University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-01-27

j
It had been close. almost sitting
in the vault al afternoon. A cir
who had. been working among the OH
musty books for hours now sat with
her head resting on the table among
the stacks Of manuscripts and bound
volumes. A single electric light from
the center. Of the ceiling illuminatei
the vault. showing the rows upon
rows Of steel doors and drawers
which lined the walls. A few Of these
were unlocked and standing hall
open disclosed more drawers. smaller
and more private. far back in their
recesses. The air was % heavy It
seemed as though one might grasp Il
with his fingers. The very silence of
the place was oppressive.
Gently. noiselessly. 40 though a
soft breeze had passed through the
room. the leaves Of the manuscripts
stirred and a trembling mist seemed
to rise from them. Then came q soft
humming noise. The mists separated
and shadowy forms appeared lowering
close about the girl at the table. She
raised her head drowsily. Each filmy
figure seemed eager to attract her at
tention first. All talked at once. but
their combined voices sounded no
louder than Q whisper.
The girl shook her head in puzzled
way. II don't understand" she MUIR
INJURED.
A Spirit Explains.
Then one form, DINNER and more
Elusive than any Of them, came for
ward His strange garments were
frayed and yellow with age. His ges-
lures and speech were strange. too,
and though he seemed to be explain
ing, the girl only frowned and shook
her head the more.
Here. old fellow. you'll have to let
me explain. she can't understand you
She il modern American girl. Don't
suppose she has even heard of you.'
The girl was rather startled by the
new voice and the figure which push
ed toward her. Did this man belong
among the ghostly beings which sur
rounded her? To be sure, his dress
was a little old fashioned. but he
seemed more human than the others
and his voice was more distinct.
He smiled upon her encouragingly.
you see," he hooded, I'VE are all
spirits Of the old and rare books in
the University Library and / am the
latest spirit that has been added to
the collection. l am the spirit{6f the
University Publications and sdt have
more characteristics Of real people be-
cause fresh material il given to me
each year which keeps me compare
lively young and cp to date.
From the Fifteenth Century.
"The old, fogy," pointing to the
form which had spoken first, thinks
he is ruler here because he 10 Oldest
No one knows how old he IL. He is
the spirit Of that old Mohammedan
Koran. published some time in ths
fifteenth century. 1t IL supposed. He
was at one time the property of
Salif Agil and was used by the Moros
on the Island of Bassilan in the
How did he get there?
Oh, he was presented to the library
by J. A. Stader, former University
student who 10 now q second lieuten-
ant in the Philippines"
The girl picked up the ancient copy
Of the Koran from the table, looking
trom It to the faded old spirit. "why
of course he looks just like It," she
nused aloud. "His outer garment IL
Ike the brown leather binding Of the |
book, worn in places. with dark stains |
IN 1t like finger prints. And his 9TH
sr garments resemble the pages,
,ome of them loose, with edges fray
ID and torn. But why does he talk 20
He speaks Arabic. We all speak
he language our books are printed in.
There are some old relics here" con-
inued the spirit Of the University
In his familiar half-jocu-
ar manner. you surely have heard
" Boccaccio's II Decamerone-here
le II. little better preserved than
he Koran. published early in the
sixteenth century. He II Italian. %
'ou cannot understand him either.
Hes some rare old bird. he Il, worth