Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-03-02
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he threw UP his hands in wild ges.
ture-"that it 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-
led me within the cave call
my home, and he tore the rocks asun-
der and freed me and caught me in
his arms, l 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 not
changed in this hour"
Kate, Kate!" cried Langford, "for
Gods sake, think of what you say and
dol"
Sir" said Whitaker. turning to the
man of the island, you are very
fortunate man"
"Of all on EARTH" was the bitter an
swer II cannot think there are any
more miserable than l."
did you learn nothing of his past,
Miss Brenton?" asked Whitaker, UNI.
comfortably, unable to answer this
strange yet natural assertion. Gould
the man remember nothing?"
Il learned great DEAL" returned
the woman. I'm the cave which he
had made his home and which he has
since yielded up to me-"
Where is this cave?"
ION the other side of the island.
You shall see 1t presently. found
Bible. There was a date in it some
80 years back and name in it."
What is the name?"
John Ravell Charnock."
"Of virginia?'' asked Whitaker.
eagerly.
Il think so. although there was
nothing but the name and the date in
the Bible"
Il know Charnocks in Virginia. They
come from Nansemond county"
ut is further confirmation" said
the woman. with the Bible there
was little silver box containing a
flint and steel by means of which"
she turned to Langford-"we lighted
that beacon which brought you here
this morning"
1t was my own eye caught the sig
nal" answered Langford.
Would God had died ere gave 1t
up to her!" interposed the man.
Il insisted upon it. So soon as 1
realized this man loved me, told him
had story to tell. I knew 1t would
bring sadness to his heart. wanted
him to hear the voice of the world in
comment upon my relation, and 1
knew he would find 1t on yonder ship"
Il was happy" said the man, ito go
on as we were. should not have
lighted that fire."
Pray continue with your story.
Miss Brenton,' said the lieutenant
commander. Il am deeply interested
In It. There is great Charnock as.
tate In Virginia which has been held
for 30 years or more by the last sur
| vivor Of the ancient family. And re-
member some romantic story connect
ed with it, too
The silver box that inclosed the
mint and steel" continued the woman.
was marked J. R. c. Exploring the
island came upon the remains of a
boat, and any of you may examine It,
Near the boat in yonder coppice there
were two skeletons, one of woman
and the other of dog. Iexcavated
the boat, found that it had belonged
to the ship Nansemond of Virginia. I
have the stern pieces with the name
painted on it in my cave. put the
skeletons of the dog and the woman
in the boat and filled 1t up again with
sand. There they lie waiting Chris
tan burial. The place where they
had died, the woman and her dog, 1
carefully inspected. Everything but
metal, and most of that, had rusted
away, but ! found two rings" She
stretched forth her hand. They are
here" She stripped them off. zone
of them is a wedding ring. You see
1t is marked" She read the markings
off, -. R. c. to M. P. T. September
10. 1863, II. Cor. xii, 15. The verse Of
Scripture to- which reference is made
is i will very gladly spend and be
spent for you, though the more album
dainty l love you, the less i be loved.
There was a piece of silver, also,
which had evidently been part of a
dogs collar. 1t, too, was marked:
John Reyell Charnock-His Dog, July
22-1S75.' And that was ALL"
DO you remember nothing Of your
early life, nothing whatever, sir?.
asked Whitaker, turning to the man.
Il have dim recollection of some
sort of sea happening. of long voy.
age with woman and some kind of
an animal in an open boat, of horrible
sufferings. of few words of prayer;
that is ALL"
Il think that this man, then child :.
resumed the woman, and his mother
must in some way have been involved
in shipwreck, and that she and her
son and dog must have been cast
away on this island; that the woman
died and the child survived. There 10
nothing here that would in any way
harm him and his life and growth un.
der such circumstances and condi.
tons are quite possible. He had prob.
ably seen his mother read that Bible.
He carried it with him, put 1t in that
cave and forgot it with the flint and
steel in the silver box of which he
y would have no knowledge and which
he could not use. The dog probably
lived some time and when he died
crawled back to where his mistress
lay and gave up his life at her feet.
And therefore believe this mans
name to be John Revell Charnock;
that he is an American, and that he
came from Virginia. know him to