The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-29

HARLES CLIFTON was the pride
4 Of Mrs. Gnhoolys heart. He took
" her whole second floor by the
year" she was wont to explain. and al
wavs added that he had been with
her so long that ne seemed IKE one OF
the family.
Mr. clifton didn't look as though he
might be member Of Mrs. GilhOOly's
family The Gilhoolys were red of
face and short and compact Of figure,
while he was pale and tan and stopped
bit. He looked most at home in his
library which IVES the largest room
on Mrs Gilhooly's second floor. He
was A years old and a bachelor. His
landlady described his business vague
ly as having something to do with
books" The fact was that after spend
ing half his life at the task he had
established publishing business.
Having paid his youth and the sacri-
fee of ali the wayside joys of life as
the price, he had at last his business
And by way of compensation for what
he had missed he had his library. 1t
had come to be a sentient thing to
him. He loved it instead of the wife
he had never had and the children that
were denied him. Sarah Ann. Mrs
GilhOoly's housemafd and hdes Achates,
declared that she heard him ''mutter-
ing and chafening in there" and be-
lieved that he was telling his secrets
to the books, that would never repeat
them as Sarah Ann would certainly
have done could she have heard.
Mrs. Gilhooly used q phrase not un-
known to society when she spoke of
Mary Hilliard. I know her but very
slightly" Miss HilHard was small and
unObtrusive, and occupied the hall
room at the top floor back Beyond col
lecting her small rental promptly every
Z
but little of Miss Hiluard. She was
satisfied from her references that she
was employed IN an Office down town.
Mary billiard had reached an age
that well-grOomed. well-cared-fOr wO-
men make radiant 1t is the women
who have shriveled and paled Under
1 unCOngenial and monot0nous work
who have associated IL with the word
passe- Mary Hilliard belonged to that
class. Her eyes were heavy from too
close application to her work of copy
ing maps in the land office. She had
the yellOwish pallOr of the anaemic.
Her skirts were too scant. and she
wore black from economy. Mary Hill
lard. as Charles Clifton saw her when
+ she passed him on the stairs OCCASION
ally. was not attractive It was not
surprising that ne did not know her
from the other women in the house.
One evening he left the library door
J open when he went down stairs TO din
/ ner. Walking upstairs quietly after
dinner he saw a small. black frocked
figure standing in the doorway, She
( hRd leaned forward a bit in chlidishIy
eager way. and her face had the
I pleased look of a child. He watched
her rs her eyes wandered over the
! shelves of books the reading table Of
carved oak. the desk, whose Furnished
sides reflected the cracking Tire from
: the pine-scented logs on the hearth.
the great leather-covered chairs that
/ wOOed tired limbs and brains, the big
many-curved lounge and the cheerful
red silk shades on the chandelier and
the reading lamps. She Clasped her
look faded. She sighed. The tired eyes
looked heavy again and she turned and
began the ascent of the three flights
to the top floor back"
The next morning Mr.. Clifton inter-
: rupted Mrs GilhOoly's vOluble inquiries
about his health with. who is that
small, childlike person in black I no
ticed in the dining room this morning."
The one who sits in the corner
farthest away from the windy?"
Yes"
That's Miss Hiniard. She's in an
Office down town, and has my fourth
/ floor back. I know her but very slight
/ ""
II think I know a friend of hers.
and I would like you 10 tell her with
my compliments that she is welcome
to use my library whenever she likes.
Tell her I am out all day and won't
disturb her. Don't forget"
Mrs. Gilhooly didn't forget. On the
/ eyed establishment to Sarah Ann. Just