The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-08-20
A Brave Girl.

Our heroine lived in Bartlett, New
Hampshire, and was descendent of the
old Crawfords. Her father was Crawford
and followed the profession of guide
among the mountains. Her name was
Bessie, and she was the only daughter re-
naming at home-a dark-eyed brown
haired girl of slight frame, Just entering
her nineteenth year Her mother had
been dead several years, and upon her de-
volyed the whole care of the household.
One day late in the sumner. Mr.. Craw-
ford went, with party of travellers, away
to the headwaters of one OF the many noun
tain streams that empty into the Saco, and
Bessie was left alone. Even the dogs bad
gone with the pleasure seekers. Near the
middle of the afternoon, while the girl was
sitting by an open window in the front
room, engaged in sewing, man came up
the road and asked her if she would give
him drink of water. Bessie had seen
this man before, and had not liked his
looks. He was a stout, br0ad-shouldered
ill-favoreo fellow, aud bits of moss and the
spikes of the pines upon his clothes indi-
Gated that he had slept in the woods.
But Bessie did not hesitate, 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 a broad
bladed knife from his pocket.
Look ye, my young lady, said he, Il
know there's money in this house; and |
know that you are alone. Show me whore
the money is IF you don't 1 shall kill
you, and then hunt it up myself. Tn in
earnest, and there amt no time to waste.
Don't make fuss for if dc you'll feel this
knife qulckr
Bessie shrank back, and looked the man
in the face, and she could see that he
meant just what he had said.
If show you where the money is, will
you promise not to do me harm p
Show me, honest, and 1 won't narm
you
Then come with me. But you will
take only the monoy-you won't take my
fathers papers,
Only the money, girl
Bessie led the way to small bedroom
on the ground floor, where there was an
old mahogany bureau, the upper drawer Of
which she unlocked. The man, when he
saw this thinking, doubtless, that Craw-
iord'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
pack against the WALL and aiming the
weapon at his bosom, "many a wild beast
lave | shot with this good pistol and I'll
hoot you if you Go not instantly leave this t
louse. will give you not even second. =
Start or l fire.
The rufiau could read human looks as ]
Fell as could the maiden, and he could +
cad very plainly n til frm-set lips
ashing eyes-but more clearly in the 4
tcaiy hand which held the pistol-that .
he would not only fire, as she had prom 4
sed, but her aim would be sure and IA &,
al one.
And he backed out of tie bedroom
hen jumped from the open window and Ia
Bessie kept her pistol by her side until r'
er father and her guests came home and 2
hen she had told her story, search was II
ladc for the rufhan. But he was not 10
'unG. Our heroine had so thoroughly A
i9htened him that he never came that 81
ay again. W
in
The full name of Prince Leopold, whose re