St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-19

improving my mind thereby, as every
well-regulated young woman should do
when she can't go skating Or to the
matinee-ttat man politely remarked:
"Sheriff's Office is on the first floor.
ma'am." Wonder who he thought
wanted?
He then gave me the ear marks by
which one may know the different sorts
of book worms who infest public read
ing rooms. l didn't listen attentively,
because he had made a mistake In my
case, for | am book worm as matter
of principle, when | can't devise any
more hilarious way of passing leisure
time. But it is true tina one can see odd
and interesting types Of human nature
tarrying about the various departments
of the public library. L don't know
whether st. Paul averages more p-cu-
liar types of the human animal than
other cities in proportion to population,
but | must confess that | didn't read a
page of my magazine yesterday after
noon. 1t was SO much more interesting
To watch and listen to people. At
first sight the ladies' reading room
doesn't seem adapted for observation.
After traversing labyrinth Of narrow
passages. literally placarded with di-
reading room for ''hOrrid men," as the
old maids say. [ might parenthetically
remark that most of US think the oppo-
site sex quite attractive until we reach
the shady side of thirty and are still
waiting for one of the creatures to
choose us. The mems reading room
seemed to be well filled. | did not stop
to stare at them just then for fear it
might not be good form or perhaps
scare some Of them away; but looked
about for the ladies' special retreat.
This room is a sort of gallery near the
roof of the building. being reached by a
short stairway leading from the more
public room. Some one has consider
ateiy placed a tall screen at the foot of
the stairway, also curtain along tine
balustrade: SO that the demure maiden
can ascend the stairway without being
tormented by the fancy that q halt
dozen naughty men are taking note of
the fact that she wears striped hose and
dainty torchOn embroidery on the edge
of her divided skirt. sorrowfully
note the fact that the same demure
maiden finds it convenient to move her
chair and sOciety novel over to the rail-
ing, from whence good view can he
had of the occupants of the gentlemen's
reading room. Not for that reason,
however. "rhe light is better over
there" she calmly remarks as she adj
justs her dainty eyegIass. A little di-
version of some sort is perhaps excusa-
BILE, for the four windows in the room
are so near the ceiling that it's neces-
sary to climb on the radiators in order
to look ont, and all the ladies will agree
with me that an occasional glance out
of the window is a helpful adjunct to
solid reading or hard thinking.
The reading room s-almost nun-like
in its simplicity. a floor mat of neutral
tints, long oak tables, wooden chairs.
incandescent lights, gilded radiators
and the W0man's Journal comprising
the outfit. The furnishings didn't seem
to discourage a loving couple at one end
of the room. She was tai, well-dressed,
dark compleXioned and fair to look
upon. Her companion evidently
thought SO, for he glared at me most
fiercely when [ meekly took a seat with
in ear-shOt and buried myself in one of
Gladstope'S recent articles on the tariff.
like to be glared at. 1t didn't disturb
me at all. If memory serves me Alright,
| have taken the lady's name and cos
tune at more than one select society
affair. The gentleman's name appears
Oftener in reports of local sporting
events than in the society column. How
ever they seemed quite satisfied, proba-
bly, had met by accident. But wouldn't