Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-10-13
a Brave Girl.

/ Our heroine lived In Bartlett.
New Hampshire, and was a de-
scendant of the old Crawfords.-
Her father was a 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 nineteenth year.-
Her mother had been dead several
years, and upon her devolved the
whole care of the household.
One day late in Summer, Dir.
Crawford went with a party of
travellers, away to the, headwaters
! of one of the many mountain
streams that empty into Sac0, and
Bessie was left alone. E9en the
dogs had gone with the pleasure
seekers. Near the middle Of the
Afternoon, while the girl was SIT
ting by, an open window in the
front room, engaged in sewing. a
man came up from the road and
asked for drink Of water. Bes-
sic had seen his face before, and
had not liked bis looks.s He was
stout, broad-shouldered, ill-fa-
vored fellow, and the bits of moss
and spikes of pines upon his
clothes indicated that be 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 re-
mark. The man drank, and then
sat the dipper down upon the Ia
bic. Then be turned upon the
girl and drew a broad d-b4aded knife
from his pocket. a
"Look ye, my young LADY," he
said, 81 know there's money in
this house, and / know you are
alone. Show me where the mon
ey ist If you don't I shall kill
you, and then hunt it up myself
I'm in earnest, and there amt ID
time 10 waste Don't make fuss,
for if you do you'll feel this knife
quick" -
Bessie shrank back, and looked
into the mans face, and she could
see that be meant just what he
said.
''If / show you where the mon
ey is, will you promise not to do
me harmT"
"Show me, honest, and / won't
harm you"
"Then come with me. But
you will take only the money
you won't take my fathers pa
pers 2" '-'''
"Only the money, girl =
Bessie led the way to a small
bedroom on the ground floor,
where was an old mahogany bu-
reau, the upper drawer IF 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
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 p she exclaimed, plant
ing her back against the wall and
aiming the weapon at bis bosom,
"many a wild beast have l shot
with this good pistol, and now I'll
shoot you if you don't instantly
leave this house / will give
you not ever a second. Start, or
| fire !" - -i-,
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 fash
ing eyes-but more clearly in the
steady hand which held the pis-
tol-that she would not only fire,
as she had promised, but her aim
would be sure and fatal enc.
And he backed out from the
bedroom-baeked into the sitting
room-then lesped from the open
window and disappeared.
Bessie kept her pistol by her
side until her father and his guests
came home, and when she had
told her story search was made
for the rufian. But he was not
to be found. Our heroine bad so
thoroughly frightened him that ne
never came that way again.