The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-24
BESSIE.

DLODlH.
TITS only Bessie Raven" said Mrs
Liddington to her niece, Mrs. Enfield
blooming city matron, who had
brought her two boys to the country
for the summer. II wouldn't let Hal
and Felix associate with her on any
account, If l were you. There's no
good in any Of those Rayens-a vile,
low SET"
Mrs. Enfield looked pityingly at the
brown-faced, bare-legged little gypsy,
who had skunk around the back door,
basket Of late luscious blackberries
on her arm, and the deep flush that be-
tokened how plainly she had overheard
Mrs. Liddington's careless words, still
dyeng her cheeks.
only Bessie Raven!" How often
she had heard that phrase. How bit
ter meaning did it all convey to her
ears.
There are no trout there! You
might throw bait and wait year,
and you wouldn't get a bite!"
1t was deep, solitary ravine, where,
In attitudes of intense eagerness, Hal
Enfield and his brother Felix were
holding their fishing rods, awaiting the
expected bite, while Bessie Ravens
brown face and big, black eyes, looked
out at them from natural oval frame
Of bushes and vines, as she held her
basket in one hand and her tattered
sun bonnet in the other.
Hal Enfield, self-sufficient little
aristocrat, by nature as well as by ed
ucation, drew himself haughtily Up.
II don't know that we asked any in
formation from you," said he, haughti-
ly. Have the goodness to be about
your business"
II WON'T" retorted Bessie Raven,
with an ominous flash in her dark eyes.
cts free country, amt it? And I've
as much right here as you have!"
Very WELL" said Hal, rising and
gathering together his tackle "1'll go,
then. Come, Felix"
But Felix, the younger brother, had
no idea of leaving his cool, shady nook,
for within Of Halls.
Hal stalked away in high dudgeon;
Felix remained behind to cultivate the
acquaintance of Bessie Raven.
IF there are no trout here" said he,
composedly cycling the brown gypsy
face among the leaves, where do they
hide?"
"Tll show you," said Bessie, with
alacrity. Just piece further on.
There's lots Of 'em--only everybody
don't know it. Come on!"
And the two children spent a long
summers morning together under the
green trees.
Until just as Felix Enfield was turn
ing to 60 home, half apprehensive that
he had missed the farmhouse dinner,
he did not perceive that the little gold
cross he wore attached to his watch
chain was gone.
oh" cried he, where Is my"
He stopped abruptly. For in the very
moment in which he spoke, he per-
ceived half-hidden in the folds of the
bosom of Bessie's tattered dress, the
CLEAN of some golden ornament. In
voluntarily he caught at tit was his
own.
"You little thief" cried he, you
must have stolen it,"
Bessie stood sulen and silent, her
eyes cast down, her bare feet impati-
emily patting tho velvet grass below.
She could not deny it-she scorned
any attempt to Justify herself.
Bessie" said the boy, slowly, what
made you do it? Don't you know
that it is wrong to steal?"
"Wrong!" cried out Bessie, passion
ately. why is it wrong? You are
rich and I'm poor! You've got every
thing, and I've got nothing! Why
shouldn't help myself when I've got
the chance?"
Felix Enfield looked at her. Verify
there was more in her creed than he
had realized. 81
"Ill tell you why, Bessie said he,
"At least, I'll tell you what l think
about it"
So, in his boyish way, he unfolded
the philosophy of meum and tuum.
Bessie Raven listened in surprise.
She had never been reasoned with be-
fore. No one bad ever taken the troll
BILE to explain matters and things in
general to her.
"Oh, Felix" she cried out, with a
great sob in her throat, 81 see it all
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 everyone's hand was against
us, and We had to fight our way along,
80 l got somehow not to care about
anything"
Don't cry, Bessie" soothed the lad.
Don't fret, that's good girl! Here
take the gold cross and keep it. don't
care much for it,"
So they parted. At home Felix found
that his father had come to take them ;
up into the mountains for few weeks,
before they returned to their city
Homeland so he never got the chance
10 tell Bessie Raven good-by.
Ten years afterward! Three and
twenty is dangerous age for flirta-
ions, but Felix Enfield had never been
seriously smtten until that time when
he crossed the Atlantic in the steamer :
Will O the Wisp, and fell in love with
he Captains Spanish-eyed daughter.
IF you don't marry me-" said Felix,
with comical earnestness, "Ill throw
myself into the sea-"
There's not much danger Of that"
'aid Miss Richfield, quietly.
But am in earnest" protested Fe- |
TX. i.
so am l." said the damsel with the q
'lue-black eyes.
Don't you love me?" pleaded Fe-
TX.
,1t !