The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-01
A Brave Girl.

Our heroine lived in Bartlett, New
Hampshire, and was o descendant of
the old Crawfords. Her father was q
Crawford, and followed the profession
of guide among the mountains. Her
name was Bessie, and she was the only
daughter remaining at home-a dark
eyed, brown-haired girl of slight, but
compact frame, just entering her nine
teenth year. Her mother had Been
dead several years, and upon her de-
vOlved the whole care Of the household.
One day, late in summer, Mr.. Craw-
ford went, with q party of travellers,
away to the headwaters of one of the
many mountain streams that empty
II aco, AMI Bessie was left alone.
the dogs had all gone with the
/ r. ne seekers. Near the middle of
the afternoon, while the girl was sit
ting by an open window in the front
room, engaged in sewing, q man came
up from the road and asked her II she
would give him drink of water. Bes-
sic had seen this man before, and had
not liked his looks. He was o stout,
broad-shouldered, ill-favored fellow,
and the bits of moss and spikes Of the
pines upon his clothes indicated that
he had slept in the woods.
But Bessie did not hcsitated. She
laid aside her work and went to get the
water. When she came back the man
had entered the room. She did not
like this, for she was sure he had come
in by the window but she handed him
the tin dipper without remark. The
man drank, and then set the dipper
down upon the table. Then he turned
upon the girl, and drew broad-bladed
knife from his pocket.
"LOOk We, my young LADY," he said,
II know there's money in this house;
and l know that you are alone. Show
me where the money is! If you don't
l shall kill you, and then hunt it up
myself! Pm in earnest, and there
amt no time to waite. Make no fuss,
for if you do you'll feel this knife quickv
Bessie shrank back, and looked into
the mans face, and she could see that
he meant just what he had said.
"If show you where the money il
you will promise not to do me harm 2"
"ShOw me honest, and / won't harm
you"
"Then come with me. Rut youwill
take only the money-you won't take
my IS1hCi pstpCiS
"Only the money girl"
Bessie led the way to q small bed
room on the ground floor, where there
was an old mahogany bureau, the up
per drawer of which she unlocked. The
man, when he saw this, thinking,
doubtless, that CrawfOrd's gold was
within his grasp, shut up his knife and
put it into his pocket. The girl opened
the drawer, and quick as thought,
drew forth large navy revolver-one
with which she herself had killed a
trapped bear-and cooked it.
'"Villain !" she exclaimed, planting
her back against the wall, and aiming
the weapon at his bosom, "many q |
wild beast have 1 shot with this good
pistol, and I'll now shoot you if you do |
not instantly leave this house! I will |
give you not a second Start or fire %
The ruffian could read human looks |
as we'll as could the maiden, and he |
could read very plainly in the firm-set |
lips and in the flashing eyes-but more |
clearly in the steady hand which held |
the pistol-that she would not only |
fire, as she had promised, but her aim |
would be sure and fatal one.
And he backed out from the bed
into the sitting-room-
then leaped from the open window and
Bessie kept her pistol by her side un-
til her father and his guests came |
home, and when she had told her story |
search was made for the ruffian. But |
he was not found. Our heroine b, d SO
frightened him that he
never came that way again.