THE ELOCUTIONIST'S CURFEW.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 65, 16 March 1907, Page 9

THE ELOCUTIONIST'S CURFEW.

England's sun was slowly setting (Raise .your right.-hand to your brow) • ■ Falling _11 the land with beauty—(Wear a gaze of rapture now): And the last rays kissed the forehead of _ man an_ maiden fair "•".-"!" (With a movement slow and graceful yon may now push back your hair) • He with sad, bowed head—(A drooping of . your head will be all right. - Ti ' I r,M?-t- n°J rs^ ly * "Cnrfew. must not ring to-night."

••Sexton," Bessie's white lip's faltered— (Trr here to resemble Bess, " Though-'of course you know she'd never . worn quite such a charming _______ - I ye a lover in that prison—(Don't" forcro* .;: .to roll your r's :*— - ---^5 And to , shiver as though gazing through the iron prison bars). __WS» '•Cromwell will not come till sunset"— (Speak each word as though you'd. bi.<_ Every syllable to not ring to-night." ',;,.

"Bessie,'" calmly spoke the sexton— .Here extend your velvet palm, Let it tremble like the sexton's as though striving to becalm), tnou_,n m 0"?' l on » y'ars I've'rung the curfew"— (Don't forset to make it v'ars) " With a pitiful inflection that a' world nf sorrow bears), v OI " X h ££ , d ° n + e d °t- T . ever"—(Draw yourself up to,your height, ' - For you're speaking as the sexton^—. .. "Gyurl, ;,the curfew rings to-night r

Out she swung, far outMnow here la where you've got to do your bestLot your head be twisted baekwhr,l l.t : great sobs heave- tip your chest Swing your right foot through an' .r. <>r j ninety.Uneal degrees, re Z Then come down" and swing you. w* ♦__._. ■ .and be sure don't bend y»u_ ____■_«, * Keep this up' for.;fifteen minutes till rnni. face is worn and. white, yonr Then .gaze at youi-. mangled fingers.— ,: -"Curfew shall-not ring to-night!"

° er .i£ h __ d i stant * Uls came, Cromwell— (Right .hand: to: the. Jbrow once moTeLet your eyes look down the distanc. saabovo the entrance door) -■"•"■. ' ray At his foot she told her -tOry~Vv,fft Vr.ni, hands as though tlieyhuft) y nh And her sweet young face so' h a <-~_rri (Now your pathos you- assert Then you. straighten up as Cromwel. an* be sure yon. get it right: -' ana P on 't say "Go. yonr liver loves'"—. _~... fCurfew shall not ring to-'nt*ht'" _ J>, . NESBIT in ; "Ha^\^