St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-09-28

turn back with me?"
Il must find Jetty first" replied
Rosy.
''And who may Jetty be ?"
'',Jetty is the COW; she strays away
and gets lost i'm the woods Last wear
L couldn't find her till after nine one
night"
''And you were here alone at that
hour ?"
at was bright moonlight
"And supposing there had been no
moon ?"
81 must have staid till | found her,
moon or no moon. Hark did | hear
her bell ?"
perhaps we may find her sooner to-
gether. May | go with you ?"
Yes, l 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
sometimes a frightened bird brushed
the dew from the tangle, or the faint
melody Of Il bell stirred the silence and
quickened their steps. 1t was after
eight when they drove old Jetty home,
and Ben had been surprised more than
once by the speech that fell from Rosy's
pretty lips. She knew the old poets,
whom young ladies of the period dis
dain to cultivate. She was at home
with Scott, and familiar with the tenets
OF the elder theologians.
lyon told me that you had never
been to school," said Ben, 'sbut some
body has taught You. There is no royal
road to Knowledge
eyes; ParsOn Psalter's wife taught
me to read and write, and 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 interested
in the subject of oil as the days went
by. He listened to the enthusiastic
raptures of all Little Bassett, and was
pursuaded that this was the tide which
leads on to fortune. So he staid on and
on, learning the minutiR of this method
of coming money, helping Rosy carry
her brimming pals to the dairy, or
bring the butter-for Mrs. Cramm was
not one to allow milk to sour on her
hands, whatever the prospect which the
oil well afforded. Ben had inherited Il
certain sum of money from distant
cousin, who, with his child, had disap-
peared from the sight of men years
ago now he informed Mr.. Cramm he
wished to invest it in oil.
"I'll tell you what I'll do by ye," said
that disinterested soul. give took a
mighty liking to you, and so has Miss
Cramm there's my WELL Pm thun-
| 1n,.innr
working it ut il disadvantage. I'm aw-
fully in debt, to tell the truth. I'm
mortgaged up to my chin, and | don't
hev no peace for fear of Il keeper in the
house, and a-being brought to disgrace
afOre my neighbors-and these women
folks to look after. Now, mark my
word, somebody's got to make Il fortune
out OF that ere well, and I'd rather it ID
be you, Mr.. Bates, than anybody, as it
won't be Jim Cramm if you've got the
means, you couldn't do better than to
take this ere elephant off my hands"
"Thanks," said Ben. Cpl think
about it," Whereupon the merits OF
the Cramm Well were so adroitly cele-
brated that Ben began not only to think
but to talk about it.
One evening, Il week later, when Ben
went to his room, a folded slip of paper
under his candlestick attracted his at
tention. Thinking it might be deli
cate fashion of Landlord Cramm to pre-
sent his bills in this way, he opened and
read,
MIR. BATEs,-DO not buy the 'Crdmm
Well You WiH be sorry if you do.
A KIND FRIEND"
Mr.. Bates smiled broadly. He would
show it to Mr.. Cramm ut breakfast, and
have laugh over the device of some
rival striker; but morning brought wiser
counsel. Was it not wOman's hand
Perhaps ROsy's; and if so, might it not
deserve attention When he went forth
to smoke, after breakfast, he encOun-
tered Rosy i'll the garden patch, picking
peas for dinner.
''Ah, here is my kind friend,'n he
hazarded, holding out his hand. Rosy
started and bushed. elbow came you
to send me that warning, Rosy ?" he
pursued. "What do you know about
the Cramm Well ?"
81 ~ she asked, with ill-feigned sur,
prise. "What made you think / sent
it p
Did you not 2"
Rosy hung heI head, and tears filled
her eyes.
"Was it very wicked in me ?" she
asked. 81 could not bear you should
be beggared 10y them. You are the only
one who has ever been kind to me since
dear Mrs. Psalter died. What could
do? AT least you won't waste YOU
money for naught."
"But what evil do yOu know of the
Cramm Well Why should | not pur.
chase ?"
"Oh, you see, Mr.. Bates, when they
found il IL mistake, false strike, why
-they-they dOctOred it! They brought
oil on the sly, and brought the pumI
with it, don't you see? | heard then
talking of it between themselves after
| was in bed at night; it was Mrs
Cramm's idea : the walls are thin, anC
couldn't sleep, l was so tired. If you
buy it, they mean to pack off before
you can find out that the wells hum
bug. And l thought, maybe, you haG
nothing but the money you would put
into it, and | couldn't stand by and see
you swindled, and not say a word"
81 thank you; but my dear girl, YOU
warning comes too late. | have already
bought the Cramm Well"
.'But you will make them take il
back ? You will go to law about it ?"
~ think not" Mr.. Bates was in {
quandry. If he took the law in hi:
hands, Rosy would be called upon fol
her testimony, and would not the fac
that she had preferred the interest of s
stranger to that of her adopted parents
tell against this simple child, ever
though she had acted rightly in the
! matter? Furthermore, would it moi