The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-07-31
curfsw Must Not Ring Tonight.

He with step 30 slow and weakened, she
with sunny, floating hair;
He with SAL bowed head, and thoughtful;
u she with lips so cold and white,
Struggling TO keep back the murlnur,
"Curfew must not ring tonight"
Observation-Disclosures white lips faltered
pointing to the prison old, .'...
With its walls SO dark and g~loomy-walls
so dark and damp and cold Z
"Fve a lover in that prison, doomed this
y very night to die p
At the ringing of the curfew, and no
earthly help 10 nigh.
! her face grew strangely white
Az she spoke In husky whispers, Cur
few must not ring tonight"
word pierced her young heart
Like a Thousand cleaning arrows, like a
deadly poisoned dart,
Long, long years I've .rung the cuTfew
from that gloomy, Swallowed tower;
Every evening, just al sunset, It has tolled
the twilight hour;
u have done my duty ever. tried to do IL
Now I'm old, / viii. not miss it; girl, the
curfew rings tonight"
and white her thoughtful brow,
And within her hearts deep center, BeS-
sic made q solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges read.
I" y. u q IGdT vi SIKH, 'b.Hr.
A the ringing of the curfew-Basil On
must die" ~
And her breath came fast n faster, and
o.. her ayes grew large and bright
few u not ring tonight" yl
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 n moment paused the maiden, but
with cheek and brow aglow,
staggered up the gloomy tower, where the
bell to and fro:
Then she climbed the Shiny ladder, dark.
without one ray of light,
Upward still, her pale lips saying, Cur
few shall not ring tonight"
She has reached the topmost ladder: DER
her hangs the great dark bell,
And the awful gloom beneath her, like the
pathway down to hell.
See, the ponderous tongue In swingingi tbs
the hour Of curfew now! .
And the sight has chilled her bosom.
stopped her breath and paled her
shall she let It ring? No, never! Her eyes
fash with sudden light,
As she springs and grasps II firmly-"Cur-
few shall not ring tonight" .N g.
out abe swung, far out; the city seemed a
tiny speck below; 49,.
There 'twixt heaven and earth suspended.
as the bell swung TO and fro,
And the half-deaf sexton ringing (yearS
ha he had not heard the belD, a.
And he thought the twilight Curfew rang
young Basirs funeral knell;
Still the maiden clinging firmly, cheek
INK brow so pale and white
Stlled her frightened hearts wild beat
ing-'Curfew shall not ring tonight''
II was o'er--the bell ceased swaying, and
the maiden stepped once more E%H
Firmly on the damp old ladder, where for
aaa. hundred years before
Human foot had 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. ...~ p
Der the,distant hills came Cromwell, Bes-
sic 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 n torn 1
And her sweet young face 20 haggard.
with q look 30 sad and worn,
Touched HIS heart with sudden pSty, It
his eyes with misty light
100, your hover livesl'' cried Crcnnwe1:
"Cuxfsw shah not right tonight 2
Rose HArtwick ThorpA