The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
Jhe Ten-year-Old Girl Who Reads
Aristotle and the "RefIective
Woman Who Heals
by VIII

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times he remains during the lunch hour,
and taking roll from his pocket slowly
eats it. He reads one paper after another,
and seems mostly interested in the adver-
tisements. He makes memorandum of
| some of them, and for the moment his
| face brightens. Then he takes up the
magazines and looks them over with a
listless air. Upon rare occasions some
one recognizes him and he returns the
nod shrinkingly and goes on reading.
One of these chance acquaintance in
| speaking of him said:
Two years ago he had prosperous lit
| tie business in the country. He failed,
and his wife persuaded him to come TO the
city. He would make good salesman !;
| he is also a book keeper. but he has never
been able to obtain position. He can
vassed for while, but his sales were few.
His modest retiring manner was against
| him. Once he obtained a position as
brakeman on a streetcar, but the work
made him i'll. Now he goes downtown
early every morning, looks for work for
an hour or two and then comes here, where
| he remains until night"
"And his wife?"
/ OA, odC 4ufC6tco llttlC IuOuCy sue
had laid by in a tiny shop which she tends.
! She also sews for the factories, and takes
care of the baby"
why, pray, doesn't he remain home to
help her?"
''She prefers that he should not. If you
happen to ask for him she says: John is
downtown. Poor fellow. He leaves home
at z o'clock and walks around all day
looking for work. Then the brave little
woman sighs, waits on a customer, sews
and soothes the fretful baby. With it all
she is falling behind and before long the
shop must be given up.
"IIer husband does not mean to deceive
| her, but if he went home after two or
three hours she might scold and say he
did not try. When he comes in at night,
tired and dispirited, she says quite cheer
fully, Any news john. And when he
answers No. she says: Never mind, get
up early tomorrow morning and look
again."
Another frequenter of this library is a
mptive-looking man of middle age.
He comes about in the evening, selects a
book, remains reading it until 10 O. clock,
and then takes it home. The next night
he appears again, takes out another book
and proceeds as on the evening before.
Evidently he sits up half the night to fin
ish it, for he is engaged during the day in
some light occupation that does not over
tax his feeble strength. He is bachelor
and most saving man. Books are his
only diversion. The only pleasure he has
taken in twenty years was his trip to Chi
cago during the exposition. He lives over
and over again the delights of that visit,
and his conversation is chiefly upon that
subject. He tells you between the inter-
vaIs of hacking cough that in 1900 he in
tends going to Paris, and it is noticeable
that the books he reads are all works of
travel. Not possibility of his not sur
viving until then ever crosses his mind,
although his frail figure, his halting step,
his weak voice, make one doubt whether
the next night he will be reading in his
accustomed place.
The busiest time at this library is after
school hours. Then come troopIng in the
school children, from the tiny tot Just be-
ginning to read 10 the boy or girl ready to
leave school. OF course they choose books
according to their age and taste. Cne lit
tie girl about 10 years old comes regularly
twice week. From her appearance she
is evidently the child of poor parents, but
she has a bright winsome face, and
thoughtful air far beyond her years. She
attracts attention by the books she invari-
ably selects. They are always works of
philosophy. As she was trudging off with
Aristotle" the question was put to her:
Are you going to read this book your
self ?'
"Yes," she replied, gravely, 81 am going
to read it to papa"
"But why does not papa read it him.
self?"
'Oh," she said, with sad little smile,
papa is blind.'
"And mammal"
"Mamma goes out working, and poor
papa is lonely until 1 come home from
school. Then I read to him."
Don't you ever read stories ?''
mo; papa doesn't care for stories. Be-
sides he's going to write book on philoso-
ply some day. He's going to tell me
what he wants to say, and I'll write it
down for him. Papa says we'll make lots
of money, and then mamma won rneed
to work.
And, with happy smile. the child put
the learned volume in her satchel and
trotted down the stairs.
The Mechanics Library on Saturday
afternoon presents brighter and livelier
aspect than at any other time of the week.
Owing to its convenient location it is sort
Of rendezvous for ladies, young and old
Here, when bent on shopping tours, visits
to the theater, ETC., they meet their friends
and forth they go together. Many of
them return later when the male element |
appears in the shape of homeward- bound |
brothers, husbands and husbands to- be. |
A regular Saturday visitor there is lady |
dressed in deep mourning. She is young
and has refined, spiritual face. There is |
strange story connected with her coming. |
For two years she had been in the habit |
of meeting her husband in the library on |
Saturday afternoons. He always came a |
few minutes after 5. When she saw him |
enter her face would brighten, she would |
quickly lay aside her book and, arm in |
arm, off they would go like two lovers.
One Saturday. few months ago, she |
sat waiting as usual Five o'clock came