Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-19
The w all Paper
Book
(By Grace Blanchard.)

| paint for the ianitor to use on the bl-
cycle stand, found a counter piled hlgr
with samples of wall paper, bound into
| those books which have leaves as Dig
and Hopping as an elephants ears
Over the pile was notice. TAKE
one: and the shopkeeper explained:
It's about time for my new patterns
to come in, and / am getting rid OF last
years styles. do it every spring. Kids
have got so they expect it. School VIII
be out soon and you'll see them 1Gsh In
here to grab a book"
Gould I have one to give to a
child?" asked the librarian
Sure" And she chose one full or
lovely landscape designs, cut-out Dor
ders, and papers which looked ike vel
vet or felt like satin.
THANK you very much she smiled:
land in return for your kindness I'll
warn you not to let your hospitable no.
tice get shifted to another counter. l
remember at the Centennial fair some
rogue changed placard from an eX.
hibit of crackers to one of preserved
fruit, and many persons had taken one
of the delicious jars before their own
er discovered the mischief.
The paperer's laugh followed her
back to her office; there she slowed
away the large square thing with it's
black enameled cloth covers and its
gay inside: then she lay in wait for
Nellie Kent.
Nellie was a small child who tugged
in at regular intervals bag heavy
with volumes to be exchanged, for her
grandmother and aged nelghbors. Ihelr
library cards bore call numbers too
dim or incorrect to be deciphered, con-
sequently one after another of the stan
had filled the cards at discretion. One
hol
quite at liberty to wait on her, Nellie
had helped herself to literature from
the open shelf
Briskly she had come back within
a week to say, mimiclsing much disgust
"Grammie didn't like these
Now when a real librarian hears any
dissa tisfaction on the part of the pub
lie it hurts her, and she jumps up to
see what is the matter, and how she
can remedy it. This time, as our librar-
ian examined what Nellie had slapped
down on the delivery desk, she saw
one Of those funny things which occur
in public libraries-because the books
had bright covers and looked nice and
new Nellie had chosen for the old folks
at home, How to Write a Photo-play
"An Automobile Catechism, The Key
to Uncle Toms Cabin" "The Life of
Goethe" and care of the Skin
The librarian, truth to tell. grinned
at this inappropriate collection; but
Nellie, thinking she saw commlserat-
ing smile, sided up against the oak
panelling and said, you get some
Nobody could resist that appeal; the
librarian didn't want to. AS fast as
she could go and come from the alcoves
she filled Nellie's bag with good old
fashioned love stories.
In another fortnight Nellie marched
back with them straight in at the office
door. If she had tried in vain to snug
gle against the wood Of the delivery
desk, she now made a successful at
tempt to cuddle up to the librarian, and
what she said was 'Grammie liked
those, and again, you get some
Thus was the habit formed OF wait
ing one Nellie, but the librarian found
1t a refreshing performance, especially
if she detained the child to discuss
weighty matters, for Nellie, though
very small person. looked wise as an
great owl. and spoke like an oracle.
The amusement she caused became
tinged with a sort Of affectionate pity
after one day when she fingered her
neck chain and proudly said 1T was
Christmas present from Grammie. Dear
dear! 1t might have been derived from
that worthy woman's dolman cape, for
it was q melancholy string Of small jet
beads.
That was her idea in watching -. d
chance to bestow the wall paper; and,
just as she had hoped, Nellie's sedate
face, at sight of the fascinating sam
pies. lit up with real-little-girl glee
Can you be happy with it enough
for two, Nellie?" the librarian asked
Because / have heard of a little color
ed girl shut up in her house with the
whooping cough, and didn't know but
she needed something bright to look It,
What is it? Blanch Washington?
She's in my school, Ho! she's always
laughing, anyway; besides, If ! keep
the book | can show it every day to
that cripple who lives all the time at
the hospital, and then there'll be two
of us to get the good Of it,
All right. take it along home; and
the librarian vanished toward the
workroom for the staff relished an an
ecdote about Nellies mature common
sense.
Her next call at the library began
with a mysterious II want YOU" and
a reckoning to a corner of the hall;
there she whispered, You know that
book? Well, haven't got it,"
TT was such little thing it got lost
or mislaid, Nelie?" the librarian teas
ed
Nom. 1t was when l was going
home with it, and l was holding 1T out
for another girl to see and boy
snatched it out Of my hand and ran
off with it,
What a shame, dear!" The librarian,
who had reasons of her own for not
loving naughty boys, spoke warmly.
You could have made such dresses for
your paper dolls"
well, I shouldn't have; I wasn't go
ing to cut into a single one Of those
pages till Jane saw them
"Jane?"
"Yes'm. Grammie and | go way, way
off in summer for two weeks to a farm
and Jane lives there. It's, six miles to
the depot, and prob'ly she never saw
such a splendid book. All she has is
Just chickens and bossy, and not
made things" (Nellie meant man
made.)
Your plan was fine, dearie, but now
that bOy--what was he?'
Il don't know his name, but I'd know
lis face
This incident, reported to the staff.
stirred them variously. Il shall tender
IN invitation to the movies, to help
make it up to her. said one assistant.
"She is usually placidly tapping an