The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-25


re crazy. = they're like me. and I'm
10, Ike Them. Or what? Its all very
ishciiis
Il didn't say that you were crazy"
| said
You said that people who did fool
Ish thugs with their property
Eve said. somewhat bitterly.
you're ever so much cleverer than |
am Dat I'm older than you I'm not
lever; but kno,c more than you do.
And when tell you that it's not right
10 use your ring as q sinker-why,
that ought to be the end of it,
She flung her arms around my neck,
all the malice flown from her. at my
severe pedagogical tone, and she cud-
died her cheek against mine.
Don't be an old patch, she said
| laughed aloud
Then don't strange me-" | said.
"And'--here affected sternness, very
obviously-"don't, whatever you do,
fling your arms aoou: my neck when
I'm sitting on the edge of a cliff over
deep water. i might have fallen in"
What would happen il you did,"
she asked, much interested
should make a great splash"
said. "and yell because of the cold, and
swim ashore
Like founder she said. "If
fell In, would | swin2"
Probably not You have to be
taught TO swim. and certainly never
taught you"
She thought moment, and then,
very wheedlingly:
Teach me- she said.
Well" said /, you strike out with
your arms Hike this
No, no, hut IN the water-teach me
in the water"
The waters too cold. Eve, and any
way you can't swim Ia long skirts
But can take them off"
Eve" / said, i've often told you
that you mustn't always be wanting
to take OF your clothes before bed
time. You did, ycu know, once, and I
had to be very angry With you"
You tell me mustn't mustn't
mustn't, all day long. You tell me
that. But YOU don't tell me ,ohp.''
She pouted. and became quite sullen
for her
Why" said | presently, don't you
take big stems. some time, and drop
It OF my head? You've never tried it,
and I've never told you you mustn't do
t. It's something in your head that
tells YOU not TO. Isn't that 20? Well,
then. don't ask the reason for every
thing. II I'm here for any reason at
all, It's to say what is right and what
is wrong-just to say 1t. to announce
it, to lay it down as law. And not
to give explanations
In other words" said Eve, when
people have their clothes on, they're
good. and when they're naked they're
naughty.
A picture presented itself to me of
all the dignitaries in the world-from
the King of England to the Prince OF
Monaco-as affected by this form of
dual personality, and becoming pro-
louncedly mischievous, once at rising
and once at going to bed. pictured
myself in a frock-coat as an angelic
DR.. Jekyll, and the mere act of strip
ping for bath turning me into a
llemoniac Mr.. Hyde. And l became
crimson with suppressed laughter.
But that night, when / had said
rood night to Eve and gone to my cave,
| felt my responsibilities very heavy
upon me, and ! articulated a sort OF
prayer whose wording, perhaps, bellies
the sincerity, the real anguish of ap-
peal with which it was uttered.
God help me-" cried, for have
bitten OF more than | can chew"
Not long after the above conversa-
ton vague memories of a period prior
10 her accident began to be Swallowed
In Ewes talk and expression. Now
and then she used words that was
very sure she had not learned from
Inc; and once, at least, she quoted
fragmentarily from Mother Goose In
her bearing she began to show the
fruitE ut experiences unconnected with
the island When she was especially
merry and mischieyous, her feet some
times twinkled into one or other of the
sanctioned dance steps. And gradually.
note by note, she acquired repertoire
OF well-known and easily hummed airs.
Ills renewal of memory seemed to
start with childish things, and to adj
vance by gradual and sure steps upon
the present year of grace
All this had the fortunate effect of
making her shy with questions, and
freed me from certain amount Of
mental torment. The responsibility of
The questioned is an awful thing. A
dozen times she had brought me to
the verge Of thinking that ought to
answer her with whatever truths were
Ia mo to tell; and dozen times had
drawn back. Any way you looked at
the situation, had got myself into
mess. And | knew it, and was re-
morseful and afraid; and yet each time
that the tug came off with supplies
come demon tempted me beyond my
strength to keep Ewes existence secret
from the world until the next time.
Her memory of other times. at first
so feeble and vague, became rapidly
stronger and surer: and pointed to a
period not SO very distant when it
would be poignant and to be reckoned
with. looked forward with especial
dread to her remembering that she had
Ceen engaged; to her remembering her
parents and her love for them; and to
her demanding, in view Of these things.
Icy what right had dared to keep her
or the Island
But she reached this final stage all
OF sudden, in night. She awoke
with the memory and the knowledge
OF all that concerned her past, with
the sole exception only Of her last ride
10 the mono, and Its fatal termination
| heard hpr vnfcn CIV q