The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-14
HOURS IN A LIBRARY.
QUEER SCENES aNo NOTIONS:
A Lelt.r.rla til. LsSSy Glt.. Al. lnpr.s,loa. Of
the People Who PatrOaIIs the Inhitatloa.
TAs ahtAk. That 0ftsa Bappsa-rhs
Place TO Study aaasa Natrrs.
"Have you got a card?"
"shure, an | hayen't!n

you can get a book" a,
"Now, is thut so?" :.
"It is" ~. y, a.gt-,
This dialogue was carried on between the
Librarian OF the Wheeling Public Library
and motherly looking Irishwoman of about
40 summers. She, like many others, was
ignorant OF the red tape that had to be un-
wound before she could be received into
full communion and enjoy the privileges the
Library afforded. While the question was
not exactly akin to "What shall I do to be
saved" the situation resolved itself into
the conundrun well, "what shall do to
obtain this coveted privilege?"
eAre you married." asked the Librarian,
quoting from the catechism laid down by
the Board Of Education, a..
"shure, am. l have foive blessed chill
dren.n .ls5-5 iLl l5 q e954
"Haye you anyone to vouch for your"
continued the in9uisitor, 10 .fl5-,,
Have !; hayeli Well ye wud think 90
II me husband wins here.
After u few minutes rational talk the
honest lady was made to see through the
mysteries OF the rules governing the Ii
brary, and she lett with an application in
her hand, somewhat mollihed.
A PLACE TO STUDY HUMAN NATURE.
Scenes like the above occur almost daily.
which relieve The monotonous task ofthe
Libranian and his assistants. But the yisi-
tor to the rooms knows little OF the daily
call on the stock of patience possessed BY
the afable Librarian and his assistants.
II js, II baye forgotten my card" "WhyI
didn't know owed tilt:"a "Wont you
give me another book, matte mistake in
the number" and so on aR nauSedm. A
student Of human nature aud the variety OF
tast,s s that prevail among the fair and the
sterner sex, by dsllyinga an hour or so day
in the library rooms, could gather material
enough to not only write book but vol
umes. The giggling school girl, the eighing
youth; the rosy checked maiden, the
thoughtful young man; the sedate matron
and the middle.aged man, all display man
nen and tastes widely different, and often
amusing to the quiet and critical observer.
"Do you ever meet with cranks?" asked
the critical observer, of the Librarian.
"REAp THIS HOOK AND pIR.p ..sJ
Occasionally. The other daya gentle
man presented his card with a number
marked thereon, cllling for certain book.
He got it. lie was examining it.as he
walked slowly towards the door, when he
suddenly wheeled In his tracks and handed
back the volume, explaining that ten leaves
were missing, He pored over the cata.
logue and selected another one, but after a
few moments examination he acknowl-
edged he was looking cross,eyed at girl
across the table when he marked the num-
ber down, and that II wasn't the book he
wanted. He made another trial, and clutch
ing the volume he walked with solemn
mien to the exit, when all at once pang
shot through his soul. With countenance
clouded with sadness he returned to the
desk, opened the book at the title page,
and placed 1t before me, and with meas
ured tread left the room. What frightened
him? Why, some one had scribbled on the
page, Read this book and lie down and
die suppose be thought too much OF
this world to risk the perusal OF the work.
His analytical mind weighed the chances
OF death carefully aud he fled from the
danger" i" f@ ~
"Don't these young girls generally take
to light literature, love stories and the like2"
pensively asked the ISrgLLIeENoER in
truder. .5..,
"DoNr SAY TOLD YOU"
"For goodness sake, don'tsay told you,
but they do. In the language OF some ex-
tinct poet, %
Atall times the young girls fancy 2.
Lightly turns 10 Thoughts Of love. ,.
"Still, anu not prepared TO say, but
they generally swarm around such brouch-
ures as The Married Belle "a Pair OF
Blue Eyes Ten Old Maids and The
Young Wife But" confessed the speaker,
II don't see that 1t signifies anything in
particular. l used to be guilty OF the same
friyolity, and you observe that am still
singleh-this said with q hall. .Vesuvius Sigh.
"Any ridiculous occurrences ever hap
pen?" %
"Yes, once-oh, many times, but this
one in particular. A handsome young lady
came tripping in the room and thrust her
card right under my noss. II was blank
on one side, and reverently turned It
over, and was almost paralyzed by seeing
the photograph Of handsomeyoungm man.
was nonplussed, but the only way to relieve
the embarrassment that must have ensaed
was to speak Of 1t lightly, and ! tlippantly
remarked, He is very handsome, indeed;
when does the wedding come off, The
young lady had presence Of mind enough
70 appreciate the situation, and though
blushipg deeply, turned otfthesubiect in an
equally light and felicitious vein."
"Now tell me, do you have many torn
and disfgured books returned" persisted
the reporter. ..... 4,a.'-
... TELIrTALE MARKS. q.
"Yes, a great many. We eau tell 10
some degree Of certainty whether there is
a baby with voracious appetitei for printed
matter in the family, or whether the pet /.
poodle has been allowed to have his own
way. There's sample, look on that wreck
Of matter" said the obliging Informant
pointing TO pile OF books marked 'ready
for the delay and pleasure Of the book
binder" .+.... SD. T.-l %
Seriously speaking, and with malice left
to the four winds ot heaven, what class Of
people take out the most solid and benefi-
cial works." ..tr
snow, you are going to be surprised and
will hardly credit what say. II tis the col.
ored people who are fondest OF biography,
travels and history. Ills somewhat singu.
lar, ! must own, but It Is nevertheless an
undeniable fact. They thirst for that
they have never had an inkling
of. II Is good sign" IgI.F n,
At that moment the conversation was
interrupted by sprightly blonde, who
wanted 'Sfen Old Maids" and fearing abe
miUht chanua her mind and cnvaf ano ala