Physical description

Illustrated book with carboard cover. Front cover has a central colour illustration of a church, a bell and a fir tree bough. 28 pp. Gilt edges to pages.

Inscriptions & markings

Front: To Jane/ From Janet/ With best wishes/ for a very happy/ New Year (black ink, inside front cover, upper right)
Back: (no inscriptions)

Summary

The story involves Bessie, a young woman whose lover, Basil Underwood, has been arrested, thrown in prison by the Puritans and sentenced to die that night when the curfew bell rings. Knowing that Oliver Cromwell will be late in arriving, the young woman begs the old sexton to prevent the ringing of the curfew bell. When he refuses, she climbs to the top of the bell tower and heroically risks her life by manually stopping the bell from ringing. Cromwell hears of her deed and is so moved that he issues a pardon for Underwood.