladder,
Ger her hangs the great dark bell,
And the awful gloom beneath her
Like the pathway down to hell
See, the ponderous tongue is swinging,
IT'S the hour Of curfew now.
And the sight has chilled her bosom,
stopped her breath and paled her
Shall she let il ring? No. neverl
Her eyes flash with sudden light.
As she springs and grasps il firmly,
"Curfew shall not ring tonight"
Out she swung. far out. the city
Seemed a tiny speck below:
There. twiXt Heaven and earth sus-
pended.
AS the bell swung TO and fro;
And the half-deaf sexton ringing
years he had not heard the belD,
And ne thought the twilight curfew
Rang young Basifs funeral knell.
Still the maiden clinging firmly,
Cheek and brow so pale and white;
Still her frightened hearts wild beating
"Curfew shall not ring tonight"
1t was DER, the bell ceased swaying,
And the maiden stepDed once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder
Where for hundred years before
Human foot mad not been planted.
And what she this night had done,
Should be told in long years after
As the rays of setting sun
Light the sky with mellow beauty
Aged sires, with heads Of white,
Tell their children why the curfew
Did not ring that one sad night.
Ger the distant hills came Cromwell,
Bessie saw him, and her brow,
Lately white with sickening terror,
CLOVIS with sudden beauty now;
AT his feet she told her story.
Showed her hands. all bruised and
torn.
And her sweet young face so haggard,
With a look so sad and worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity
Lit his eyes with misty light;
"Go, your lover lives" cried Cromwell,
"Curfew shall not ring tonight"