Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1908-06-25
POOR LIT ] Il I:
LIMA


with Mr.. and Mrs. Kingsford.
The father had gone to the dogs
long ago, and the mother, a red-eyed,
bulbous-nosed creature, wrapped in
shapeless rags and those queer, faded
shawls of which tipsy women seem to
have monopoly, now and then haunt
ed the home
The only son Of the house, Charles
| kingsford, was just her own age In
| fact, Lima had fallen in love with him,
and now and then her humble pillow
was wet with tears.
Charles Kingsford was not worth
less rascal, but he was a very wild
young fellow. He led the life wild
young men lead in a great city, and
other, until at last mighty trouble
| fell upon him.
There was nothing for it bat to
| leave the city, to leave home and
| friends.
1t was a stormy night. Mr. and
Mrs. Kingsford had been to a church
meeting, and a collection had been
taken up. The s500-was
given in charge of Mr.. Kingsford,
who, instantly on his return, locked it
up in the drawer of a desk in the
back parlor.
On this occasion Charles also
sought his room at once, and to Lima
was left the task of locking up the
house and seeing that all the fires
were safe. Mrs. Kingsford awoke with
a start. She distinctly heard the noise
of voices below. Women's plainly.
Mrs. Kingsford stole downstairs
The back parlor door was closed, but
it had keyhole. One cannot see
much through keyhole, but what she
woman, in miserable bonnet and
shawl, sitting before the fire drinking
a cup of tea-Lina's mother.
\ Il knew it was liberty" said Lima
but the other fires were all out, Mrs
Kingsford and it was SO cold It's
my mother, maam"
Will you tell your mother that we
are going to lock up for the night?"
Yes, ma'am,' said Lima
Lima, having seen her mother ou
. into the storm, put out the light an(
crouched down by the CRATE Pool
Lima!
Then she heard the sound of step.
approaching, and shrank back into the
shadows.
1t was an hour before she went tt
bed, and then she crept upstairs shiv
ering and trembling, overcome will
} horror. What was it she had seen
Whatever it was she told nothing of i
' to any one.
The next morning she was up a
usual, and found Mrs. Kingsford astil
My son is called away on bus
unexpected"
Two YRS later Mrs Kingston
!. called into the back parlor an
Z. shut the nor. Mr.. kingsford wa
} standing b. re the desk in which h
had deposite, he money he held il
, trust, the nigh 9efore
do you see IS, Lina?" he asked
showing her the oxen lock.
Il do not think .-ou guilty, Lima,
said Mrs. Kingsford; but you kno,
9 your mother is not a respectable won
3 an, and she was here last night"
"Madam!" cried Lima, my poo
mother is innocent. l tell you that
swear it. | mean what | say"
Then you know who took it," sal
: Mrs. kingsford. 81 see that in you
g face; confess"
{ Il tell you my mother is innocent
: said Lima. ut is / who am guilty."
J. And SO, with this confession an
with an obstinate refusal to say NOR,
poor Lima sealed her fate. She wa
tried for the theft and sentenced,
consequence of her previous good cha
. acter, to the lightest possible term
!. Imprisonment.
{. AS for Charles Kingsford, no on
J. heard of him for years. Home b
r came one day-a brown man with
long beard, whom no one knew at frs
/. He sat by the tireside and was que
> toned and asked questions. At las
he said:
: "And what has become of poe
= Lima? Has she married."
+ And then out came the story of tn
theft and it's punishment
The words were scarcely out of Mr.
Kingsford's lips when her son--th
great bearded man of whom she WE
SO proud-clasped his hands over h
eyes and burst into tears like an
I. woman.
y My Cod" he cried Has Lima su
J. fered this for me? Father, she VIZ
i as innocent as an angel! 1t was
= who robbed your desk! l have bee
J. the cause of ruin to one who was g
most an angel"
He spent long months in searchin