, 1906-12-28
TEARS ON
THE PACE
AFFECTING SCENE AT LIBRARY
OF UNIVERSITY OF WYO-
MING WHEN CHEYENNE
LADY SEES VOLUMES
Shown Books Presented by Her Broth
er Many Years Ago and Which
She Had Read as Girl and Heard
Read as Babe-Volumes That
Thomas Jefferson Borrowed, With
Letters Acknowledging Receipt.

lCitCiS HSNhOWlCuSN'S heCelpI.
DIR. Grace R. Hebard, the librarian
at the university, and who is a close
student of human nature as she is of
books, says she seldom witnessed a
more touching scene than one enacted
in the library day before yesterday.
An old lady, Mrs. Mamie Steele of
Cheyenne, was at the library, and when
shown certain books for which she ask
ed, she clasped them to her heart, her
tears coming freely as she caressed the
familiar old tones. DR.. Hebard, her
self somewhat of a reporter on oc-
casion, saw a STORY" in the matter,
and here it is.
Piainsman Presents Books.
Several years ago, in 1886 or 1887,
when the university library was just
starting, Charles Clay, a ranchman on
the Laramie plain, an Englishman by
birth, presented to the library a col
lection of books, including a set of
"Waverly'' novels and a set of Uni
versal History. Mr.. Clay was not a
young man at the time, and told the
librarian that he had read these books,
his father had read them and his grand
father had read some Of them. He de-
sired to present them TO the struggling
youpu ,piyarcity IN form q puclauc nf
what is now one of the best libraries
in the west.
Nearly Two Centuries Old.
The books were properly catalogued
and shelved and have since faen the
property of the library. Some of them,
notably the set of SCOTS novels, are
quite handsomely bound. These bear
date 1915, but included in the list of
books presented by Mr.. Clay was n
dating as far back at 1714. Dates be-
tween and some later than that of the
Waverly appear on the title pages. The
printing of some of them is in the al
phabet of that time, with long IS" and
popularity in other letters.
Was Given TWO Volumes.
Mrs. Steele asked to be shown some
of these books, telling DR.. Hebard that
they had been presented by Mr.. Clay,
her teacher, who has since died.
expressions of her face were SO soft
and childlike that the librarian knew
she was in the presence of the COM
ing together of old and dear friends
Mrs. Steele when she IA told that
she might have two of the volumes of
Scott's novels, "Kenilworth," wept for
very joy. She said she had read them
when a girl and her father and grand
father had read them To her.
Jefferson Borrowed These Books.
Mrs. Steele says that President JEFF
ferson was in the habit of borrowing
the volumes making I'D the set of Uni
versal history, and she has in her pos
session letters written by the third
president of the United States in ask
ing for the loan and acknowledging re.
ceipt of these volumes, which she will
loan to the university later. The let
ters are in the handwriting of that
great statesman and are themselves
almost priceless for the association
that linger about them.
Map Made With Quill.
Mrs Steele has a map of the thirteen
original states drawn with a quill pen,
years and years before the invention
of the steel pen, which is as unique as
it is of historical interest. and this,
too, will be loaned to the university.
DR.. Hebard had a long talk with Mrs.
Steele. The latter laid her hand on the
librarians shoulder and said, Grace,
you know me- mo, protested the
doctor, 81 must confess that l do not"
You should" replied the Cheyenne
lady, "for several years ago met you
and remember you very we'll"
Two Happy Women.
There were two happy women that
day-the sister of the donor of the
books and their custodian, who was
able to place the volumes in her hands
and also able to place two of them in
her hands "for keeps for very recol-
lection of the days so 'ong gone, when
1 knelt at my fathers feet and heard
him read the beautiful stories so beau
tifully told by the great poet and writ
er of my own county, Miss Alice
Hebard, the sister Of DR.. Grace He
bard, who resides at Cheyenne, knows
Mrs. Steele and was present when
she took the books from the shelf and
shed tears of joy at again casting eyes