Lewiston inter-state news. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1905-1906, 1905-08-11
The 1mpostor

squire VINO was well to do, set out for
Australia to set up sheep ranch. He
was heard of at intervals for the next
three years. aud then came the report
that he had been killed by natives
while on an expedition In the wilds.
One day the son who was supposed
to be dead arrived home In the best of
captured instead of killed of having
been held a prisoner for years, Of living
Crusoe life on an uninhabited island
of the coast. Of putting to sea at last
on raft and being finally picked up
adrlft and brought home in mer
chantman. The son was welcomed as
one returned from the dead. OF course
he had changed greatly in his looks,
but after u day or two his mother and
father were perfectly satisfied as to his
identity. II they had not been he was
prepared with plenty of proofs.
Day by day aud hour by hour Arthur,
the restored son, mentioned incidents
aud adventures OF his boyhood. often
calling up things long forgotten by par
ents and neighbors 1t was the same
house. and he was familiar with it's
rooms and Its history. He remembered
a secret hiding place known only to
members of the family
The son had been home six mouths
| when his father died. All property
! was left to Arthur by will, aud he was
| to have the care of his mother as long
as she lived A month after the funeral
girl twenty years old named Annie
| Shaw returned to the place to visit her
| sister. She had been the child play
! mate of Arthur, but her people had
moved away some years before he
went, to Australia. She had heard Of
the mans return and was much inter
ested. He called on her and greeted
her with great show of cordially.
At first she was puzzled. Then she
was uncertain and annoyed. Then she
became distrustful and suspicious.
From her fifth to her ninth birthday
she had seen Arthur almost every day,
and Of course hundreds OF little incl
dents had occurred. Out of the hun
dreds he could recall only two or three
After they had met three of four times
the girl became satisfied that the man
before her was an impostor. True, he
greatly resembled Arthur. but the sto-
ry that had satisfied SO many others
failed to satisfy her. She found his
memory at fault in many things, and
day by day her suspicious grew.
On certain occasion when she was
about six years old she had become
mired In swamp when walking in
the woods with Arthur. 1t had taken
him half an hour to extricate her. On
another occasion while they were pad
ding about lake the boat had filled
with water and sunk under them, and
both had nearly been drowned Again.
pony had run away with her and
thrown her into a roadside ditch, and
Arthur had carried her home on his
back because Of her sprained ankle
She led up to these things and many
others In conversation. but he seemed
totally Ignorant OF them.
Miss Shaw was fully satisfied that
the man before her was n villain. but
how to unmask him was another mat
ter. The mother and all the people
about were satisfied that he was the
long lost son, and anything said to the
contrary would have met with ridicule.
The girl WAS very determined, howey-
rr. and she soon decided on Il plan to
pave the Way. There was an old wom-
IN living in the neigf,borhood who told
fortunes and she agreed to extend her
aid. For the next month all people
coming to her We're given a hint that
Arthur MeSsmore WAS not what he
claimed to he. This soon caused talk
Tor miles around, and the talk soon re-
suited III distrnst and suspicion Some
or the local papers picked the matter
up and declared that the mystery sur
rounding young Messmore's death In
PARKWAY Australia had never been
properly cleared up. and SO It came
about after three months that the law
yers took hand In the case.
The young man had kept posted as to
what was going on and had laughed all
talk to scorn. His mother declared II
shame that his identity should be CUES
TONED. aud when public opinion finally
Forced an Investigation she was on
hand to pledge her life that no mistake
had been made. The first hours inves.
tigation proved her IN the wrong. A
great gale had blown down huge
beech tree one night while Arthur was
yet ut home, and IN lts fall 1t had killed
two dogs in their kennel The suppos.
ri son could tell nothing Of the incl
dent. score OF other things were cali
Ell up to test him. and he failed 10 all of
them
II was then found that he Was ar
ranging to dispose OF all HIS property
aud fee the country. and he WAS taken
Into custody until II new investigat ton
could be made in Australia. Ball was
given. and Arthur went back home, ac-
companied by his mother. She had
beeu made to doubt him, Int she still
hoped that he would be able to clear
himself