Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-06-25
Made Love in a
Library

By JANE OSBORN

T ESTER PORTER had been grad
- uated from college-a fact, said
his friends, that indicated that the
faculty of Baldwin university were
getting rather lenlent or that Lester
had been very lucky.
Then by some odd turn of events
Lester got a job on the editorial staf
of a popular magazlne-but still he
never read, at least any more than
he had to. And the editor-in-chief
one day remarked to his first assist
ant, well out of Testers hearing, that
1t was a mortal shame that Lester
did not have a better education.
"Oh, l know he's been to college"
said the editorial leader. "But what
does that signify2 The trouble Is,
Lester needs literary seasoning. He's
really clever, perhaps brilliant, but
his manner and his writing give the
impression of man who's never read.
Too bad, because he will hardly do
here in the editorial offices. Wen try
to get him switched over to the bust
ness department"
Then 1t happened one day when
Lester Porter had business In the
section of the old town where
stretched out the buildings and cam
pus Of his alma mater, that a really
heavy rainstorm overlook him. And
being only a short way from the old
college library Lester ran thither
for shelter. Perhaps there would be
n current magazine of a frothy ma
ture that would serve to while away
ten minutes or so. He would ask
where they kept the current mag
azlnes. And the girl he asked
happened to be Lorna Crane, young
est of all the young librarians en-
ployed in the college library young
est and decidedly the prettiest. Even
so, Lorna was not stunningly pretty.
"There are no magazines in this
section" she told Lester when he
asked his question. "And I think you
have to have a special permit to read
them. Otherwise the students would
be at them all the time. Is there
something else that you would like
some reference bookP"
"Why, yes" said Lester. 81 might
browse around awhile II you have
no objection" And he smiled to him
self at the very thought OF himself
ever browsing" in any library.
Lester stayed In the library an hour
and half that afternoon. And the
longer he stayed the more sure he
was that this girl with whom he had
been talking possessed all the qualities
needed to the making of his idea
woman. She was just the build, just
the figure, of exactly the cOlorlng
Everything from the tone of her voice
to the way she walked suited him
entirely. Truth to say, he did little
browsing
He came back three or four days
later at about the same time In the
late afternoon, and seeing that the
girl Of his ideals was on duty Lester
sat down and began to read book
that some previous reader had left
out. It was an essay on English
literary style by writer of whom
Lester had never even heard. De
spite his frequent glanclng up to see
whether his ideal was still not far
of Lester found himself becoming
much interested In what this writer
had to say. Really not half bad
this sitting in a library and reading
books that he had always considered
dry as bones.
Again and again Lester came, al
ways primarily to see the girl but
eventually In good measure to go on
with some book that had taken his
attention on some previous visit.
Then somehow Lester managed TO
get courage TO ask this girl If she
when she could leave the library a
little early. And from that It wasn't
very hard to ask her II he might call
She turned out to be the daughter
Of a professor-old Professor Crane
in the history department, whom Les
ter had once regarded as flrst-rste
fossil. And from meeting Mrs. Crane
and shaking hands with Professor
Crane, II was not so very hard to ask
Lorna to go to the theater with him
and to manage to dance with her at
little club he knew about after.
wards.
whats got into your asked his
editorial chief one day when Lester
was trying to concentrate on bit
Of editorial work before him. "You
don't spend so much time at the
office as you used TO but the time
you do spend here you use to ten
times as good advantage. This re
view you've just handed In and that
editorial you wrote last week-why,
man, they're corking Not just clever
your things were always that--but
scholarly"
Lester was trying to stammer out
ONE sort of reply. but the editor went
right on.
81 was thinking Of getting you
transferred over to the business de
partment," he said. "but since you've
been doing so well here, | think you'd
do better to stay with us. think I'll
promote you to Stanley's place-as my
first assistant. He's taking a year off
and probably won't ever come back.
That means, Of course, about double
lie check you are now getting"
Lester stammered his thanks
"You see I'm especially glad" he
said because | have just become en-.
gagged to Miss Lorna Crane Professor
Cranes daughter. you know-and now
we won't have to put Off the wedding"
$50 that's IT," commented the edl-
tor-in-chief 'well you're not the
first man TO whom romance served 40