Arizona republican., 1899-03-27
THE CASE OF BROWN
A Strange Story.
ATHEN a learned judge acknowl- w edges himself mystified and un-

NA d
 w edges himself mystified and un-
 certain as to the moral culpability of an offender against the law it is best to present the facts in the case and then submit it to the judgment of the world.
 There is a struggling little village on one of the many mountains that dot the interior of Pennsylvania. The pie turesque road that forms it's main street is part of the arched highway that reaches it's highest point in the center of the town and curves away with graceful, even slope to the val. ley on either siGe. Life in the village was a monOtOnous routine and the coming of an occasional artist or holi- day seeker for day or two was an event to be discussed until it was re- peated. When handsome young man with several trunks arrived at the old-fashioned tavern one day and an- nounced that he would make it his home for several months at least, there was a sensation eclipsing that created when a supposed Molly Me Guire had stopped an eveEing, years before, to get his supper and inquire his way to the nearest railroad sta tion.
 The new arrival. weIl-dressed, re- fined in his manners, but hearty and democratic in his greetings, gave the familiar name Of Brown. In France the landlord would have produced a register and been backed by the law in learning all important particulars of Browns career. But there was no of iSi4 tive village. Propriety did not exact q restraint of curiosity. and before the young guest went to his room the first night it was known that he was q bank clerk in New York, that he had come for rest and health, that he would fish and hunt and. explore the surrounding country, that he had a supply of books with him and that he would be glad to call upon his new ac- quaintances at their homes if it would not be regarded as Gn abuse of hospi- tality. He quickly ingratiated himself with the men, and the women told each other what a fne-looking, fine-spoken man he was.
 Before going to his room that night Brown ordered some ale and sat down with the landlord to enjoy it. the wife of the latter being content with seat under a protecting vine outside the window. After praising the tipple, the tavern and the peaceful quiet of the place, Brown expressed a. curiosity to know more of certain Miss Pine ton, of whom some one had talked to him on the train after learning tha he was going to summer with this par ticular landlord.
 Strange worlan," said the host ''She lives just beyond the edge ofthc village in the tumble-down house with a high fence about it. She is 79 now, and I'll venture she has had more than one offer of marriage for every year of her life. She is very rich, you kuow. She had big fortune left her and she has doubled it three or four times by good investments through the judge. But now she keeps it all in her own house, mistrusting every one and liv- ing on less than the poorest person in the village. She admits no one but the rector and goes nowhere but to church."
 Doesn't she krow the danger from robbers ?'' Everyone is honest here. Nothing IS ever stolen, and, besides, she has willed every cent to the church and she says that heaven will protect it's own.'
 Sublime faith,'' unused Brown, and l then he went to inquiring about | the streams and woods in the vicinity. i
 One of Browns first moves was to l ingratiate himself with the rector by | visiting him and regularly attending upon the services. This also proved the way to Miss Pincton's esteem, and l soon he was a regular caller at her house, working with her upon the plans for rectory and parsonage that were to be built with her money after she could no longer have the pleasure of hoarding if. Brown was also ia vorite with the judge, as he was with all the rest of the people of the village, for he gave fish and game to the