The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-06-09

] ifHiig Aaht uDIl
II declare" said Mrs. Hammond
with rising excitement, cit might be q
real good idea. I'll talk about II 10
Mis- Wood"
Perhaps she will subscribe, too"
said Anne, blthely.
She fairy danced back into the room
ana took ler mothers thin hands
Now, It's 10 use 10 say one word,
you darling mother. You are just 90
ing to take hold with me and help save
this town, and incidentally your daugh-
ter's reason"
Has ii been as bad as that, Amer
asked her mother holding her hands
fast.
Anne replied only with an eloquent
kiss, and few Off 20 knock gently at
her fathers door. The three lad a
long talk that night.
Anne's plan was variously received
by EastOyer. The minister's college
bred daughter was a person to be treat
cd with consideration. but there were a
few souls who felt IL necessary to put
her In her place." IL only for her fault
Of youth. Anne's checks burned after
interviews with these.
Women from outside the parish
called at the parsonage TO ask about
the new enterprise, and there was soon
! a list OF advance subscriptions for a
! starting fund. Anne became sub
merged In clubbing rates. She invited
all who chose 10 send lists, and then
| was aghast at her own daring; but II
was both Il surprise and encourage
mcnt TO see the class of literature called
! for in response
"It gives me new insight into my
own people" said the minister, thought
| fully.
Cant you have one good farming
paper Miss Anne asked n grIzzlcd
/ farmer, stopping her in the street. "rll
| give fifty cents toward it,
"I'll try, Mt least, Mr. Edwards said
| Anne, cordially.
She transported her book shelves bod
| lily into tie sitting room-henceforth
"the library"-and catalogued with en-
ergy.
Some Of the rest Of us nigh, lend
rich woman of the place, who was CON-
monty considered to hold herself
! apart"
That would be splendid" said Anne.
The next day box OF books ap-
pcarcd, with a fivc-dollar bill "for the
, starting fund"
"MagniticeIrr~ laughed Anne.
Best Of all 10 her it was 10 see the
color come back TO Mrs. Grays cheeks
and the strength 10 her voice. The
library" made wonderful break in
the colorless village life; it became
quite the thing to drop in and see il
there was anything new." and then to
! llngcr, five or six at time, eXchanS-
Ing books ana opinions.
Mother is the real librarian" said
! Anne. laughlngly, STOPPING to stroke
! the thin check. "It was Just the lack
of ozone in the mental atmosphere from
which you were suffering"
But the little library could not keep
abreast of Annc's ambitions. Subscrip.
tions paid up. she foresaw a lack Of
| fresh material
II will give a series of entertainments
! for its benefit she declared. Father
| will let us have the vcstry, I know"
\ book party, in which each person
! appeared as q book to he guessed,
| proved SO successful that Il series of
/ writers Evenings" followed. a book
/ at a time being represented. They pro-
! duccd a run upon the standard fiction
and stirred literary interest to the high
est Anne mentally contrastcd these
| gatherings with the "sociabics" of dis
mai memory.
II started TO benefit the library" she
remarked, "but think 1t has benefited
| the people more. 1t is wonderful how
! they are hoSSomlng out-and had no
idea what bright people they are"
Meanwhile the Gray family found
! itself I'm the case of the fisherman who
raised the afrit. 1t was seldom the
little sitting room was left to them for
half an hour, and the shelves and the
reading table successfully venturcd by
Anne, fairly drove the legitimate in
hahitantS into the minister's study.
THE library is going to move" an
nounccd Anne, with frmncss one
spring day "It has become quite as
much a club as library, ana 1t is go
ing to have n house OF its own"
"My child" demonstrated the min
lister, gently, while Mrs. Gray, once
more at the head of the table, smiled
across it at her daughter.
I'm going TO ask Mr.. Chadwick what
he will let us have that big unused
harness shop next to his place for"
said Anne.
Mr. Chadwick was a wcll-tC-do car
rlagc maker, and a good supporter of
the library. "It leaks. Anne" he said,
land is as cold rs Iceland in winter.
You are welcome TO the use of the
building Tor the rrcsent-and always.
as far as can see. But II won't help
you much, I'm afraid"
Anne pursued her way TO the carpen-
ter shop.
Mr.. Smith, will you give me the low
est possible figure for mending that
roof-tor the libraryy'
"Ill send one Of my men up 20 sec
what can be done" he said. "lou may
have the lumber at cost price. As for
The work IL won't cost you anything.
The children are getting full as much
out Of that library as they do out of
their school,"
Then Anne selected the psychologist
| rNpnpuf whnn six Of tlN energetic