american tragedy

Chapter 149 (1)
Chapter 328 (1)
Bridgeburg Station, after midnight on December [-], a train slowly approached the station, delivering a tired and dazed woman to the station.A lone clerk answered her inquiry, giving her directions to the Bridgeburg Central Hotel, follow the road ahead of her, turn left at the third intersection and walk two blocks.A sleepy night clerk at the Central Hotel immediately offered her a room.And, as soon as he knew her identity, he immediately told her the way to the county detention center.But she thought about it carefully and decided that it was not appropriate at this time.He may still be asleep.She is going to sleep and get up early tomorrow morning.She had already sent him several telegrams.He knew she was coming.

She left at seven o'clock the next morning.Arrived at the detention center at eight o'clock with letters, telegrams and supporting documents in hand.The officials at the detention center checked the letter she was carrying, and after confirming her identity, they notified Clyde.He was despondent and helpless, and when he heard the news, he was glad to think of her, though he had dreaded her coming.Because, now, it's not the same as before.Now that all the circumstances were told, and Jefferson had given him such a plausible version, he was not afraid to meet her now, and might be able to tell the truth, and he was quite He didn't mean to kill Roberta, he didn't mean to drown her.Immediately afterwards, he hurried to the prisoner reception room.There he was able to talk to his mother alone, thanks to Slack's care.

Seeing that she stood up as soon as he entered the door, he ran towards her.He was very confused and conflicted.Still, he was convinced that in her his heart could find a sacred haven, a little sympathy, and perhaps help, and little reproach.He cried out as if his throat was choked: "Ah! Mother! It's great that you are here." However, she was too excited to speak, her suffering child was in her bed. In her arms, she rested his head on her shoulder.Then she was on her back again.God has blessed her so much.Why not do her a little more favor, and let her son be free at last, if only that could be done.Even if it didn't, at least it should be reexamined, and all the evidence should be considered fairly in his favour.They stood like this for more than a quarter of an hour.

Then, as to the family news, the reason for her being here, her duty as a special correspondent to speak to him, and to appear with him at the sentencing, Clyde could not help going to flinched.The Griffiths of Lycurgus had, for reasons of their own, resolved not to assist him any further.But she, if she could have a good cause to appeal to all the world, might help him too.Wasn't the "Lord" always helping her? However, in order to make a just appeal to the world and to the "Lord", she must find out the truth from him, and immediately find out whether he hit Roberta on purpose or not. , Whether he drowned her intentionally or unintentionally.She had read the evidence, and the letters he had sent; she had noticed all the weaknesses in his testimony.But are these things Mason said true or false?

This unequivocal, unrelenting honesty of hers Clyde had never been able to fully understand, had always been in awe, was in awe, and was in his state of mind at the moment.He mustered up his courage and said firmly, even though his heart was still trembling and cold.He said he was telling the truth under oath, and that he hadn't done what he was accused of, and he hadn't.However, as she looked at him, she wondered what was going on in his eyes, maybe for a slight moment, he was not so sure, not as confident as she hoped, so sure, not as she expected As prayed.No, no, there was something in the way he spoke, in the way he said it, a little cryptic tone, a feeling of restlessness, maybe hesitation, which made her chill with fright.

He wasn't sure yet.In this way, maybe he did it on purpose, at least somewhat deliberately.When she first heard the news, she was afraid that she was still at this level, and that he might even beat her on that desolate and hidden lake. Who knows who? (Thinking like this is really heartbreaking.) And , this was after he had testified and insisted that he was not guilty.

But, "Lord," in the darkest hours of herself and her son, you will not allow a mother to doubt him, and send him to his death by her own lack of faith? Ah, no, You are not allowed. "Oh, Christ, you won't allow it!" She turned her face away, trying to suppress the narrow secret fear of her own, which she was most afraid of, as he was afraid of his crime. . "Ah, Absalom (According to the "Bible? The Old Testament", Absalom was the favorite of King David, and was later killed for betraying his father. David wept bitterly when he heard the news of his death.), my Absalom! Crime creates such a thought as to be terribly afraid. God would not require a mother to have such a thought." Is he not here? Wasn't her son right there before her, adamant that he hadn't done This matter? She should trust him, and she is willing to trust him completely.She would believe and she believed at last, even though in the deepest recesses of her unhappy heart lay locked the devil of doubt.Don't do this, don't do this, let the public know what she thinks.She and her son must find a way.He had to believe, he had to pray.Does he have a Bible? Does he read it? An employee of the detention center gave Clyde a Bible a long time ago.So he reassured her that he had a Bible and read it too.

Now, though, she had to go to his lawyer first, send her report out and come back.However, as soon as she stepped into the street, several reporters immediately surrounded her and eagerly asked her why she came here, whether she believed her son was innocent, whether she thought her son's trial was fair or not. It wasn't fair why she hadn't come earlier, Mrs. Griffiths told them all in her frank, honest, motherly way how and why she had come and why she hadn't come sooner.

But now that she has come, she hopes to stay, and the "Lord" will definitely give her the way to save her son.He was innocent, she was convinced.Can they also pray to God to help her? Can they also pray to God to make her succeed? Several reporters were very moved, very sympathetic, very impressed, and said to her of course they would do this.They also later described to the public what kind of person it was, a middle-aged person, ordinary-looking, devout and resolute, honest and sincere, and very movingly convinced of the innocence of her children.

