River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-10-04


had disappeared from the sight of men
wears ago; now he informed NJ. Cramm
he wished to invest it IN oil.
an tell you what I'll do by We, said
that disinterested soul. "I've too nigh
ty liking to you, and so has Miss Cramm;
there's my we'll I'm laundering poor
man, Mr.. Bates, and I'm working it at a
| disadvantage. I'm awfully in debt, TO
tell the truth, I'm mortgaged up to the
chin, and don't hev no peace for fear OF
keeper in the house, and a-being brought
to disgrace afore my ncighbors-and these
women-folks to look after. Now, mark
my word, somebody's got to make a for
tune out of that ere well, and Id rather
| it d be you, Mr.. Bates, than any body, as
it won't be Jim Cramm; if you've got
| the means. you couldn't do better then 10
take this ere elephant off my hands"
sThanks," said Ben. "I'll think about
it, Whereupon the merits of the Cramm
we'll were so adroitly celebrated that Ben
began not only 20 think, but TO talk about
| it,
One evening, week later, when Ben
went to his room, folded slip OF paper
under his candlestick attracted his atten-
ton. Thanking it might be delicate
fashion of Landlord Cramm to present
his bills in this way, he opened and
read:
Mr.. Bates: Do not buy the "Cramm
Well.n You will be sorry if you do.
A Kind Friend.
Mr.. Bates smiled broadly. He would
show it to Mr.. Cramm at breakfast, and
have laugh over the device of some
rival striker; but morning brought wiser
counsel. Was it not a woman's handf
Perhaps Rosy's, and if so. might it not
deserve attentions When he went forth
to smoke, after breakfast, he encountered
Rosy in the garden patch, picking peas
for dinner.
"Ah, here is my kind friend, he haz-
arded, holding out his hand. Rosy
started and blushed.
"How came you to send me that warn
ing, Rosyl" he pursued. "What do you
know about the Cramm Well!"
"Ig' she asked, with ill-feigned sur
prise. "What made you think sent it.a
did you notl"
Rosy hung her head, and tears filled
her ewes.
"Was it very wicked in mel" she asked
II could not bear you should be beggar-
ed bv them. You are the only one who
has been kind to me since dear Mrs.
Psalter died. What could l do2 At least
you won't waste your money for naughtH
"But what evil do you know of the
Cramm Well? Why should / not pur-
chaser"
"Oh, you see, Mr.. Bates, when they
found it mistake, why they-they doc
tored it! They brought oil on the sly,
and brought the pump with it, don't you
seel | heard them talking of it between
. themselves after | was in bed at night; it
was Mrs. Cramm's idea; the walls are
thin, and couldn't sleep, | was so tired.
If you buy it, they mean to pack off be
fore you can find out that the wells a
humbug. And / thought, maybe, you
had nothing but the money you would
put into it, ana | couldn't stand by
ard see you swindled, and not say a
word
II thank you; but, my dear girl your
warning comes too late. | have already
bought the Cramm Well"
"But you will make them take it backl
You will 90 10 law about it!'
II think not" Mr.. Bates was in a
quandary. If he took the law in his
hands, Rosy would be called upon for
her testimony, and would not the fact
that she had preferred the interest of a
stranger to that of her adopted parents
tell against this simple child, even though
she had acted rightly in the matteri
Furthermore, would il not cast her adrift
~ N the world, and was he prepared
u offer her a local habitation and a
name2
81 hope you'll get rich as mud" said
10, 4.,ff. n
'sand remember them as set you on the
road to fortune, Mr.. Bates. Jim and me
thinks of trying CalifOrny for my as
thmv"
"Will your daughter go with your"
! Ben asked.
" Rosy9 She amt no daughter of
mine, though, land knows, I've been a
mother to her. You see, it's nigh 10
years ago since a gentleman put up TO
the Travellers Haven with a little gal
about four He had no baggage to men
ton, had lost his trunk on the road, but
guessed it would turn up. He was a
proper, nice-looking man, with eyeglasses
like yours, Mr.. Bates; and it appears he
got up early and went out, and whether
he went into the river for a bath or
purpose nobody knew; but that he was
drowned, and the little gal who couldn't
tell anything but that her name it was
Rosy, left on our hands without a change
to her back. No body could find out
who they was; there wasn't no clue
amongst their things, and no marks on
their clothes; and so we've had to do for
her ever since, and there's no end to what
she owes u.s."
Fifteen years ago; a gentleman and
child named Rosy" unused Ben.
Fifteen years ago this blessed month.
Jim he pawned the gentlemai's watch to
buy Rosy clothes; but there was an odd
sort of seal on the chain. Maybe you'd
like to see it!'
Il should like to borrow it for a
WHILE" said Ben, after examining it
closely.
"You may have it for trife, if you've
took fancy to it. We've spent enough
on Rosy to buy dozen such"
"I'll give you your price" said Ben; ;
and Just then Jim Cramm was brought in
with broken leg-and they didn't go to
California for Mrs. Jim's asthma.
1t is year since these events occurred
Retribution has overtaken Mr.. and Mrs
Cramm.
II want to tell you story Ben said
to Rosy the other day. II once had
distant cousin, who disappeared mysteri-
ously with his little daughter after having
started upon journey. He was adver-
tised for by his distant relatives and
sought for in vain. The child was four
years old at the time. Her name was
Rosy. She had blue eyes and auburn
hair like yours. BY the supposed death
of these two came into possession of a
certain sum of money which. having ac-
cumulated during my minority, enabled
me to buy the Cramm Well, as you know.
Contrary to our expectations, yours and
mine, Rosy, the well has Melted its owner
a fortune, since it was not false strike,
as Mr.. Cramm supposed. Butt find | am
| not the owner