Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1917-05-18
An Inadviisable
Place Of Deposit
BY GEORCETTE MALLORY

N~O-~
often stories between the leaves.
What l mean is this: First, persons
are prone when laying down a book
they have been reading to use anything
that comes handy between the pages
for a boOkmark, and. second, persons
desiring to put away something tenn
porarily are liable to slip it between
the leaves of book. There are many
other reasons why things get into
books. but these are the principal ones.
One morning when | went to the
library to open it for the day | found
a young girl waiting for me. She look
ed very anxious. AS soon as had I'M
locked the door and we were inside
she asked eagerly if "Bleak House"
was in the library.
replied that l would find out for
her. and, going to the shelf where it
was kept, looked. The book was
there, and I gave 1t to the girl. With
out a word she shook it, holding it
open, evidently that anything between
the leaves might drop on the floor
Nothing came from it, and after run
ming the leaves rapidly between her
thumb and fingers she sank into
chair and covered her face with her
hands.
whats the matter2" | asked
We all like to have some one to help
US bear our troubles, and the poor girl
poured hers out to me without re-
straint. Hearing that her lover had
Tilted her, she had written him a very
strong letter-such one as she should
not have written in any event-and
had delayed sending it till she should
have cooled off. Her brother had been
reading "Bleak House." and the book
lay open on a table. Called away sud
denly, she had put this letter, sealed
stamped and addressed, in the open
place and closed the book. intending
to return for it. Learning that the
story she. had heard about her lovers
unfaithfulnesS was untrue, she intend
ed to destroy her letter, but in her hap
py relief had forgotten it for several
days. When she remembered it her
brother, who had already finished
reading the book. had returned it to
the library. She asked me if "Bleak
House had been since taken out. l
looked at the date stamped on the pa.
per used for the purpose pasted in the
book cover and informed her that the
book had been out few days.
"Have you heard from your lover
lately?" l asked.
mo-" she replied bitterly. "and
never expect to hear from him again
He will ignore me from now on"
"You can write him that you wrote
the letter under a mistake"
"That will do no good 1t is having
written such a letter at all that has
done the mischief. He is a very sell
contained person and has always fear
ed that am too fiery to suit him"
At this juncture some girls on theil
way to school came in to return books
and l was obliged to leave the poo
girl, who departed looking the picture
of despair. inwardly determined t.
try to follow up BLEAK House" an(
see where it had been. with view t.
getting some definite information al
to what had become of the missing let
ter. But the book after its return b.
the girls brother had been given on
by one of tie other girls employed il
the library, and. though she remember
ed having done SO, she could not tel
to whom she had given it. Anothe
girl had taken it when it was returned
Miss wainwright, the girl who hat
written the letter, came into the librar,
every day for week and asked /
any one had left the letter at the Ii
brary, but as | continually disappoint
ed her she finally gave the matter up
She told me that she had not heard
word from her lover. and she had con
cluded that he had dropped her.
A month passed. and Miss Vain
right came into the library one da,
looking so thin and pale that believes
she was going into decline. Wls1
ing to end her suspense, | urged he
to write to her lover and have tn
matter over with. She shook he
head. During our conversation | SO
her to give me his name and address
without her suspecting | was inquirin
for 1t especially, and made up IN
mind to write this gentleman Stain
that a letter had been misdirected
him and ask him If he had receive
such a letter.
As soon as l got time | wrote tn
letter and put it aside-not in a book
till | should leave the library in til
evening, when proposed to mail it,
Just before | left one of the CIR
came to me with the missing lette
She had gone to the place where Dicl
ems works were kept and, taking out
book from the lowest shelf, saw som
thing white on the floor behind
Taking it out she found that 1t WE
an unmailed letter. 1t had doubdC'
dropped out of BLEAK House" aft
the books return to the library
Miss Wainright's brother.
I called TIP Miss wainwright and as
ed her If she could come over to Il
library. She Joined me there, and
handed her the letter
1t would be impossible to descril
her expression of relief
She at once wrote her lover to kno
why he had been silent so long. al