The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-10-01

| From 'Once q Week
| 1t certainly lisa very comfortable place. The
cushion on my chair is luxuriousIy padded
The table before me is just the right height
for writing. That elaborate and intricate con-
trivance, all pad and hinge and suap and rest
that comes down with such startling bang,
and clatter is the very thing for fat foIios and
unWieldly lexicons. | sit in room of which
| am sure Aladdin, had he ever seen it. would
have built duplicate in his mushroom pal
ace, so spacious its area-so vast its cerulean
dome, | enjoy all Selkirk's boundless domin-
ion with none ofthat solitary monarch's bound
less discomfort. There is wealth at my com
mand that Cresus, though he was no fool,
could never dream of. | have but to rub nv
lamp beg pardon-to sign {. voucher, and
one OF the patient and courteous Jinns, who
wait to perform my behests, will deposit be-
fore me whatever portion [ choose to demand
OF the glorious treasure that the mind of man
has stored in books. This stately hall is built
for me. | walk in and take my place like
master IN his home, Any one else must keep
silence, that | may read in peace No one can
disturb my privacy. 1t is really very comfor-
table. Even the temperatures carefully req
ulated, with a view to the warmth of NV
body. All honor to the man who founded this
place for English students, say l. Out of my
heart speak--I who can have elsewhere, /
am thankful to say, quiet room and a store.
though small one, of books. If am thus
grateful, what must be the advantage of this
room to the many-too many-poor Helots
Of the kingdom Of literature, whose toll is car
ried on in poverty and neglect? What an
indispensable boon this room must be-to this
old man who sits on my left.
So L unused, as | sat in the library of the
British Museum. 1t was in the autumn of
the year 1861. | was engaged in work which
required frequent reference to some rare old
MSS, and which would probably make it nee
essary for me to undertake pilgrimage to the
Palace OF bloomsbury three or four times in
every week for about month. | was struck
as who is not with the lavish complete
ness OF the great institution and | could not
but imagine the deeper feeling of luxury and
comfort which would strike one who. like nv
self, had obtained the privilege of card of
admission, but who, unlike myself had come
forth from squalorand scant food in themorn-
ing, and would return to squalor and scant
food at night. 1t was very easy to apply all
this to my neighbor.
He was an old man, bent with years.
Sparse hairs struggled long and unkempt on
his head and low on his breast there wander
ed, as on that of Merlin,
The lists OF sucn beard as youth gone out
Had !eft in ashes,
His face was pinched, and wan, and trans
parent but about the haggard features there
still llngeredthe light of a calmly spent youth,
andtrom the halt-buried eyes there still flashed
sparks Of intellectual fire. His dress was worn
and mean to the last degree but there was a
certain refinement showing, like the beauty
OF Cophetua's queen, through an old coat
whose original color not all uOundsditch, could
have discovered. No one meeting that shah
by tigure-no one, that is, with an atom of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ever have seen in it
the ruins of rowdy, or the clever get-up of
a professional imposter. Before him Law
thick MS. book, Of which apparently three
quarters were filled He was diligently ex-
aiming one Of a pile of dingy foIios, yellow
MSS, and many books Of reference which
covered his portion Of the table Ever and
anon he added a sentence to his work, an d
without attempting to read the words, could
see that they were written in the minutest of
all the types" Of chirography. The thin
hands shook with palsy Of excitement when |
ever the searching eyes had discovered a |
passage winch suggested or required an in |
serton III the progressing page, The old |
man was evidently an enthusiast in his work.
Not that | noticed even this much on INV
first visit to the Museum but when.dav after
day, saw the same old man seated in the same
place, filling the same Ms with extracts from
the same pile of books, could not but OBJ |
serve this and more. As often as the previ- |
Gus occupation Of an earlier visitor did not
thwart me, l took the same seat. But wheth- |
er was or was nOtin time for mine. no one ev-
er frustrated the old man. Only to those who |
have never seen the Museum library need | |
explain that for the convenience OF the attend |
ants, as well as that Of the readers, the seats
are all lettered and numbered. Whenever | !
could | appropriated D. Z; but whether | or
another occupied d. 7, the old man was inva-
rlably to be seen in D. s. | began to look on
him as part Of the building. 1 should have
been as much startled at his absence as by that
OF the statues of the pediment. or the squat |
ting loins Of the ratings. Always the same
Struggling white hair and wandering beard
always the same threadbare coat, buttoned
so closely around the narrow, and, I am fear
tul shirtless breast; always the same timid
glance over the shoulder at every passing
toottall-glance eloquent OF the sorrowful
eowardice that is bred by poverty and debt;
always the same ceaseless collation. of tawny