The "Small Town Legacies" series of caches is dedicated to preserving the memories and legacies of the small towns of America. It is the hope of the series that the legacies and storied histories of the small towns that so many have called home, yet most people have never heard about before be shared and not be forgotten.
Litchfield, MI
CURFEW MUST NOT RING TONIGHT
by Rose Hartwick Thorpe (April 5, 1867)
Slowly England's sun was setting oe'r the hilltops far away,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one sad day;
And its last rays kissed the forehead of a 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 all cold and white,
Struggling to keep back the murmur, "Curfew must not ring to-night!"
"Sexton," Bessie's white lips faltered, pointing to the prison old,
With its walls tall and gloomy, moss-grown walls dark, damp and cold,--
"I've a lover in the prison, doomed this very night to die
At the ringing of the curfew, and no earthly help is nigh.
Cromwell will not come till sunset;" and her lips grew strangely white,
As she spoke in husky whispers, "Curfew must not ring to-night!"
"Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton (every word pierced her young heart
Like a gleaming death-winged arrow, like a deadly poisoned dart),
"Long, long years I've rung the curfew from that gloomy, shadowed tower;
Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the twilight hour.
I have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and right: Now I'm old, I will not miss it. Curfew bell must ring to-night!"
Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and white her thoughtful brow,
As within her secret bosom, Bessie made a solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges read, without a tear or sigh,
"At the ringing of the curfew, Basil Underwood must "die.
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes grew large and bright;
One low murmur, faintly spoken. "Curfew must not ring to-night!"
...(Continued in Related Web Page)
The first stage will take you to downtown Litchfield, MI where an unusual historical marker is in the square. This bell commemorates Rose Hartwick Thorpe and the poem that brought her and Litchfield to national prominence. The poem "Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight" is based on "Love and Loyalty," which appeared in an issue of Peterson's in September 1865. Thorpe was yet a school girl when this poem was written. Her mind was so enthralled by the work, that she wrote down her verses in rhyme on her slate, neglecting her lessons for the night. Thankfully her mother, did not admonish her upon hearing the verse and said to not erase the slate until they could get it on paper.
So you are asking, what information do I need to get to the next stage. The bell you see is a Meneely Bell, which there are a surprising number in Hillsdale County. The bell was cast in ABCD in the town of West ____ (Let the E equal the number of letters - 1), New York.
F = C + 2
G = D + A
The second stage will be N42 02.EEF W084 45.GAE
The Sand Creek School Adventure
While sitting at one of the meetings of the Litchfield Historical Society. I heard a story told of some younger kids chasing a fire truck, which was heading towards teh area of Sand Creek school. From what I remember, they saw the engine leave town, and took off after it in there own car. Out south of town on Anderson Rd, they passed the fire truck. When they got home, they caught quite a bit of grief for it. The next stage will take you to the Sand Creek School. Now to make things easier, the school has been moved north and re-purposed. The parking is available in front of the building on an east-west street. Once at there you will find a bell, it has been removed from its tower, which reduces the difficulty of this cache immensely. When looking at the bell, there is a number on the bracket above the bell. Take that number and subtract the number of letters in the town also listed on the bracket. Head that many feet at a bearing of 18 degrees (barely W of N). There you will find the final.