XXVII + 

The dreary aftermath of a great contest and a great failure, with the general public from coast to coastвБ†вАФin view of this stern local interpretation of the tragedyвБ†вАФfirmly convinced that Clyde was guilty and, as heralded by the newspapers everywhere, that he had been properly convicted. The pathos of that poor little murdered country girl! Her sad letters! How she must have suffered! That weak defense! Even the Griffiths of Denver were so shaken by the evidence as the trial had progressed that they scarcely dared read the papers openlyвБ†вАФone to the otherвБ†вАФbut, for the most part, read of it separately and alone, whispering together afterwards of the damning, awful deluge of circumstantial evidence. Yet, after reading BelknapвАЩs speech and ClydeвАЩs own testimony, this little family group that had struggled along together for so long coming to believe in their own son and brother in spite of all they had previously read against him. And because of thisвБ†вАФduring the trial as well as afterwardsвБ†вАФwriting him cheerful and hopeful letters, based frequently on letters from him in which he insisted over and over again that he was not guilty. Yet once convicted, and out of the depths of his despair wiring his mother as he didвБ†вАФand the papers confirming itвБ†вАФabsolute consternation in the Griffiths family. For was not this proof? Or, was it? All the papers seemed to think so. And they rushed reporters to Mrs.¬†Griffiths, who, together with her little brood, had sought refuge from the unbearable publicity in a remote part of Denver entirely removed from the mission world. A venal moving-van company had revealed her address. + 

And now this American witness to the rule of God upon earth, sitting in a chair in her shabby, nondescript apartment, hard-pressed for the very means to sustain herselfвБ†вАФdegraded by the milling forces of life and the fell and brutal blows of chanceвБ†вАФyet serene in her trustвБ†вАФand declaring: вАЬI cannot think this morning. I seem numb and things look strange to me. My boy found guilty of murder! But I am his mother and I am not convinced of his guilt by any means! He has written me that he is not guilty and I believe him. And to whom should he turn with the truth and for trust if not to me? But there is He who sees all things and who knows.вАЭ + 

At the same time there was so much in the long stream of evidence, as well as ClydeвАЩs first folly in Kansas City, that had caused her to wonderвБ†вАФand fear. Why was he unable to explain that folder? Why couldnвАЩt he have gone to the girlвАЩs aid when he could swim so well? And why did he proceed so swiftly to the mysterious Miss XвБ†вАФwhoever she was? Oh, surely, surely, surely, she was not going to be compelled, in spite of all her faith, to believe that her eldestвБ†вАФthe most ambitious and hopeful, if restless, of all of her children, was guilty of such a crime! No! She could not doubt himвБ†вАФeven now. Under the merciful direction of a living God, was it not evil in a mother to believe evil of a child, however dread his erring ways might seem? In the silence of the different rooms of the mission, before she had been compelled to remove from there because of curious and troublesome visitors, had she not stood many times in the center of one of those miserable rooms while sweeping and dusting, free from the eye of any observerвБ†вАФher head thrown back, her eyes closed, her strong, brown face molded in homely and yet convinced and earnest linesвБ†вАФa figure out of the early Biblical days of her six-thousand-year-old worldвБ†вАФand earnestly directing her thoughts to that imaginary throne which she saw as occupied by the living, giant mind and body of the living GodвБ†вАФher Creator. And praying by the quarter and the half hour that she be given strength and understanding and guidance to know of her sonвАЩs innocence or guiltвБ†вАФand if innocent that this searing burden of suffering be lifted from him and her and all those dear to him and herвБ†вАФor if guilty, she be shown how to doвБ†вАФhow to endure the while he be shown how to wash from his immortal soul forever the horror of the thing he had doneвБ†вАФmake himself once more, if possible, white before the Lord. + 

вАЬThou art mighty, O God, and there is none beside Thee. Behold, to Thee all things are possible. In Thy favor is Life. Have mercy, O God. Though his sins be as scarlet, make him white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, make them as wool.вАЭ + 

Yet in her thenвБ†вАФand as she prayedвБ†вАФwas the wisdom of Eve in regard to the daughters of Eve. That girl whom Clyde was alleged to have slainвБ†вАФwhat about her? Had she not sinned too? And was she not older than Clyde? The papers said so. Examining the letters, line by line, she was moved by their pathos and was intensely and pathetically grieved for the misery that had befallen the Aldens. Nevertheless, as a mother and woman full of the wisdom of ancient Eve, she saw how Roberta herself must have consentedвБ†вАФhow the lure of her must have aided in the weakening and the betrayal of her son. A strong, good girl would not have consentedвБ†вАФcould not have. How many confessions about this same thing had she not heard in the mission and at street meetings? And might it not be said in ClydeвАЩs favorвБ†вАФas in the very beginning of life in the Garden of EdenвБ†вАФвАЬthe woman tempted meвАЭ? + 

TrulyвБ†вАФand because of thatвБ†вАФ + 

вАЬHis mercy endureth forever,вАЭ she quoted. And if His mercy endurethвБ†вАФmust that of ClydeвАЩs mother be less? + 

