Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-09-15
CHAPTER xVII--contInued.

II can answer that" said the wom-
an. when landed on this island,
found this man here. He had been
here a long time. l believe he had
been cast away here as a child and
had grown up alone. He had no
speech or language. He had no mem
ory of the past. His mind was a
blank. I was glad to find him here.
He gave me occupation, companion
ship. had been well educated. de-
termined to teach him. knew that
his ignorance was the result Of his
environment. ! believed him to be
naturally acute. found my beliefs
warranted. I taught him all that
could of life and letters from memory.
For three years my sole and only &C.
cupation has been to teach him what l
knew. No preceptor ever had apter
or more docile pupil"
mo learner ever sat at the feet Of
such a teacher" cried the man,
touched by the recollection. Think,
men, all that I knew was childish
babble of prayers which had remained
in my memory. was ignorant OF
everything, even that I myself exist
ed; that there was any difference be-
tween me and the palm tree or yon-
der bird; that man was made in the
image of his God; that there was such
a thing as a woman upon earth. had
no ideas of honor or honesty, or pur-
ity. or sweetness, or truth, or life, or
God, until she taught me. I believed
in her as 1 believed in God, and loved
her as / love sunlight and fresh air
and the sweet wind. loved her, as
learned to love under her teaching,
goodness and truth and every virtue,
And to think, to think, to think"
he threw Up his hands in wild ges'
ture-"that 1t has come to this"
"And he taught me something, Mr.
Whitaker" said the woman. HE
gave me back my faith in manhood
which YOU" she swept Langford
with bitter glance-"had destroyed
He gave me back, think, my faith in
God. He taught me many things. And
when two days ago an earthquake bur
aA.led me within the cave cal
my home, and he tore the rocks asun
der and freed me and caught me II
his arms, 1 knew that he had taught
me what love was, and as he con
fessed before you all that he loved me
that he did love me, will confess the
same, and say that at least have no
changed in this hour"
"Kate. Kate!" cried Langford, "fol
Gods sake. think of what you say and
dol"
"Sir," said Whitaker, turning to thu
man of the island, you are a yer!
fortunate man."
"Of all on EARTH" was the bitter an
swer, 81 cannot think there are an!
more miserable than l."
"Did you learn nothing of his past
Miss Brenton?" asked Whitaker, un
comfortably, unable to answer thi
strange yet natural assertion. "Coult
the man remember nothing?"
81 learned a great deal" returne'
the woman. "In the cave which b
had made his home and which he ha
since yielded up to me-"
"Where is this cave?"
"on the other side of the island
You shall see it presently. found
Bible. There was date In 1t som
- years back and name in It,"
"What is the manner"
"John Ravell Charnock,"
"of virginia?" asked Whittakel
eagerly.
81 think so. although there wa
nothing but the name and the date
the Bible
II know Charnocks in Virginia. The
come from Nansemond county
1T is further confirmation" sal
the woman. with the Bible theI
was little oliver box containing
flint and steel by means of which,
abe turned to Langford-"we lighte
that beacon which brought you her
this morning
st was my own eye caught the si
nal" answered Langford
would Gou had died ere I gave
up 70 bert" interposed the man.
II insisted upon IT, So soon as
realized this man loved me, told hi
had story TO tell. knew it woul