Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-09-21

the poor is their poverty, so the
Seriptur tells us.
Yes, 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 neighbor-
hood of such oil as must have burn
ed in Aiaddin's wonderful lamp or
the subtle persuasions of Landlord
Cramm kept him spell bound IN the
rustic village, with its pretty river
trickIing to the sea, and Its back
ground of spicy wood, where the
IinkIe of COW bells seemed like mu-
sic blown from fairy land. Al least
he did not put the question to him.
self. He had been making tour of
the different oil wells one afternoon,
and returning home through the Bas-
sett woods he fell in with Rosy.
After flowers? asked Ben. Isn't
it getting rather late? Hadn't you
better turn back with me?
/ l must find Jetty first, replied
Rosy.
And who may Jetty be?
Jetty is the COW; she strays away
aud gets lost in the woods. Last
year | couldn't find her till after
nine o'clock one night.
And you were here alone at that
hour.
1t was bright moonlight.
Perhaps we may find her better
together. May | 60 with you?
Yes Isuppose you may.
They strolled on, the young moon
casting wierd shadows and peopling
the wood with fantastic shapes; and
sometimes they forgot why they
were there, and sometimes a fright
ened bird brushed the dew from the
tangle, or the faint melody of a bell
stirred the silence and quickened
their footsteps. 1t was after eight
when they drove old Jetty home,
and Ben had been surprised more
than once at the speech that fell
from Rosy's pretty lips. She knew
the old poets, whom the young la
dies of the period disdain to culti-
vate. She was at home with Scott,
and familiar with the tenets of the
elder theOlogians.
You told me that you had never
been to school, said Ben, but some
body has taught you. There is no
royal road to knowledge.
Yes; Parson Psalter's wife taught
me to read aud write; she gave me
little presents for learning verses by
heart. She used to borrow me of
Mrs. Cramm to read to her when
her dear old eyes failed. Yes, and
when she died she left me all her
books.
Ben was more than ever interest
ed in the subject of oil as the days
went by. He listened to the enthu,
siastic raptures of all Little Bassett,
and was persuaded that this was
the tide that leads on to fortune. Sc
he staid on and ON, learning the min
ute of this method of coming money,
helping Rosy carry her brimming
pals to the dairy, or bring the but.
ter-for Mrs. Cramm was rot one to
allow milk to sour on her hands
whatever the prospect the oil well
afforded. Ben had inherited a Ger.
tain sum of money from a distant
cousin, who, with his child had dis
appeared from the sight of man years
before; now heinformed Mr.. Cramm
he wished to invest in oil.
I'll tell you what I'll do with ye
said the disinterested soul. Pvt
took a mighty liking to you, and sc
has Miss Cramm; there's my we'll
Pm a laundering poor man, Mr.
Bates, and Pm working at a disad
vantage. I'm awfully in debt tC
tell the truth. I'm mortgaged up tc
my chin, andI don't hev no peace
for fear of keeper in the house, and
a-being brought to disgrace afort
my neighhors-and the women folk
to look after. Now, mark my word
somebody's got to make a fortune
out of that ere well, and I'd rather
it'd be you, Mr.. Bates, than any
body, as it won't be Jim Cramm; i
you've got the means you couldn'
DO better than to take this elephant
off my hands.
Thanks, said Ben. I'll think
about it. Whereupon the merits
efthe Cramm Well were SO adroit
| ly celebrated that Ben began not
only to think, but to talk about it.
One evening, a week later, wheI
Ben went to his room, folded sliI
of paper under the candlestick at
tracted his attention. Thinking il
might be a delicate way of Land
lord Cramm to present his bills il
this way, he opened and read:
Mr.. BATEs-DO not 6aty M
Cranm Vel. You a0iH be Sorrg
! If yot do. A KIND FRIEND.
Mr. Bates smiled broadly. H,
would show it to Mr.. Cramm a
breakfast, and have a laugh at the
device of some rival striker; bu
morning brought wiser counsel
Was it not a woman's hand? Per
haps Rosy's; Sand if so, might it no
derserve attention? When he wen
forth to smoke after breakfast, h
encountered Rosy in the gardeI
patch, picking peas for dinner.
All, here is my kind friend, h
hazarded, holding out his hand
Rosy started and blushed. HOY
came you to send me that warning
Rosy? he pursued. What do yo
know about the Cramm Well?
l? she asked, with ill-feigned sup
prise. What made you think L sen
it?
Did you not?
t Rosy hung her head and tear
| filed her eyes.
Was it very wicked in me? sh
asked. l could not bear you shoul,
) be beggared by them. You are tn
, only one who has ever been kind t
me since dear Mrs. Psalter die,
What could | do? At least yo
, won't waste your money for naught