The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-01

WHAT ONE WOMAN HAS DoNE.-A sin
gle fact is worth cord of theory. Dubuque,
Ia, is an cnterprisiDg city of 10000 ihhabi-
tants, with perhaps larger proportion of iu-
telligent and thoughtful people than most
western cities. 1t is one of the places that
only the best lecturers are invited to-the
second time at any rate-and the last place
in the world for duii or unread minister to
succeed in. Some years ago library was
started in a lawyers Office in this town. 1t
was a small affair not mu.h used, and of no
great account airy way. But it met want,
found friends, and grew. Presently it was
put into couple of large, quiet rooms, and
placed in charge of Miss Martha Chaddock, a
young woman of singular tact, intelligence
and energy, who devotes herself to its inter-
ests, and with remarkable success. 1t now
numbers about ouoo volumes OF well selected
books, has some thirty or forty magazines ON
its reading table, and a few of its best papers
on its rack. 1t is the popular institu ution of
the city, is visited by hundreds every week, is
the rendezvous of the most intelligent and cul-
tivated people in the afternoon, and its read
both sexes and all ages. There may be seen
a dozen boys and girls quietly reading side by
side, andlgenerally books selected by the dis
eliminating librarian. A boy brings in
book for exchange and Miss Chaddock is over
heard saying: "You have read fiction
enough for the present, John here is a book
about birds that will interest you, ard L want
| you TO take this this time" 1t is impossible
| for John to say "no' to anything that sweet,
| kind, motherly woman asks; and he devours
| the birds feathers and all. Young ladies' are
constantly invited to read the best books, and
| to talk about their contents, until they are
| rather ashamed to take even the best novels
| all the time. Professional men 90 to the Ii
braraa for the facts that bear directly on the
| case they have in hand and she refers them
them to the volume, if not 10 the chapter and
page, where they may find what they want.
Those who need comfort get the words that
drop like sunbeams into their heavy hearts;
and no one goes there without having great
thought driven like a golden nail into his
mind, so that it will stay forever and make
HIM stronger man. And so, in the quietest
| manner, without particle of noise or osten-
tation, this young woman is using these vol
umes as a means OF culture, refinement and
| virtue, and akipg what is generally allowed
to he mere pool of stagnant literary enter
taiument fountain spring OF the best intel
leclual and moral influence. And this library
has been made what il is through the tact
and energy OF its keeper. 1t is great thing
for woman 10 order her home, and train her
children WELL and help her husband in heart
and life; but it Us nobler thing for woman
who has neither home, nor children, nor nus
band, to turn away from the glitter and fasci-
nations of fashionable society and devote her
self to worthy object and so live herself in
to the hearts and lives oil hundfeds. Ahd
among the things that an intelligent and ac-
| eomnjisbed woman can do better than most
men is taking charge of library.