The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-11-13
Eleanor
Trirnble
Being a Story Of a
Library
By +. a. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
riaffon 1911
By F. A. Mitchell


was with 10 y. TO make some negotia-
lions for It. He was obliged TO
wait to see the parties he was to do
the business with and af or he had
seen them and reported to the home
Office he must walt for further IN
structions. The result was that he
was seldom occupied more than half
IN hour day and usually not that.
Il. Is a beautiful place. rather ntted
for literary or artistic persons than
for those devoted TO business. There Is
q public library there, and TO Tread
well, passing the place, 1t appeared
so 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,
young woman, arose from desk where
she was writing on some cards ana
stood at the counter over which the
books are passed. Treadwel 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 10 sit
down in one Of them and read.
For one subject to the influence or
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 flecked sunlight on the
grass without. Treadwell stretched
his legs and rested his head on the
cushion and opened the book. On the
flyleaf was a name written In ink,
Eleanor Trimble." Whether she had
given the book to the library or 1t
had been purchased secondhand
Treadwell 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 10 him. Treadwelrs fitting
fancy had lighted on Eleanor Trim
BILE, and il would not be satisfied will
any other marker Of these thoughts
About some of the passages-indeed
most of them-there We're two Of thes
marks, and to a number there wer,
three.
There was another fancy-excitant
Why had Miss Trimble, who by thi
time Treadwell had begun TO pictur
as very pretty girl of an intellectual
type, chosen to make sometimes one
sometimes two, sometimes three mark
about these ideas that had please,
her? Treadwell had come to the libra
~ to kill time by reading, and he wa
not only killing it by building up n
r imaginary girl, but he experienced
singular pleasure in doing so. IL
drifted into the feeling that this Eles
nor Trimble had written the story o
was at least in some way identifie
with it.
At any rate, she was to him tn
heroine. IL Is questionable II the hel
oine would have been q heroine
. all IL she had not been Eleanor Trim
BILE. She, the heroine, Miss Trimbl'
was walking about through the stor
s doing all sorts of attractive thing
i exciting Treadwell's admiration ant
like the leading lady Of a play, su
rounded by the other characters in I'll
story as her satellites. She was Ma
cia Colfax, but TO Treadwell this wa
{ a fictitious name for Eleanor Trimbl
c As Treadwell read on he notice
{ that certain thoughts or acts OF II
y heroine were differently marke
Some of them had one, some tw
some three marks, as though Il
marker approved, much approved
immensely approved the sentiment {
e the deed. Besides this, at times whe
l. there was one or perhaps two mari
g a third would be drawn diagonal
e across. Treadwell was much bother'
e at the diagonal mark, not being alb
to account for 1t.
While he was alternately occupi
with the story, with Eleanor Trimt
mud the flecked sunlight without
: could see the librarian sitting at n
! desk writing something on cards n
:: stacking them up before her. /
!. wished she would stop work and cor
: over and sit with him that he mig
:. ask her questions about Eleanor Tri
BILE. Probably she could tell him W
It Miss Trlmble was, whether she h
II done the marking, what the doui
d and triple marks meant and, above
e the diagonal. But the librarian Ike
: on at her work. Mt intervals rising
n give or receive n book, though all W
done so quickly that at times VIII
If Treadwell was much Interested in
Y story he would not be conscious ev
3 OF this slight disturbance.
d II was about 10 O'clock I'm the mo
r ing when Treadwell sat down to re-
h, and at ] he went out TO dinner.
asked the librarian II he might lea
= the book with her since he would i
ID 20 come back In the afternoon to G
! tinue his reading. She took II q
e, laid II on the desk. Treadwell wo'
= have said something 20 her about
story. but she was preparing to 81
J. nm the library and 60 for her nC