The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-08-11
POOR LITTLE
Lima


with Mr., and Mrs. Kingsford.
The father had gone to the dogs
long ago, and the mother, red-eyed,
bulbous-nosed creature, wrapped In
shapeless rags and those queer, faded
shawls of which tipsy women seem to
have a 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 a worth.
less rascal, but he was a very wild
young fellow. He led the life wild
young men lead in a great city, and
got into one small scrape after an.
other, until at last mighty trouble
fell upon him.
There was nothing for 1t but to
leave the city, to leave home and
friends
1t was a stormy night. Mr.. and
Mrs Kingsford had been to church
meeting, and a collection had been
taken up. The money-$5OO-wa
given in charge of Mr.. Kingsford,
who, instantly on his return, locked 1t
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
did see was enough. A bulbous-nosed
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, ma'am."
"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 out
into the storm, put out the light and
crouched down by the CRATE. Poor
Linal
Then she heard the sound of steps
approaching, and shrank back into the
shadows.
1t was an hour before she went to
bed, and then she crept upstairs shiv-
ering and trembling, overcome with
horror. What was it she had seen?
Whatever it was, she told nothing of it
to any one.
The next morning she was up as
usual, and found Mrs. Kingsford astir.
My son is called away on bust.
ness" she said. 1T is something very
unexpected"
Two hours later Mrs. Kingsford
called Lima into the back parlor and
shut the door. Mr. Kingsford was
standing before the desk in which he
had deposited the money he held in
trust, the night before.
DO you see this, Lina?" he asked,
showing her the broken lock.
Il do not think you guilty, Lima
said Mrs. Kingsford but you know
your mother is not a respectable WON
an, and she was here last night"
Madam" cried Lima, my poor
mother is innocent. I tell you that !
swear it. l mean what say"
Then you know who took it," said
Mrs. Kingsford. II see that in your
face; confess"
Il tell you my mother is innocent"
said Lima. 1T is I who am guilty."
And so, with this confession, and
with an obstinate refusal to say more,
poor Lima sealed her fate. She was
tried for the theft and sentenced, in
consequence of her previous good char.
acter to the lightest possible term of
Imprisonment.
AS for Charles Kingsford, no one
heard of him for years. Home he
came one day-a brown man with a
long beard. whom no one knew at first.
He sat by the fireside and was uues-
toned and asked questions At last
he said:
And what has become of poor
Lima? Has she married?"
And then out came the story of the
theft and its punishment.
The words were scarcely out of Mrs.
Kingsford's lips when her son-the
great bearded man of whom she was
so proud-clasped his hands over his
eyes and burst into tears like any
woman.
My God!" he cried HAS Lima suf.
fered this for me? Father, she was
as innocent as an angel! 1t was |
who robbed your desk! l have been
the cause of ruin to one who was al 4
most an angel"
He spent long months in searching
for Lima, and he found her at last.
In a wretched home she sat sewing,
by the light of poor tallow candle.
Master Charles!" she said; 81
never thought should see you again"
Il know all, Lima. Why did you make
such sacrifice?"
1T was either mother or YOU" she
said.
He looked in her face, took her hand