The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-25
Epening Story
Love and Literature.
BY FREDERICK HART.

The search for books, old and new.
carried Ralph Gordon into many
strange byways. He had an indie
pendent income, and as he was a
young man with ambitions he set out
to make himself an authority on Eng
lish literature, particularly that of the
later EliZabethan period. He went Tar
for his books, and spent much money;
but he had the satisfaction of seeing
his collection grow and himself ac-
knowledged among those who know as
a real bibliophile. He even went so
far as to write a little on the subject.
One day when he was cataloguing
his treasures he found that his edition
OF Ben Jonson was incomplete-that 1t
lacked a small and comparatively OBJ
scure volume of the writer's early days.
one not included in the standard sets.
He Immediately set aboutsto remedy
this omission.
But the small book eluded him. His
agents were certain that there was a
copy in American fact, right in
New York. where Ralph Gordon lived;
but their efforts were unavailing.
After a thoro combing of the larger
bookstores, Gordon announced thai
he himself was going to take UP the
trail
His search led him one day to a
small shop, on the west side-one dis
| playing tattered editions of one-time
| thrillers, dust-covered sets of forgot
ten writer's, and a series of paper
backs setting forth the adventures of
such magnificent heroes as Dave
Dauntless and Old King Brady. He
entered the place without hope; it
merely was the book-lover's instinct
| that prompted him to overlook no pos
sible source, however unpromising. In
the dim, dusty light of the shop he
saw girl come forward to wait on
| him.
Have you he began and then
stopped. The absurdity of the ques-
| ton he was about to ask dawned ON
MIN. What could a girl in a dirty old
secondhand shop know of Ben JON
son? But his surprise was boundIess
when she replied:
for you"
"What?" he calculated stupidlv
"Oh, I know you, Mr.. Ralph Cor
don," she said with a smile. And L
| know all about the book you're look
ing Tor. L said we could get it for
you because all good bookstores saw
that when you ask them for what they
haven't got. Isn't that sop
Ralph Gordon looked more closely
at her, and suddenly forgot all about
his quest. In that moment those blue
eyes, that laughing little mouth, and
the adorable turned-up nose seemed to
him more important than Ben Jonsor,
He leaned on the counter and began
| to talk to her. To his amazenert he
found that she knew almost as much
about EliZabethan literature as he
himself. He deliberately tested her by
asking catch questions, and was de-
lighted as she evaded his traps. She
in her turn, was charmed by his man
ner, and the two parted the best of
friends, Gordon promising to return in
a rev days, ito see if the Jonson book
had come from the printers"
The incident had seemed so natural
that 1T did not occur to him till he
was we'll on his way home to wonder
why the girl clerk in a cheap book
store knew so much, nor to be amazed
that one with her evident breeding
and good looks should work there.
He went back in few days and re-
neWed his acquaintance. He demanded
her name, but she refused to give it to
him, tho he begged hard. Almost
every week he found opportunity to go
| down to the little shop, and it was not
long till he was sure that he chad
fallen in love with the adorable little
saleswoman. And he did not even
know her name!
Business took him away from New
York for a month. On his return he
fastened to the title bookstore. II
| was late in the afternoon when he got
there, and he was surprised to see a
sign announcing closing-out sale,
and several hard-looking persons just
leaving with their arms full of books.
| He entered. In a far corner he saw
the familiar figure of the girl stopping
over a pile of second hand tones AT
his step she rose, looked at him, and
then, seeing who he was, ran to greet
him with a little sob. Her relief at
his appearance was so great that in a
| moment she was weeping frankly,
| while he was clumsily patting her arm
and whispering words of comfort in
| her ear.
When she could speak again he in
quired gently, Whats the matter ?''
But instead of replying to his ques-
ton she suddenly dried her eyes and
| exclaimed: "Ohi I almost forgot!
Wait just moment" And she darted
off to room behind the shop.
| In an instant she was back. carry
ing something in her hand; and be-
fore he could speak she showed him,
to his utter amazement, the long