The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-07-28

"There are no trout there! You
might throw a bait and wait year,
and you wouldn't get bite"
1t was deep, solitary rayine,
where, in attitudes of intense eager
ness, Hal Enfield and his brother
Felix were holding their tishing-rod,
awaiting the expected bite, while,
Bessie Ravepzs- asrOWn lace anu i.i4s,
black eyes looked out at
them from a natural oval frame of
bushes and vines, as she held bas-
ket in one hand, and her tattered
sun bonnet in the other.
Hal Enfield, a selfsuflicient little
aristocrat, by nature as well as by
education, drew himself haughtily
up.
II don't know that we asked any
information from you," said he,
haughtily. "Have the goodness to
be about your business"
II won'tr' retorted Bessie Raven,
with an ominous flash in her dark
eyes. "It's free country, amt it.?
And I've as much right here as you
havew
every WELL" said Hal rising, and
gathering together his tackle. "TH
go, then. Come, Felix"
But Felix, the younger brother,
had no idea of leaving his cool,
shady nook for whim Of Halls.
Hal stalked away in high dud-
geon; Felix remained behind to
cultivate the acquaintance of Bes
sic Raven.
eff there are no trout here" said
he, composedly eyeing the brown,
gypsy face among the leaves, "where
do they hide?"
"I'll show you," said Bessie, with
alacrity. "Just a piece farther on.
There's lots of 'em-only every
body don't know it. Come cnw
And the two children spent a
long summer morning together I'M
der the green trees.
Until, just as Felix Enfield was
turning to go home, halfapprehen
sive that he had missed the farm
house dinner, he perceived that the
little gold cross he wore attached to
his walch-chain, was gone.
"Oh!" cried he, ''where is my"
He stopped abruptly. For in the
very moment in which he spoke he
perceived half hidden in the folds
of the bosom of Bessie's tattered
dress, the CLEAN of some golden or
nament. Involuntarlly he caught
at tit was his own.
"You little thief" cried he, 'syou
have stolen itr'
Bessie stood sullen and silent, her
eyes cast down, her bare feet impa-I
tiently patting the velvety grass be-
low. She could not deny if-she
scorned any attempt to justify her
SELF
"Bessie," said the boy, slowly.
"what made you do it! Don't you
know that it is wrong to steal?'
"Wrongw cried Bessie passionate
ly. "Why is it wrong? You are
rich and I'm poor! You've got
everything, and I've got nothlng!
Why should / not help myself when
Pve got the chance2"
Felix Enfield looked at her. Vcr-
ily there was more in her creed than
he had realized. :,
"I'll tell you why, Bessie said
he. "At least, I'll tell you what
think about il"
So in his boyish way he unfolded
the philosophy Of meum and teu'm'
Bessie Raven listened in surprise.
She had never been reasoned with
before. No one had ever taken the
trouble to explain matters and
things in general to her.
"Oh! Felix" she cried out, with
great sob in her throat, II see 1t
ali now. But no one ever told me
before. And father was lost at sea,
and mother had us little ones to
take care Of, and somehow every
ones hand was against us, and we
had to fight our way along, SO ! got
somehow to not care about any
thing.
"Don't cry, Bcssie!' soothed the
lad. 1Don't fret, that's q good girl!
Here--take the gold cross and keep
lit! Idon't care much for it, .