The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-09-19
Eleanor
Trinble
Being a Story Of a
Library
By F. A. Mitchell
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

was with to B. to make some negotia-
tons for it. He was obliged to
wait to see the parties he was to do
the business with and after he had
seen them and reported to the home
office he must wait for further in
structions. The result was that he
was seldom occupied more than half
an hour day and usually not that.
B. is beautiful place, rather fitted
for literary or artistic persons than
for those devoted to business. There Is
a public library there. and to Tread
well, passing the place, it appeared
SO inviting that he concluded to so In
and look for some read. 1t
was a quiet place. subdued,
and as he entered -. librarian, a
young woman, arose from desk where
she was writing on some cards and
stood at the counter over which the
books are passed Treadwell asked
for something to read, saying that he
was a stranger and would be obliged
If she would recommend book.
The girl handed him novel There
were alcoVes in the building, and she
told him he would be welcome to sit
down In one of them and read.
For one subject to the influence Of
books there can be nothing pleasanter
than to lean back in a big leather
chair in one of these quiet alcoves.
where he may occasionally glance at
foliage and fecked sunlight on the
grass without Treadwell stretched
his legs and rested his head on the
cushion and opened the book On the
fiyleaf was name written in ink,
Eleanor Trimble" Whether she had
given the book to the library or it
had been purchased secondhand
Tfeadwell did not know. But under
the quieting influence Of the place he
fell to wondering about her before
beginning to read. The date on the
title page was an old one, but some
how he could not but look upon Ele-
amor Trimble as a young person.
There was something about the sto-
ry-Treadwell could not tell what
that attracted him. And what put q
finishing touch upon his interest was
that some one had marked in light
pencil certain passages that especially
appealed to him. Treadwell's fitting
fancy had lighted ON Eleanor Trim
BILE, and 1t would not be satisfied with
any other marker of these thoughts
About some of the passages-indeed
most of them-there were two of these
marks, and to a number there were
three.
There was another fancy-excitant
Why had Miss Trimble, who by this
time Treadwen had begun to picture
as a very pretty girl of an intellectual
type, chosen to make sometimes one
sometimes two, sometimes three marks
about these ideas that had pleased
her? Treadwell had come to the libra
ry to kill time by reading, and he was
not only killing 1t by building up al
imaginary girl, but he experienced 6
singular pleasure in doing 80. He
drifted into the feeling that this Flea
nor Trimble had written the story Of
was at least in some way identified
with it.
At any rate, she was to him the
heroine. 1t is questionable If the her
oine would have been a heroine al
all II she had not been Eleanor Trim
Bile. She, the heroine, Miss Trimble
was walking about through the story
doing all sorts Of attractive things
exciting Treadwell's admiration and
like the leading lady of play, sur
rounded by the other characters In the
story as her satellites. She was Mar
ella Colfax, but to Treadwell this was
fictitious name for Eleanor Trimble
AS Treadwell read ON he noticed
that certain thoughts or acts of thu
heroine were differently marked
Some of them had one. some two
some three marks, as though thu
marker approved, much approved o.
immensely approved the sentiment o.
the deed. Besides this. at times wher'
there was one or perhaps two marks
third would be drawn diagonal,
across. Treadwell was much bothere,
at the diagonal mark, not being abb.
to account for it.
While he was alternately occupie,
with the story. with Eleanor Trimbl
and the fecked sunlight without b
could see the librarian sitting at he
desk writing something on cards an
stacking them up before her. H
wished she would stop work and com
over and sit with him that he nigh
ask her questions about Eleanor Trim
bic. Probably she could tell him VIII
Miss Trimble was, whether she ha
done the marking. what the doubl
and triple marks meant and. above al
the diagonal. But the librarian KEEP
on at her work, at intervals rising t
give or receive a book, though all wa
done so quickly that at times whe
Treadwell was much interested in hi
story he would not be conscious eve
Of this slight disturbance.
1t was about 10 O'clock in the morr
ing when Treadwell sat down to read
and at he went out to dinner. n
asked the librarian If he might leay
.he book with her since he would lik
to come back in the afternoon to cor
tinue his reading. She took 1t an
laid 1t on the desk. Treadwell woul
have said something to her about th
story, but she was preparing to shu
up the library and go for her moo
meal. She told him the place woul
be open again at o'clock.
Treadwell returned about 8. At b
entrance there was the same still
ness. only broken by his own foo
falls on the marble floor The libraria
was at her desk still writing on tt
cards. He wondered if she would eve
] get through and how she managed
stick to her work rather than thro'
herself into an easy chair in an alcoy
and bury herself in a book
He read all the afternoon, though I'll
place was not so secluded as in tt
morning. more persons coming in
exchange books. When he went OF
he said to the librarian that he woul
leave the story with her again an
would return to read on the morrow
She told him he might take 1t ava
with him, but he thanked her and sai
that if it were allowable he wou'
rather do his reading in the librar.
the book seemed to be identified wit
the spot
I'm in love with Eleanor Trimble
he said.
The girl looked up at him with
surprised or rather a startled expire
sion.
"she's in many respects my bes
ideal of a woman"
AREN'T you talking about the her
inc of the story?" she said.
"Why. yes. Didn't say Marcia CO
faxr
The girl smiled. Up to this momel
| che had lookod On aarior1a attended