Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-07-07
CHAPTER xVII-Continued.

him.
CHAPTER XVII-continued.
"I can answer that" said the WON.
an. when l landed on this island, ]
found this man here. He had been
here a long time. I believe he had
been cast away here as a child and
had grown up alone. He had nc
speech or language. He had no mem
DRY of the past. His mind was a
blank. I was glad to find him here.
He gave me occupation, companion
ship. I had been well educated. I de-
termined to teach him. I knew that
his ignorance was the result of his
environment. l believed him to be
naturally acute. i found my beliefs
warranted. I taught him all that ]
could of life and letters from memory.
For three years my sole and only oc-
cupation has been to teach him what
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 a childish
babble of prayers which had remained
in my memory. / vas ignorant of
everything, even that / 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, OF sweetness, or truth, or life, or
God. until she taught me. I believed
in her as I believed in God, and flowed
her 90 / love sunlight and fresh air
sand the sweet wind. ! loved her, as I
learned to love under her teaching,
goodness and truth and every virtue.
And to think, to think, to think
No threw up his hands in a wild ges-
aure-'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 a bitter glance7-"had destroyed.
He gave me back, I 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, I 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 a 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, IN.
comfortably, unable to answer this
strange yet natural assertion. Gould
the man remember nothing?"
II learned a 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?"
'tOn the other side of the island.
You shall see 1t presently. I found a
Bible. There was a date in 1t some
80 years back and a 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 a further confirmation" said
the woman. with the Bible there
was a 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 wi eye caught the sig
nal" answered Langford.
Would God ! had died ere I gave 1t
up to her!" %interposed the man.
Il insisted upon it. So soon as I
realized this man loved me, | told him
! had a story to tell. ! knew 1t would
bring sadness to his heart. / wanted
him to hear the voice of the world in
comment upon my relation, and I
knew he would find 1t on yonder ship"
Il was happy" said the man, "to 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 1t. There is a great Charnock els.
tate In Virginia which has been held
for 80 years or more by the last sur
yivor of the ancient family. And | q
member some romantic story connect
ed with 1t, too"
THE silver box that inclosed the