вАЬIf ye have faith, so much as the grain of a mustard seed,вАЭ she quoted to herselfвБ†вАФand now, in the face of these importuning reporters added: вАЬDid my son kill her? That is the question. Nothing else matters in the eyes of our Maker,вАЭ and she looked at the sophisticated, callous youths with the look of one who was sure that her God would make them understand. And even so they were impressed by her profound sincerity and faith. вАЬWhether or not the jury has found him guilty or innocent is neither here nor there in the eyes of Him who holds the stars in the hollow of His hand. The juryвАЩs finding is of men. It is of the earthвАЩs earthy. I have read his lawyerвАЩs plea. My son himself has told me in his letters that he is not guilty. I believe my son. I am convinced that he is innocent.вАЭ + 

And Asa in another corner of the room, saying little. Because of his lack of comprehension of the actualities as well as his lack of experience of the stern and motivating forces of passion, he was unable to grasp even a tithe of the meaning of this. He had never understood Clyde or his lacks or his feverish imaginings, so he said, and preferred not to discuss him. + 

вАЬBut,вАЭ continued Mrs.¬†Griffiths, вАЬat no time have I shielded Clyde in his sin against Roberta Alden. He did wrong, but she did wrong too in not resisting him. There can be no compromising with sin in anyone. And though my heart goes out in sympathy and love to the bleeding heart of her dear mother and father who have suffered so, still we must not fail to see that this sin was mutual and that the world should know and judge accordingly. Not that I want to shield him,вАЭ she repeated. вАЬHe should have remembered the teachings of his youth.вАЭ And here her lips compressed in a sad and somewhat critical misery. вАЬBut I have read her letters too. And I feel that but for them, the prosecuting attorney would have no real case against my son. He used them to work on the emotions of the jury.вАЭ She got up, tried as by fire, and exclaimed, tensely and beautifully: вАЬBut he is my son! He has just been convicted. I must think as a mother how to help him, however I feel as to his sin.вАЭ She gripped her hands together, and even the reporters were touched by her misery. вАЬI must go to him! I should have gone before. I see it now.вАЭ She paused, discovering herself to be addressing her inmost agony, need, fear, to these public ears and voices, which might in no wise understand or care. + 

вАЬSome people wonder,вАЭ now interrupted one of these sameвБ†вАФa most practical and emotionally calloused youth of ClydeвАЩs own ageвБ†вАФвАЬwhy you werenвАЩt there during the trial. DidnвАЩt you have the money to go?вАЭ + 

вАЬI had no money,вАЭ she replied simply. вАЬNot enough, anyhow. And besides, they advised me not to comeвБ†вАФthat they did not need me. But nowвБ†вАФnow I must goвБ†вАФin some wayвБ†вАФI must find out how.вАЭ She went to a small shabby desk, which was a part of the sparse and colorless equipment of the room. вАЬYou boys are going downtown,вАЭ she said. вАЬWould one of you send a telegram for me if I give you the money?вАЭ + 

вАЬSure!вАЭ exclaimed the one who had asked her the rudest question. вАЬGive it to me. You donвАЩt need any money. IвАЩll have the paper send it.вАЭ Also, as he thought, he would write it up, or in, as part of his story. + 

She seated herself at the yellow and scratched desk and after finding a small pad and pen, she wrote: вАЬClydeвБ†вАФTrust in God. All things are possible to Him. Appeal at once. Read Psalm 51. Another trial will prove your innocence. We will come to you soon. Father and Mother.вАЭ + 

вАЬPerhaps I had just better give you the money,вАЭ she added, nervously, wondering whether it would be well to permit a newspaper to pay for this and wondering at the same time if ClydeвАЩs uncle would be willing to pay for an appeal. It might cost a great deal. Then she added: вАЬItвАЩs rather long.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, donвАЩt bother about that!вАЭ exclaimed another of the trio, who was anxious to read the telegram. вАЬWrite all you want. WeвАЩll see that it goes.вАЭ + 

вАЬI want a copy of that,вАЭ added the third, in a sharp and uncompromising tone, seeing that the first reporter was proceeding to take and pocket the message. вАЬThis isnвАЩt private. I get it from you or herвБ†вАФnow!вАЭ + 

And at this, number one, in order to avoid a scene, which Mrs.¬†Griffiths, in her slow way, was beginning to sense, extracted the slip from his pocket and turned it over to the others, who there and then proceeded to copy it. + 

