Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-06-18
NOT IN THE
CATALOGUE

The reading room was as quiet as a
TONI. Now and then some students
turned a page impatiently and the pa
per gave forth a sharp rustic as
though aggrieved at such irreverent
treatment, but visitors and attendants
alike moved about with silent treld,
rubber caps rendered chair legs noise
less when they were moved, and the
very card catalogue drawers moved
on silent ways.
Linda loved this quiet After the
clatter and clutter of busy Office
which she had been compelled to es-
cape because Of nerves threatened to
grow unruly, the bookish silence Of
the reading room was more than
grateful. She was sorry when the
closing hour came. and, after a brief
interval spent in checking up the slips
and seeing that the books we're re
placed in their proper stacks, she had
TO go out into the turmoil of the busy
street.
The quiet place was never lonesome
Linda had many friends among those
quiet, studious men and women who
spent their days pouring over the ref
erence books. There was the little
old woman from the costumers who
spent days over old books in search
of correct pictures of the dresses of
by-gone days; there was the little old
German who was reading everything
he could find upon chemistry, and
there was the tall, quiet man who dis
played a singular catholicity Of taste.
One day it would be books on astrono
my that he wanted, and again he
would be interested in geography or
chemistry.
OF them all this man Ballington was
the most regular in his attendance
and seemed the most like an old
friend. 1t was he who had quietly
aided Linda with suggestions which
she had first come to the room. He
had been a regular" and had known
nee of the routine than she did. But
it was often that Linda was able to
help him with a suggestion as to
new book, for her heart was in her
work and she was something more
than an automaton, dealing out the
books called for with mechanical in
difference.
Ballingten, Richard Ballington-she
knew the name from his slips-seemed
almost part of the reading room it.
self, so regular was he in attendance
and his good morning smile was
pleasant opening Of. the days routine.
Last Christmas he had brought
little gift the day before the holiday
and sometimes, when luck was par
ticUlarly good, box of candy would
come back with a book.
The summer before their vaca-
tions had overlapped and for an
entire month she had not seen
him. She was glad when the vaca-
ton was over and she could come
back TO her place at the desk with the
beloved books around her and with
Ballington sitting in the chair in a
far corner where he was least likely to
be disturbed.
For once Linda was glad as the
hands of the clock crept around to
closing time and she knew that in an
hour more she would be free to hur-
ry home and creep into bed. Just be-
fore the hands reached the closing
hour Ballington rose from his place
and brought book to the desk. Then,
instead of leaving, he went over to
the catalogue and began to scan the
cards IN one of the drawers. Fo'
few months Linda watched him, then
he looked up with the familiar glance
of appeal and she came over to the
catalogue drawer.
Struck for a title?" she asked in
a voice so low that it seemed scarce
ly to be a whisper. whats the let.
teri" H.
IL said Ballington. 'Lo,' to be
exact"
"Loggingf" she asked. That's un-
der lumber" oi
Not logging" he denied. Its a
shorter word. Love
al don't think that's catalogued,"
she said in dismay. Its funny sub.
iect Suppose we look for 'Ro-
mance'?"
Lets look for romance, but not in
books" he pleaded. 81 know that this
is silly sort OF proposal, but love
you, little girl. I've been sure of II
ever since last summer. when missed
you for whole month. Those two
weeks when you were away / simply
could not do any reading. I've been
trying ever since to tell you, but
didn't see how. l don't want to hang
around outside OF the library until you
come out, and do want you to hell
me look for romance Linda, even
though il IS not in the tities?"
y think it is in the catalogue" she
said, softly, "but If you'd rather. I'll
help you after hours.
''There may be a romance in the
catalogue" said Ballington, but no
as good a romance as there is this
moment just outside the drawers. Yol
90 care a little bit, Linda"
Since last vacation" she admitted
You may come this evening II yor
Ike to begin the study"
Rallington made a note of her al
dress and left the place with elasti
step and beating heart. while Lind
went back to receive the books thu
readers we're returning AS she gave
6nfl Look around as the, last book We
stacked and the days work done, sh,
patted the catalogue cabinet as sh
passed 1t,
You're aWfully wise, She whlsne