River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-10-04
THE CRAMM WELL.
Prom HArper's Bazaar,

1T Is uOuDLlul IL MT. ben baIeS HOulu
defend strikes, if he were interested in
the pros and cons of such questions; but, all
the same, he blessed his stars that strike
occurred on TIE Grand Right aEd Lett
Railway on certain day; that the en-
ployes felt imperative need of an increase
of wages; that the managers didn't see
it; and so, whether or no the end iusti-
fed the means, it none the less conspired
to promote his happiness. 1t was the
afternoon train out of Hamburg, adver-
tised to reach Nova Zembla at As.
Mr. Bates, being somewhat of a stranger
in the state, drawn to Nova Zembla by
rumors of oil wells and fortunes bubbling
out of the earth, was naturally ignorant
that the strikers had publicly given
warning that they should leave their
trains at 4 o'clock z. NJ, until he over
heard gentleman, leaving at way-sta-
ton, say to his friend.
You had better not attempt to 60 home
tonight, but put up with us; the engi-
neers strike at P. NJ, you know"
Striker echoes the typical old lady
with the traditional bandboxes and bun
dies to look after. I'D like to know
who they're going to strike. Two can
play at that game, | reckon. What are
they going TO strike forg'-
"For higher wages, marin. If you
calculated to go beyond little Bassett,
you'll have to walk the balance" volun-
teered passenger.
"Me walk Haven't l paid my fare
throughl Walk, indeed! I'll have the
law of 'em first"
"But this train won't go through to-
night"
/ "None of your quizzing, young sauce
| boxl Haven't l been over this ere road
every year since my hair took to falling
off, to buy new wig, dating from the
time Eben put the Gabrielle front to the
old house? And I've never knowed them
not to git to Nova Zembla when they'd
oughter-"
But just then the train stopped, and so
did the old lady. 1t was 4 o'clock ex-
actly.
Il suppose there's an inn at handa''
asked Mr.. Bates of native by-stander
whom he found loafing upon the plat
| form.
"Devil bit! Little Bassett's run to
oil, stranger"
"We're not expected to put up in an oil
weflln
"You might fare worse. There's the
Travellers Haven, but the landlord he
had it carted off for to bore for oil in the
old cellar; it's on wheels yet, piece up
the lane there. Maybe they'd take you
In; | dunno"
Mr.. Bates strolled up the pretty lane
and into the Travellers Haven-which
had, perhaps, caught the spirit ofgadding
from its guests-and interrupted sloven-
iy woman IN the act of scolding.
"Didn't l tell you, miss, I'd cuff the
ears off your head if you cracked another
dish2 Ehl How are you going to pay
for itl Who do you suppose d put up
with your goings on if was to turn you
adrift? Nobody in Little Bassett d give
you house-room for a week"
81 an sorry" was the soft answer
"I'll be more careful again"
"And high time, too-you that snatch
ed out of the almshouse, so to speak, and
did for you ever since you were four.
What would you have been but for mel
And pretty return you make a-breaking
all the crockery helter-kelter! Oh
Good day, sir. Lodgings2" with a de-
cided change of tone. ''Rosy, dear, slat
yourself, and get the gentleman a room
ready; and you might wiring the neck of
the cropple. crown hen while you're about
it. | dare say he's hungry"
YES" said Rosy, lifting pair of APP
pealing eyes to the stranger.
"No, no, cried Ben, heroically, "don't
kill anything for me- Tea and toast is a
supper for king" 1t panied him to add
another straw to the burdens this defect
ed girl was already carrying-this girl in
the garments and position of a menial,
vet who bore herself like one of gentle
blood.
"You see," apologized Mr.. Cramm, the
landlord, when he came in, 1--WE amt had
time to settle, owing to the lie well. Tav-
n-keeping don't pay in Little Bassett,
but lie does. Maybe you was thinking OF
buying, eh."
Ben was thinking of it, he explained
but Little Bassett had not been his desti-
nation.
'Maybe you was guided here by prov
idence."
perhaps So" said Ben.
"Pity YOU hadn't been round month
ago, afore Deacon Davis parted with his
place. He got down-hearted, and sold
out for a good fgger; but it turned out
the article handsomely afterwards, and
the deacon's that mad he could jump into
bramble bush. But sometimes, you see
it's all poor fellow can do to sell out
when he amt got capital to work it. The
destruction of the poor is their poverty,
so the Scripture tells u.s."
"Yesl" said Ben, his eyes following
Rosy on her way from the milking shed
with two foaming pals.
Ben could hardly have told why he
staid on in Little Bassett from day to day
whether the neighborhood of such oil as
must have burned in Aladdin's wonder
full lamp, or the subtle persuasions of
landlord Cramm kept him spell-bound
in the rustic village, with its back ground
of spicy woods, where the tinkle of cow
bells seemed like music blown from fairy
land. At least he did not put the
question to himself. He had been max
ing a tour of the different oil wells one
afternoon, and coming home through the
Bassett woods, he fell in with Rosy.
"After fiowers?n asked Ben. "Isn't it
growing darkl Hadn't you better turn
back with mel"
81 must find Jetty first" replied Rosy.
"And who may Jetty be-"
"Jetty is the COW; she strays away
and gets lost in the woods. Last year
couldn't find her till after one night.
"And you were here alone at that
hourl"
at was bright moonlight"
"And supposing there had been no
moon?m
II must have stayed till found her,
moon or no moon. Hank. did | hear her
belle"
'Perhaps we may find her sooner to-
gether. May go with you!'
"Yes, / suppose you may" They
strolled on, the young moon casting weird
shadows and peopling the wood with
fantastic shapes; and sometimes they
forgot why they were there, and some
times frightened bird brushed the dew
from the tangle, OF the faint melody of a