Evening star., 1899-07-19
ODD BOOKMARKS.
Queer Things Found by the Superin-
tendent of the Chicago Library.

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From the Chicago Inter-OceTn.
Anything in sight will do for book
mark for many Chicago readers" said Su-
perintendent B. NJ. Smith of the circulating
department. at the city library the other
day. Many in returning the books forget
to keep their bookmarks, AS result L
have a large collection Of odd things in the
bookmark line"
Mr. Smith then opened all the drawers
and emptied all the pigeonholes of his roll
top desk, at the west side of the circulating
room, on the third floor of the library
building. Almost everything possible TO get
between the covers of a book, and many
things seemingly impossible, were exhibited.
And all these things were taken from
returned books" said the library man..
There were stacks of letters: business
letters of Importance, letters containing
grocery bills, gas bills, meat bills, due
bills bills of sale, mortgages and insurance
politics, social letters, family letters ana
letters in dainty pink and blue tinted en-
velopes-love letters. And some or them
are rich if you only had time to glance
through Them said the bookmark man.
and then he added, apologetically. Il have
to read them all to see If they are impor-
tant enough to make it worth while to look
up the owners.
Photographs made up large part of the
collection. There were large-sized photo
graphs and small ones, kodak snap shots
and oid-fashioned pictures of old-fashioned
persons, the loss of which the library su-
perintendent fears has been much regretted.
Hairpins of wire and metal and OF all
shapes and sizes, fancy combs, locks OF
black, light and red hair, and small pieces
of ribbon and lace were in one box. Twenty
pairs of spectacles, most of them black
trimmed eyeglasses. filled one pigeonhole.
There Were three pairs of scissors, a col
lection of keys on rings. keys tied together
with ribbons, keys attached to watch chains
and single keys sufficient to equip gang
of burglars.
And all these things came from books
returned to the library" repeated Smith.
Money has dropped out of the books, too,
silver dollars and paper rolls and once we
found pair of artificial teeth, which had
been made by the owner. and weighed four
ounces. But that was over in the old build
ing. and maybe they were found in the
reading room. Anyway. the owner missed
them and called.
But we really get some trifles which
were intended for bookmarks. Some of
these are old-fashioned bookmarks. Some
of these are the old-faShioned fancy work
kind and some are the little silver ones
which are slipped on a page. One case of
that kind was pathetic. An old man came
one day and said that he had lost book
mark which he had carried for thirty years.
1t had been given to him by a daughter
who had died. and was the only memento
he had of her. l tried hard to find it, but
the DOOk he ndu returned with the book
mark in it had gone, and when ii came
back again the bookmark was missing.
1T is natural enough for one who is
reading and is hurriedly called to throw
down book and pick up a letter or any,
thing handy for bookmark: or, when the
readers are bringing the books back to the
library, 1t is easy to slip anything in hand
into them for convenience. We do not go
through the books hunting for these things
The clerks at the windows with the books
coming in 500 an hour don't have time.
But many of the things drop out when the
pages lift the books to put them in the
racks These things are all brought to me.
Il post the registry number of every let
ter. From that can get the name and
address of the one who had the book in
our registry room. All important letters,
blank books. insurance policies and such
things i mail to the owners at the expense
of the library. There are also many letters
addressed and sealed ready for mailing
We always put stamps on these and mail ,
them, and also some which have been re-
ceived and not opened. The rest of the
things / keep for awhile and finally burn |
but there is always large accumulation
at my desk
Persons often ask for the articles that
they have left in books MANY of these
things which come into the library go ont
again when the books go out. But there is !
only one instance where anything found N |
a book taken out has been brought to me.
That was letter containing bill of sale
OF property. Most of the stuff is never
called for, but il the losers would only
come to me they could get their book
marks