The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-10-07

After one of these visits was assigned to
another room. / was very glad of this, Tor
| my companions had somehow grown rainer
| tiresome. No one occupied this room with
| me. 1t was small, but very neat, and hao u
| window which overlooked a beautiful, YER
dant country, with river showing among
the trees, and beyond it, sloping hills that
rose one above the other, with tidy farms
| and houses, in whose windows twInKied
bright lights at nighttime. My new friend
continued his visits to me here. lie was
| fine, large man, with tawny beard, wide
brow, pleasant eyes, and very soft voice
with agreeable modulatious l grew very
| fond of him.
There were several books in the room,
| lying carelessly about. There seemed some
I thug familiar about them, and enjoyed
| them more and more as / read them over
and over. or rather here and there, rs they
CHANGED TO open when took them up. My
friend came now very often, and nearly
always brought new book. Sometimes he
would talk with me about those had read.
| have been allowed to see the record of his
visits, aud find they extended over period
of two years, though l cannot make 1T seem
| so long The truth is that / did not fully
awake that first morning when sat up and
rubbed my eyes, hut only began to awake.
One day this friend brought me book
that l read with great delight. 1t was the
story of q man who lived alone upon an
island. His name was Robinson Crusoe. and
from the first it seemed familiar. But it
was not until came to his man Friday that
l recognized him as an old friend. Then
. mist seemed TO roll away. and | saw boy
reading this same book, sitting in an open
glade of wood with dog lying beside
him. l knew that the boy was myself, and
the dogs name was Rover.
Then looked at the other books in the
room, and at the names of their authors,
and knew them Also began to recall
their contents, too, and was delighted to find
how familiar they were to me, though l
could not remember when had read them,
and did not somehow realize that had ever
forgotten them. When my friend came the
next day he seemed greatly delighted at
what / had told him, and said, gleefully,
rubbing his large, soft hands together:
We shall get on. now we shall get on. )"
After time he turned to me quickly, and
asked:
"What is your name?"
His question took me by surprise, and
could not answer.
my name? Ny name?" / stammered !;
| 1t occurred to me that had a name, and
would willingly have told him what it was
| if could have remembered il. But / could
not. SO l only repeated YEARLY and con-
| fusedly:
My name? Ny name?"
Yes, Sir" said my friend angrily, rising
from his chair and looking down upon me.
He was tall man, and very large, rs have
said. He seemed almost to fill the room,
now, in his anger.
Yes sir; your name," he repeated. "You
seem to be q gentleman, SO / suppose you
have name. Here you have been a guest
IN my house for long time, and have come
TO see you every day, but you have never
told me your name. 1t is time we had an
introduction. My name is Walcott, Dir.
William Walcott, and / would he much
pleased if You would tell me you're"
| felt the force OF his remark. and was
greatly annoyed that / should have been
guilty of such grave discourtesy as he had
charged. So his name was Walcott. 1t
| seemed curious tha@ l had not learned the
fact before; we had been friends so long.
Every one had name Of course-leobinson
Crusoe, Shakspere, Scott, his name | r.
called was Sir Walter, though l had not
thought of it before, and-and-oh, a per-
! lect no0d OF names fuSneQ on my conscious
ness at once. They seemed to be marching
through my memory in columns aud pla-
toons, some with familiar faces ard some on
| printed pages. They came trooping from
every corner of my brain, until / wondered
where they had been hidden away, and why
| they had been hidden at all.
But which of them was mine or had any
of them been used to distinguish my per-
sonality? Who was I :? I was sure 1 had
been somebody and ought still to be some
bOdy-bnt who? who? vino was L?
| l could not tell. There was little mirror
hanging against the wall of the room at The
other end. l got up, went over and glared
| at my reflection in it. Whose was the face
l saw? What name had that visage ever
borne? There seemed something familiar
about lt-somethiDg which almost brought
back past had known and ought to be
| able to recall, but could not. / turned to
| my friend and said:
Il cannot tell you"
"You mean you WiH not" he returned,
! severely. / shook my head.
Il shall not stand this t-ifling any longer.n
he said. " If you will No: tell me your
name, cannot, as a gentleman, hold any
farther intercourse with you. When Won are