The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-06

WAS SSs'Nhh thot pia"S
Mrs. Robinson what she was. II
lie got loose anywhere near
she was up and after 1t with
anything she could lay her
hands on.
She showed you that lying
didn't pay when she was con-
cerned. A lie turned into a serpent as
soon as 1t got out of your mouth and
you were glad to get behind another.
Not to say that her system hadn't its
drawbacks. Every system has. And
the naked truth Is sometimes an awful
thing--ten times more awful than any
lie you can think Of at the time.
When Susan Jones came, however,
Mrs. Robinson had her work cut out.
The girl lied like an eel-there was no
catching hold of her.
At first she just chirped out lies as
light-hearted as bird. "Pleas'm 1t
were the cat" or anything that came
uppermost. But the cat had way of
proving an alibi that astonished Susan.
So Susan got as cautious as charity.
and It would have done your heart
good to see the two at it, For Mrs.
Robinson had no sooner got the ferret
of truth into one hole than Susan was
out and in at another.
Anyone else would have got sick ana
disgusted, but Mrs. Robinson didn't.
"For," said she. "the girl has her
good points, and I'll make woman of
her.
And she succeeded, for Susan got
worn out by the sheer uselessness OF
the thing. and at last shut down in
disgust. After that the girl did not
depart from the truth for six months,
and then she let off the awfulest lie
Mrs. Robinson had ever heard in her
born days. At least Mrs. Robinson
thought it was.
1t happened like this. One morning
when Susan was in the coal cellar she
found a lady's ring that dazzled your
eyes and took your breath away.
ITS one Of them scent things as
you can buy in any tinker's shop" she
said to herself. "Just lot O. rubbishy
glass; don't believe it's worth both
ering about"
She took it to her mistress, however.
Mrs. Robinson gave cry when she
saw the ring and started up with her
mouth open. "It looks like one Of the
rings mentioned in my grandmother. $
inventory" she said. IT shouldn't
wonder if it belongs to the lost set of
diamonds"
Mrs. Robinson was a widow and lived
with her brother John. Few men could
look wiser than Mr.. John when he
tried it. His spectacles made him look
like Solomon. When he came home h =
put them on and raked out the invcn-
tory and placed his finger on an exact
description of the ring. 1t was valued
at 5000.
After they had all wondered awhile
they put on last years clothes, got
candles and went into the cellar but
though they shifted the coal about fOr
hours they got nothing but their faces
BACKED. Mr.. Johns was the blackes:.
When she had got herself washe
and busted Mrs. Robinson put the ring
on and wore it till night, but before re-
firing to rest she put it on her toilet
tables in case it got lost in bed.
In the morning the ring was gone
Susan took a red face as soon as her
mistress came downstairs. Mrs. Rob-
inson just stood till and looked at he,
for moment. and then said:
Susan, what have you done VITA
the ring?"
Susan's reply and the girl sat righ,
down on her chest and burst into tears
Then what are you crying FORE" in.
quired her mistress.
But Susan sobbed on and said moth.
ing.
I'll give you an hour to make uI
your mind about it," said Mrs. Robin.
son. You're not to do any work fol
that time"
Susan sat on the chest the whole
sixty minutes and cried herself out
Mrs. Robinson came down at the enc
of that time and found her still gluet
to the lid.
Now. Susan, l want the solemn
truth"
"Yes'm."
where's the ring?"
"Mr. John took it, ma am
"My brother?"
"Yes'm."
Wise as he was. Mr.. John was strucl
In heap when his sister mentioned ths
matter. "What-wha--what? he gasp
3D. The girl is stone mad never
heard such thing in my life. l neve
did"