At the same time that this was going on, the Griffiths of Lycurgus, having been consulted as to the wisdom and cost of a new trial, disclosed themselves as by no means interested, let alone convinced, that an appealвБ†вАФat least at their expenseвБ†вАФwas justified. The torture and sociallyвБ†вАФif not commerciallyвБ†вАФdestroying force of all thisвБ†вАФevery hour of it a Golgotha! Bella and her social future, to say nothing of Gilbert and hisвБ†вАФcompletely overcast and charred by this awful public picture of the plot and crime that one of their immediate blood had conceived and executed! Samuel Griffiths himself, as well as his wife, fairly macerated by this blasting flash from his well-intentioned, though seemingly impractical and nonsensical good deed. Had not a long, practical struggle with life taught him that sentiment in business was folly? Up to the hour he had met Clyde he had never allowed it to influence him in any way. But his mistaken notion that his youngest brother had been unfairly dealt with by their father! And now this! This! His wife and daughter compelled to remove from the scene of their happiest years and comforts and live as exilesвБ†вАФperhaps foreverвБ†вАФin one of the suburbs of Boston, or elsewhereвБ†вАФor forever endure the eyes and sympathy of their friends! And himself and Gilbert almost steadily conferring ever since as to the wisdom of uniting the business in stock form with some of the others of Lycurgus or elsewhereвБ†вАФor, if not that, of transferring, not by degrees but speedily, to either Rochester or Buffalo or Boston or Brooklyn, where a main plant might be erected. The disgrace of this could only be overcome by absenting themselves from Lycurgus and all that it represented to them. They must begin life all over againвБ†вАФsocially at least. That did not mean so much to himself or his wifeвБ†вАФtheir day was about over anyhow. But Bella and Gilbert and MyraвБ†вАФhow to rehabilitate them in some way, somewhere? + 

And so, even before the trial was finished, a decision on the part of Samuel and Gilbert Griffiths to remove the business to South Boston, where they might decently submerge themselves until the misery and shame of this had in part at least been forgotten. + 

And because of this further aid to Clyde absolutely refused. And Belknap and Jephson then sitting down together to consider. For obviously, their time being as valuable as it wasвБ†вАФdevoted hitherto to the most successful practice in BridgeburgвБ†вАФand with many matters waiting on account of the pressure of this particular caseвБ†вАФthey were by no means persuaded that either their practical self-interest or their charity permitted or demanded their assisting Clyde without further recompense. In fact, the expense of appealing this case was going to be considerable as they saw it. The record was enormous. The briefs would be large and expensive, and the StateвАЩs allowance for them was pitifully small. At the same time, as Jephson pointed out, it was folly to assume that the western Griffiths might not be able to do anything at all. Had they not been identified with religious and charitable work this long while? And was it not possible, the tragedy of ClydeвАЩs present predicament pointed out to them, that they might through appeals of various kinds raise at least sufficient money to defray the actual costs of such an appeal? Of course, they had not aided Clyde up to the present time but that was because his mother had been notified that she was not needed. It was different now. + 

вАЬBetter wire her to come on,вАЭ suggested Jephson, practically. вАЬWe can get Oberwaltzer to set the sentence over until the tenth if we say that she is trying to come on here. Besides, just tell her to do it and if she says she canвАЩt weвАЩll see about the money then. But sheвАЩll be likely to get it and maybe some towards the appeal too.вАЭ + 

And forthwith a telegram and a letter to Mrs.¬†Griffiths, saying that as yet no word had been said to Clyde but none-the-less his Lycurgus relatives had declined to assist him further in any way. Besides, he was to be sentenced not later than the tenth, and for his own future welfare it was necessary that someoneвБ†вАФpreferably herselfвБ†вАФappear. Also that funds to cover the cost of an appeal be raised, or at least the same guaranteed. + 

And then Mrs.¬†Griffiths, on her knees praying to her God to help her. Here, now, he must show his Almighty handвБ†вАФhis never-failing mercy. Enlightenment and help must come from somewhereвБ†вАФotherwise how was she to get the fare, let alone raise money for ClydeвАЩs appeal? + 

Yet as she prayedвБ†вАФon her kneesвБ†вАФa thought. The newspapers had been hounding her for interviews. They had followed her here and there. Why had she not gone to her sonвАЩs aid? What did she think of this? What of that? And now she said to herself, why should she not go to the editor of one of the great papers so anxious to question her always and tell him how great was her need? Also, that if he would help her to reach her son in time to be with him on his day of sentence that she, his mother, would report the same for him. These papers were sending their reporters here, thereвБ†вАФeven to the trial, as she had read. Why not herвБ†вАФhis mother? Could she not speak and write too? How many, many tracts had she not composed? + 

And so now to her feetвБ†вАФonly to sink once more on her knees: вАЬThou hast answered me, oh, my God!вАЭ she exclaimed. Then rising, she got out her ancient brown coat, the commonplace brown bonnet with stringsвБ†вАФbased on some mood in regard to religious liveryвБ†вАФand at once proceeded to the largest and most important newspaper. And because of the notoriety of her sonвАЩs trial she was shown directly to the managing editor, who was as much interested as he was impressed and who listened to her with respect and sympathy. He understood her situation and was under the impression that the paper would be interested in this. He disappeared for a few momentsвБ†вАФthen returned. She would be employed as a correspondent for a period of three weeks, and after that until further notice. Her expenses to and fro would be covered. An assistant, into whose hands he would now deliver her would instruct her as to the method of preparing and filing her communications. He would also provide her with some ready cash. She might even leave tonight if she choseвБ†вАФthe sooner, the better. The paper would like a photograph or two before she left. But as he talked, and as he noticed, her eyes were closedвБ†вАФher head back. She was offering thanks to the God who had thus directly answered her plea. + 