Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-12-29

About Her, Moving Slowly.
what they might be, and finally there
came into her mind recognition that
they were flint and steel. When she
wished, she could make a fire. She
was happy for the moment in the
knowledge and then the uselessness of
the power came across her curiously,
What did she want of fire? There was
nothing to cook. Its warmth was up-
necessary. Still she was glad to have
the ancient flame kindlers and she
laid them aside carefully in the box,
not knowing when they might be use.
full, under what circumstances invalu-
able. At least she might regard them
as apparatus which would be helpful,
in the curriculum through which she
meant her savage pupil should pass.
Then there was her watch which
she guarded as the apple of her eye.
1t was an American watch of the very
best make, and although it had gone
with her through the waters such was
the workmanship Of the case that it
had taken no harm. It was ticking
away bravely, marking time. She
thought that for her time had stopped.
and yet she was glad, indeed, for the
almost human sound 1t made when she
laid 1t lovingly against her cheek.
There were the hairpins, also, for
which she was most grateful. They.
enabled her to keep her hair in order.
She had wealth of glorious hair,
black as the midnight sky. With the
aid of the mirror and Of the comb,
which also was . priceless treasuvs,
she arranged 1t carefully according to
the mode which best became her.
Sometimes when she had finished her
toilet, she shot glance at the watch
full man, 9 human, natural instructive
glance, but she was able to detect no
change In his mental attitude, which
was that Of such complete and entire
alteration, mingled with timidity and
hesitation. that no transient change
apparently was able to modify it. He
looked upon her as he might have
looked upon q god, she thought, had he
known what god was and had there
been such a thing to look at.
There was also the pair Of scissors.
together with the little housewife with
needles and thread. Mirror, hairpins,
scissors, sewing materials, comb
woman's gear and the Bible,
woman's book, she reflected with GER
tain bitterness, unconscious of the
truth OF her thought--a book for chill
4dren, old women, and women.led men!
Well, that philosophy upon which she
prided herself must come to her as.
sistance now and she could not afford
to disdain the volume which was all
that the world of many books offered
to her for her purpose, because she
did not believe in it. The truth was
IN her and she could tell him what It
was despite the assertion of the
printed pages. "
In the leather bag there was abso-
lutely nothing except broken glass
and scratched bottle tops of silver and
the bag itself was ruined. She sepa-
rated the pieces of metal and the
metal fittings of the bag, which were
also of silver, and filling the rotting
leather with sand she presently sank
1t in the lagoon.
Last OF all she examined what she
had brought from the other shore of
the island the night before. The sill.
yer was furnished. but by rubbing it in
the sand she soon frightened it. 1t
was heavily engraved and she had
no difficulty in making out the words:
John Reyell Charnock-His Dog"
After that was date July 90.
1875" John Revell Charnock then
would be 81 years old. assuming that
this was he and that the dog had been
given him when he was born. 1t was
more probable. however. that he was
from three to five years old before
he became the owner of dog, which
would make him about rs.
The man before her looked younger
to her scrutiny than that. Care and
trouble had passed him by. With
nothing to vex him he might have
been any age. He would probably
look Just as he was for 20 years or
more. Still fancifully adjusting ex-
sSAAeaA ASAdliOuS u. luIeTudl reIdtlO0S,
which, after all, she realized was the
secret Of life according to her favorite
philosopher, che concluded that the
man was rs, three years older than
she at that moment, a proper differ
ence in their ages for 4. Her
face famed She scarcely knew why,
and she turned to an inspection Of the
rings.
The first was diamond, a solitaire,
OF rare beauty. she judged Although
she was not especially expert in such
matters, she deemed 1t must be of
great value. There was no inscrip.
ton Of any sort within the narrow
hoop Of gold, although she searched
keenly the inner surface. The diamond
was curiously set There was an ex.
quisite tracery of little coat Of arms
on either side of the setting, done IN
miniature but with skill to marvel
at, too small even for her brilliant
vision to decipher In detail. -
!, The Other abe. ,reco4nize6.s 4rtth .