The Tomahawk., 1926-04-22
REXFORTH
CIRCULATING
LIBRARY
By DON MARK LEMON
90 by Short Story Pub. Coz

/" dollar, Tor the patneuc oiu 1ei-
low had made a moving ap-
peal, and was about to return
to his pocket the other coins in his
hand, when one Of them slipped
through his fingers and started to roll
down the sidewalk.
He saw that 1t was his pocket-piece.
q Louis dor with the image Of the
Grande Monafque, and made a hasty
dash for the coin. 1t escaped him and
shot away at accelerating speed down
the sidewalk and just inside the
flagstone. He heightened his stride
and made another dash for the coin.
Some small silver spilled from his
hand, but he let 1t 60 and followed the
elusive Louis XIV. Suddenly the gold
piece struck ridge In its downward
path and shot around the corner Of a
public courtway. Baxter followed.
He heard a laugh at his amusing
predicament. but did not look up, as
his blood was aroused, and he was
bound that the coin should not escape
down some hole or Granny.
At about three-fourths its length,
the courtway lifted bit, retardlng the
speed Of the coin, which finally
swerved in its track and rocked along
the fagstone, to reel at last like a
very drunken Louis into q doorway,
where 1t lay In the corner, half-propped
against the footboard.
Baxter stopped and picked up the
coin, and as he arose to q standing
posture, small, neat brass sign met
his eye. It was set into the door be-
fore which the coin had come to
standstill, and 1t read:
THE REXFORTH CIRCULATING
LIBRARY.
The courtway or narrow street down
which the golden Louis had led him
was wholly new to Baxter, and as he
looked about he saw couple Of ladies
across the way smiling at his late pre-
dicament.
He would step into Rexforth's and
recover his serenity. He opened the
door and found himself in large,
well-lighted room, fitted up more like
a ladies' parlor than a library. Where
were the books? He could not see
any, and the patrons-all ladies, 1t
would seem-that came and went
while he gazed around nonplussed did
that could have been mistaken for a
book.
"This Is something new," commented
Baxter, mentally, Must be bookless
library"
Fancies Of a new idea in Libraries
floated through his brain. Perhaps
the books at Rexforth's were not print
ed volumes, but Photographic records,
and all the patron needed to do was
to draw a wax cylinder Of the latest
popular novel-the record made by the
author himself-take 1t home and
place 1t on a phonograph, and science,
the mother of convenience, would do
the rest.
But all this was hypothetical, SO he
looked about. On the wall near him
was a neat typewriter list, headed: {:
"The Six Books Most in Demand by
the Patrons Of the Rexforth Circulat-
ing Library, for the Month Of Septem-
ber." His eye ran down the list.
'SThird-rail alive!" he murmured,
what kind Of ladies patronize this
nbraryY
For the list read:
"Izaak Walton's Compleat Angler"
"Shakespeare's King Henry The
Fifth"
Last Of the Mohicans,"
"Meditations Of Aurelius."
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary"
"Huckleberry Finn"
He shut his eyes and tried to puzzle
1t out, but the more he thought the
deeper was his confusion. He studied
the ladies waiting to give their Or
ders for books. They all were stylish
ly dressed, and seemed cultured and
well read. His eye returned to the
typewriter list on the wall.
They're classics, all right" he
granted, "But such classicsl" He got
up and went over to the secretary's
desk. He would join the library and
learn something. He was handed
leaflet which informed him that the
monthly dues were ten dollars, the
members having the privilege of draw
ing each month two books in class one,
three in class two, four in class three,
and so on; fine Of two dollars a day
being imposed for book kept over
time.
Baxter whistled mentally. "The
books must be bound In velvet and
gold-tooledp
He laid ten dollars on the secretary's
desk, and after a little telephoning,
by means Of which his references were
authenticated and approved, he was
entered in the books as a member of
The Rexforth Circulating Library, and
credited with one months paid.up
dues.
He did not remove the sealed wrap
per from the catalogue that the secre-
fo~v <xoya hin, h,1t ,,rop hoino oo.,rol