The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-02-06
THE OLD
BOOKSELLER
By s. nhett Roman.


Being fond of old books and rare
volumes / otter went down to look
around Pere Gilbert's secondhand
bookstore to delve and rummage
about among the piled-up. musty vol
times In Its dark recesses, always
eing rewarded for my search by
tEe discovery of some treasure.
sometimes | would sit for hours try
lag to decipher a half-effaced manu-
script, some volume of ancient Lang
ucloc or other dead and forgotten
tongue.
Claire always helped me In my
explorations, dashing to attend to
any occasional buyer who might drop
In. But. as | chose the late after
neon hours for my visits, we were
rarely disturbed.
| fell into the pleasant habit of
sauntering out to the small paved
courtyard in the rear of the shop,
there to sit and chat with Pere Gil
bert in neighborly fashion. When
night fell and the shop was closed
Claire would join US. In summer
tlule Tue SCelt Vi ueT DOA OI uUWeTS
filled the air, and the stars coming
out looked down curiously at us.
In winter when 1t was too cold to
linger out of doors / was willing
guest at their flreside in the little
room made bright by Claire's pres
encc.
why did you name her Claire?"
s,,e.
when we both sat watching here
while she watered her flowers and
the pretty vine which grew purple
bells high up against the enclosing
walls.
Because l asked her her name
the winter night when l found her
wandering on the river bank, chill
and terrified, and she said something
that sounded like Claire. 1t was the
indistinct prattle of a sobbing in
FAINT
Yours was most Christian
deed" said, watching the happy look
of the young girl and her singular
beauty.
mo! MOI" disclaimed the old dis
OcllcNSl III CItcub. w NHO WouIu uOI
bring from the streets and shelter
stray bird or a wandering dog?
Who that had ever known the pangs
of hunger and the awful cruelties OF
the world would refuse to care for
and shield poor little atom of hum
anity left by accident and cruel
fate homeless and defenceless?"
"a "a.
'aan," Dave Cummings whispered
} me ono afternoon when he saun-
Tered In to look me up as l was get
ting some notes in Pere Gilbert's
bookstore-data on early ecclesias-
tical history. OF course. Claire was
helping me, for her good memory
and thorough familiarity with every
book and pamphlet around was in
valuable.
Dave was a good fellow, honor
able, but no genius, I must say his
bibliophile, while 1t surprised, did
not please me.
In fact. I had always known Dave
to be dull and persistently averse to
reading, still more SO to study. He
had ignominiously failed in his ex-
animation at Yale, and only his mil
lions and imperturbable good tenn
per made him the popular clubman
which he was.
Dawes tactics were primitive, but
effective. He would get up list of
ancient and impossible books of
which he knew nothing and cared
less. Then he would go down to
Pere Gilbert's and begin rummaging
vigorously among the books, but
he would soon stop, perch himself
in dilapidated stool, or on the steps
of the small ladder. He would some
times reach up to the top shelves
and pretend to be much absorbed
In tho dusty volumes, then he would
get down and start chatting with
Claire, regardless OF time, in his
good-natured, straightforward way.
Offering bis services if he could be of
any use to Pere Gilbert, which al
ways made Claire's eyes grow soft
and a pretty blush OF gratitude rise
to her face.
Then If It were late and no one
was there, Dave would beg her to
sing for him. And in return for his
kind attention to Pere Gilbert, Claire
would sing in a low voice, so as not
to disturb the drowsy slumbers of
the invalid by the fireside in the
little parlor, some quaint ditties or
Spanish love songs, of which she
had an ineXhaustible store.
Perhaps you don't go about II
in the right way" | said slowly to
Dave one evening when he was
tramping up and down my room In
anxious distress. THE child has a
fine nature and far more culture
than most girls Of her age in the
highest circles. You have no close
relations who might object to her
on the score of unknown parentage.