The Griffiths of Lycurgus, however, were greatly repelled by the news, and considered her presence here another severe blow to him.Clyde was shocked when he saw the news in the cell and saw that everything about him was now being blatantly exaggerated.However, since his mother came, he felt helpless, so what should he do? Forget it.After a while, he almost cheered up instead.Although she has her mistakes or shortcomings, she is his dearest and most beloved biological mother after all, isn't she? And she is here to rescue him, so let others do what they think.Isn't he already under the shadow of death, and at least she didn't abandon him.That, and the fact that she suddenly seemed so competent, should give her credit for being in such a relationship with the Denver newspaper.

She had never done anything like this before.Even if she is very poor now, maybe she can handle the review for him, which can save his life.Who can tell? But what a crime he has done to her? How little he has cared for her! Ah, what a crime? But here she is at last, and his mother is still so anxious and tormented, However, he was still so kind and hoped that a newspaper in the west would report the news of his sentence and try to save his life.Not so long ago, in the ragged coat, the grotesque hat, and the large, impassive face, she was his mother; she loved him, believed in him, and was fighting to save his life.

On the other hand, Belknap and Jefferson were by no means so impressed when they first saw her.For some reason, they did not expect to meet such a vulgar, uncultured, and yet so convinced character.The baggy flats, the grotesque hat, the old brown overcoat.And yet, after a short while, somehow, this earnestness of hers, her confidence and love for her son, her now firm, questioning, human, clear, pure blue eyes, It was the spiritual certainty that exuded, not even a shadow of wavering, that captivated them.

Did they themselves think her son was innocent? That had to be clarified first.Or did they secretly believe that he was guilty? All that conflicting evidence was tormenting her. Oh, God put a heavy cross on her and her family, but, nevertheless, bless his name! Both of them realized, sensed her anxiety, and immediately reassured her that they were convinced of Clyde's innocence.It would be trifling with the law if he were to be condemned to death for what was called a crime.

However, now that they have seen her, both of them are very worried about the cost of the appeal.She explained how she got here, but that meant she was penniless, and the appeal must have cost no less than two thousand dollars.Mrs. Griffiths talked with her son for over an hour, and they explained to her all the minimum costs of the appeal, but she kept saying that she did not know what to do.Then, suddenly, she cried out, which seemed to him to be mindless, but very touching and dramatic. "The Lord will never forsake me. I know that. He has declared His will to me. When I was in Denver, it was his voice that directed me to the newspaper. Now that I am here, I must Trust him, he will guide me."

However, Belknap and Jefferson just looked at each other with the attitude of disbelief and the astonishment of a pagan.Beliefs of this kind! A preacher! A true evangelist! But, according to Jefferson, there is an idea, and wherever you go, the religious world has weight. All believe it .Suppose Griffith of Lycurgus was still so cold.So indifferent.Well, and she is often thinking, she has come now, there are churches everywhere, and some are believers.It was in this circle that Clyde had been accused most violently, and had made his crime unjust beforehand.Now, why not, with her temperament, her conviction, make an appeal to the community, solicit donations to take the case to the Court of Appeal? There is this lonely mother here, and she has a great love for her son. And convinced.

Get up quickly.

Come to a lecture and fix the ticket price. Anyone can see that she is so embarrassed.She not only complained at the meeting how just her son's appeal was, but also won the sympathy of those prejudiced masses, and she could also earn two thousand dollars, or more, so that with this money, the appeal Things can go on.

Jefferson turned to her now, told her the idea, and offered to prepare for her a speech or abstracts, excerpts of the arguments—indeed all Speech.She might as well reorganize it as she likes, and then tell it, and prepare all the materials, that is, the fundamental and most basic truth about her son.And she, with a glow in her brown cheeks and a brightening in her eyes, agreed to it.She wants to try it.She can only try.Oh, oh, oh, was it not the voice of God in the darkest hour of her suffering?

However, because she was there, Clyde was supported and encouraged.Last night, didn't she come to the detention center again with his plan? After this scene passed, no matter how the sentence was pronounced, she would start her work.

Thus, almost baffled even to himself, he stood before Judge Oberworth at this darkest hour, and first heard a brief account of his guilt and of his interrogation (according to Oberworth's proclamation , the interrogation was impartial and impartial).Then he was questioned as usual: "Do you have any reason that you should not be sentenced to death now according to the law?" , and firmly insisted that this should be done) Clyde replied in a clear and resolute voice:

"I didn't do what the indictment charges me with. I didn't kill Roberta Alden at all, so I don't think I deserved that sentence."

Then he kept staring straight ahead.All he felt now was his mother's glance at him.For, at such a critical juncture, hadn't her son already announced his position in front of all these people? So she did not intend to make this point in her newsletter so that all the newspapers would publish it. come out.In her speeches in the future, she will also mention this.

However, Oberworth didn't even show a trace of surprise, and just continued, "Do you have anything else to say?"

"No," replied Clyde, after a moment's hesitation.

(End of this chapter)