The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-09-21
Eleanor
Triinble
Being q Story of a
Library
sssssssssssesssss
By F. A. mitchell

0seseeesseeees . Q Q . . Q Q
Treadwell was sent by the firm he
was with to B. to make some negotia-
tons for 1t. He was obliged to
wait to see the parties be was to do
the business with and after be 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 a 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, 1t appeared
30 inviting that he concluded to go In
and look for something to read. 1t
was a quiet place. the light subdued.
and as he entered the 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
II she would recommend a book.
The girl handed him a 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 be 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
f1yleaf was name written In ink,
Eleanor Trimble." Whether she had
given the book to the library or 1t
had been purchased secondhand
Treadwel 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 young person.
There was something about the sto-
ry-Treadwell could not tell what
that attracted him. And what put
finishing touch upon his interest was
that some one had marked in light
pencil certain passages that especially
appealed to him. Treadwel'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 assages-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 Treadwell had begun to picture
as very pretty girl of an intellectual
type, chosen to make sometimes one,
sometimes two, sometimes three marks
about these ideas that had pleased
herr Treadwell had come to the libra
ry to kill time by reading. and he was
not only killing 1t by building up an
imaginary girl. but he experienced a
singular pleasure In doing 80. He
drifted into the feeling that this Flea
nor Trimble had written the story or
was at least Ia some way identified
with 1t.
At any rate, she was to him the
heroine 1t Is questionable II the her
oine would have been heroine at
all If 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 Treadwelfs admiration and,
like the Leading lady Of a play, sur
rounded by the other characters In the
story as her satellites. She was Mar
cia Colfax, but to Treadwell this was
a fictitious name for Eleanor Trimble.
AS Treadwell read on he noticed
that certain thoughts or acts OF the
heroine were differently marked
Some of them had one, some two,
some three marks, as though the
marker approved, much approved or
immensely approved the sentiment or
the deed. Besides this, at times where
there was one or perhaps two marks
third would be drawn diagonally
across. Treadwell was much bothered
at the diagonal mark. not being able
to account for 1t.
While he was alternately occupied
with the story, with Eleanor Trimble
md the fiecked sunlight without he
could see the librarian sitting at her
desk writing something on cards and
stacking them up before her. He
wished she would stop work and come
over and sit with him that he might
ask her questions about Eleanor Trim
BILE Probably she could tell him who
/ Miss Trimble was. whether she had
done the marking. what the double
| and triple marks meant and, above all,
the diagonal But the librarian kept
on at her work at intervals rising to
/ give or receive n book, though all was
done so quickly that at times when
Treadwell was much interested In his
story he would not be conscious even
of this slight disturbance.
1t was about 10 o'clock in the morn
ing when Treadwell sat down TO read
and at | he went out to dinner. He
asked the librarian II he might leave
the book with her since he would like
to come back In the afternoon to con
tinue his reading. She took 1t and
laid 1t on the desk. Treadwell wouiC
have said something to her about thu
story, but she was preparing to shu
up the library and go for her moor