The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-18

on the lid you will see scrawled on a
Althea Ann Knollys. Born February
first, eighteen hundred and thirty-siX.
Died December twenty-send, eighteen
hundred and ninety-three. 1t is our
mothers grave, sir"
She spoke the truth. saw 1t in the
clear regard of Miss Knollys' eye; in
, the steady firmness of Lucetta's bear
ing and her unconscious air of dignified
reproach. Bowing profoundly, l wait
ed for the explanation they could not
help giving.
1t was Lucetta's voice which first
broke the silence, 'and as she spoke
noted again her clear brow with its line
of trouble, and the delicate sensitive
ness Of the whole expression which
made her the most spirituelle- looking
being had ever seen.
II do not know you," were her first
words, but you say you are a. dectec-
tive and that your errand here is to
ferret out crime. You have come to
the wrong place, sir, and If we con-
suited our pride alone we would turn
our backs upon you and let you desc
crate our mothers grave and ascer-
tain the truth at your own cost. But
we have other qualities than pride, we
two desolate orphan girls, and so l will
deign to tell you what l hope your
sense of justice will prevent you from
repeating. Years ago our mother left
us. She had done wrong, or what
you will better understand, committed
q criminal act against one of our neigh
bors, the penalty Of which-is states
prison"
With difficulty the words came out !;
with difficulty she kept down the flush
Of shame which threatened to over
whelm her, and did Overwhelm her less
restrained sister. But her self-control
was great and she went bravely on, the
palest. the most delicate and the most
resolved of women 1t had ever been my
lot to face.
1T was forgery" said she. Though
a cherished wife and beloved mother.
she longed for many things my father
could not give her and in an evil hour
she initiated the name of-a rich man
here and took the check thus signed to
Hartford. The fraud was not detect
ed and she received the money, but
ultimately the rich man, whose money
she had spent. discovered the use she
had made of his name, and II she had
not escaped, would have had her ar
rested. But she left the country. and
the only revenge he took was to swear
that IL ever she set foot In Cushing
again he would call the police down
upon her. Yes, II she were dying and
they had to drag her from the brink of
the grave. And he would have done 1t.
and knowing this, we have lived under
the shadow Of this fear for eleven
years. My father died under 1t and my
mother-ah. she spent all her life under
foreign skies, but when she found that
death was about to lay its hand upon
her, her affection for her own flesh and
blood triumphed over her discretion.
and she came, secretly i own, but still
with that horror menacing her. to her
children's door, and begging their for
giveness, lay down In the room where
they were born, and died, with the halo
Of their love about her.
thought over Miss Grants relation
Of the events OF the fearful night, and
saw in 1t nothing but confirmation Of
what this young girl was saying. But
l ventured this one remark that there
might be nothing lost from her expla-
nation:
but I understand that you were
mourning for your mother half dozen
years ago?" To which the older Miss