Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-06-21

That inQuisitive orb OF watchfulness
was setting In crimson splendor when
she thus complacently recalled the
episode OF the morning, She went out
on the long wharf in Cedar Keys to
enjoy the gorgeous clouds boating
across the far horizon, The fish and
oyster boats were coming N heavily
laden; white sails heckcd the gray
cNpanse OF water: the gulf breeze was
gentle and soothing yet bracing,
A number of new aequaintances soon
Joined her, BY and by the moon arose,
and imagination could supply all nee
essary adjuncts and transiigure every.
thing until Venetian effects were seen.
and Venice itsolf seemed to be spread
out before them in noble and majestic
beauty,
This island town OF Keys, and
bridges, and bird,songs, and kindly
folk, interests me moro and MORE"
said Miss Carroll Knapp. II could
dwell here In perfect content, IL there
were only some worthy work for me
to do"
Thcrcupon she spoke OF her inter.
view with the colored shoemaker and
his quaint little shop, AS she dilated
somewhat earnestly upon the finale of
her conversation with him burst Of
laughter surprised her, She learned
from four or five native Floridians,
who agreed perfectly In their tesh.
mony that |, ii. Hawkins whether
one used small letters or capitals In
naming HIM, had never been known
to tell the truth In his life.
AS u matter of biography she was
told that he was not "bawn In Phila.
dclphy," hut on the island of Cedar
Keys, which he had never left for
single day since the event. as.,he had
no limbs, and from his youth had been
ON the county; that he had not bean
a public character OF any kind except
IN the role of pauper; that he had
never been married, though he had a
son who lived with him at the pres.
ent time, and who was In Jail every
few weeks for stealing; that he had
never been In the war, had no daugh.
tcrs.
Poor Carroll Knapp could have wept
then and there, not only over his total
depravity In the line OF consummate
lying, but over her own misdirected
zeal. She had believed him 30 implic-
lily.
He did not rise, yet l supposed he
had legs!" she exclaimed when she
found that his only pension" was SIS
Il month from the county. Her mind
was chaos Of sympathy and censnre,
But the vanished daughters, who
had neither limbs, nor "compllsh.
ments," nor brains. nor any mental,
moral or physical being whatever
mythical crea ture who would never be
sent to the seminary, simply because
they did not exlst--the whole educa.
tional chlmera, indeed, caused her tho
most chagrin.
What u pathetic story II would all
make" she said solemnly.
II think Il would be IA decidedly FUN
ny one" remarked a cold.b FLOODED lis.
tener. You SEQ he doesn't know he
Is lying. He lacks the moral sense for
that. He il simply a human parrot
All that he told you, every expression
he used, has been picked up from hear.
Ing someone else, Married n Southern
gal, served In the war; born In Phila.
delphla,' etc"
Il wish that attempts to do mission.
AIRY work In this world, whether on an
Island or elsewhere, were not some.
times 80 farclcal," said Carroll Knapp
the discouraged Wellesley graduate,
who longed to uplift fallen humanity
yet who seemed fated by environment
never to be able to exercise that Gu
pacity.
The following morning she saun-
tered past the small shop which was
not yet open. The bridge shook In the
wind; her veil "a new and fashiona BILE
fluted one never worn before blew Off
and was borne out of sight away on
the salt marshes OF the Keys. The
piece OF cedar board swung to and
fro rather dizzily and dismally as
she studied Its hleroglyphics In retro
spective mood, and she thought: "'rhe
day will come when, between the
wind and the tide the little shop on
stills will fall with crash as does
my credullty. suppose | must be.
lleve, though don't want to, that all
Of the statements made to me yes
terday were false. did no good at
ter all. But the white cat was scnu-
Inc. The studio was real. The sign
Though It's hand points In the wrong
direction does read true"
J
\ h. hAwkins. .