american tragedy

Chapter 147 (1)
Chapter 327 (1)
A fierce struggle, a bitter defeat, the situation is bad enough.Because where it happened had such a big impact on the tragedy.As a result, the public at large was convinced that Clyde had committed homicide, as all the newspapers reported, that he deserved his conviction.What a wretched poor little country girl murdered! Her plaintive letters! How much she suffered! And what a feeble plea by the defense! Even the Griffiths of Denver, in During the trial, I was also shocked by all kinds of evidence, and I didn't dare to read the newspaper publicly, but only read it alone; after reading it, I only whispered when talking about these hateful indirect evidence that came like a flood.

They had read many unfavorable reports about him, but after reading Belknap’s defense and Clyde’s own testimony, this small family that had been in the same boat for a long time expressed firm trust in their son and brothers.Because of this solidarity, I often wrote cheerful and optimistic letters to him, both during and after the trial.The contents of these letters were written based on the words in his letters insisting his innocence.But once convicted, he sent that telegram to his mother in desperation, and the papers confirmed the news, and all the Griffiths were in a panic.Isn't that clear evidence? All the newspapers held the opinion, and they sent reporters to interview Mrs. Griffiths.She had to move her family to a remote part of Denver, away from the religious world, to escape the intolerable publicity.But a mercenary moving car company still leaked their addresses.

The American Witness of God's Sovereignty was sitting in a chair in her shabby room, where livelihood had forced her, the trials of life, the cruel blows of chance, had brought her to this point, but in There is still peace in the devoutness.She also said: "This morning, I don't want to do anything, I seem to be numb, everything seems strange. My child was found guilty of murder! But, I am his mother, I will never believe that he is guilty .He told me he was innocent, and I believed him. Who else could he tell the truth to but me? He saw everything, he understood everything."

On the other hand, the long chain of evidence, and Clyde's first debauchery in Kansas City, made her suspicious.Why didn't he explain the important things? Why did he go to that mysterious Miss So-and-so so soon? Whoever she was.Of course, she must not, contrary to her convictions, be compelled to believe that her eldest son, the most ambitious and hopeful of her children, though also the most insecure, would commit such a sin! No! Absolutely not! Doubt him, even now.

Under the benevolent guidance of a living God, what is a mother who believes her child to be evil, however terrible his wrongdoing, is not evil in itself? To elude the eager curiosity Before she had to move, in the church over there, in those silent rooms, she cleaned the cold room several times and stood there with her head up, her eyes closed, her strong brown The face showed ordinary, strong, sincere lines—she was really a figure from the earlier gospel age in this 6000-year-old world—and directed all her thoughts devoutly to the imaginary throne.She saw the living God sitting on the throne, great mind and body.She prayed every quarter of an hour, every half hour, asking God for strength, for wisdom, to guide her, to help her figure out whether her son was innocent or guilty.If innocent, pray to God to relieve him, and to relieve her and the relatives of both of them from heart-breaking suffering.If guilty, show her what to do, show her how to bear, and show him how to cleanse from the eternal soul all that he has done, and let him, if possible, with a clean heart, once again Stand before God.

"You are Almighty! God, there is no one like You. Behold, You can do all things. Because of Your favor there is life. Show Your mercy, O God, although his sins Like scarlet, it will be as white as snow. Though his sins are crimson, they will be as white as wool."

Yet in her, as always when she prayed, there was the wisdom that Eve had known all her daughters.What about the girl they say was killed by Clyde? Wasn't she guilty too? Wasn't she older than Clyde? That's what the paper said.She read the letters carefully, line by line, deeply moved by their pathos, and deeply saddened by the misfortune that had befallen the Aldens.Even so, as a mother and woman with the wisdom of Eve, she knew that Roberta herself must have agreed.Her seduction must have contributed to her son's weakness and adultery.A strong and kind girl wouldn't do that.How many times had she heard such confessions in church and street meetings! Shouldn't Clyde be doing justice, too, as at the beginning of life in Eden, "This woman seduced me".

It is so, and for this reason...

"His love endures forever," she quoted from the Bible.If his kindness lasts forever, shouldn't Clyde's mother's kindness be so forever?

"If you have faith like a mustard seed," she said, quoting from the Bible, she said to some tangled reporters at this moment: "Did my son kill her? That's the crux of the matter." In the mind of our Creator, all other things are irrelevant." She looked at the cynical reporters as if she thought her God would make them understand this, and it did. so.Her sincerity and confidence moved them. "The jury thinks he is guilty or not guilty. It doesn't matter what he looks like with the stars in his palms. The jury's verdict is the verdict of the world. This is a matter of the world. I have seen his Attorney's plea. My son wrote me himself saying he was not guilty and I believe my son."

Asa was in another corner of the room at this time, and didn't say anything.Because of his lack of understanding of practical problems in the world, he lacks experience in the strong leading role that desires can have.Therefore, even if it was one tenth of the significance of this matter, he would not be able to understand it.He said himself that he never knew Clyde.Neither the lack of his surroundings nor his wild imagination was understood by him.Therefore, he would rather not talk about him.

"However," continued Mrs. Griffiths, "I have never concealed Clyde's crimes against Roberta Alden. He has done wrong, and she did not reject him, which she did too. Wrong thing. No matter whose sin it is, there is absolutely no room for it. In spite of all my heartfelt sympathy and love for her loving parents who suffered so much, and for whom their bleeding heart bleeds, sin is caused by two things. I must not fail to see this. The whole world should understand it and judge it according to this. It is not that I am trying to cover him up. He should have remembered the lessons of his youth." At this point, her lips tightened They were tightly closed together, looking infinitely miserable, but somewhat suspicious. "However, I have also read his letters. I think that if it weren't for these letters, the prosecutor would not have any real arguments against my son. He used these letters to stir up the emotions of the jury." She stood Rise up, as if tried by fire, and exclaim nervously and movingly: "But he is my son! He was soon condemned. Whatever I may think of his guilt, I must consider what a mother should do. How to help him." She squeezed her hands tightly.Even these reporters were deeply moved by her misfortune. "I must go to him! I should have gone long ago." She paused, realizing that she was speaking to the mouthpieces of these people the anguish, distress, and fear deep in her heart.But these people don't understand or care at all.

One of them, a very practical and hard-hearted young man about Clyde's age, interrupted, "Some people wonder why you weren't there at the trial. Do you have the money to go?"

(End of this chapter)