Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1910 — A LIBRARIAN’S PUZZLE. [ARTICLE]

A LIBRARIAN’S PUZZLE.

Familiarity with books is to be highly commended, yet the particular kind of intimacy cited by the late Senator George F. Hoar of Massachusetts, la his “Autobiography of Seventy Years,” might not appeal to the book lover The story told by Mr, Hoar Is of a student, a freshman of about 1842. During the first part of his term the boy took from the college library the largest and thickest volume it contained, the works of Bishop Williams, one of the prelates persecuted by James 11. It was an extremely dull treatise of theology, and the freshman, who had no literary tastes of which anyone knew, was the only student who had ever called for it. The boy kept it for the six weeks allowed, and then renewed it, taking it back only when the spring came on. He repeated this in his sophomore, junior and senior years. the was very, curious about the matter, and asked some of the boys in regard to it, but none of them knew any explanation. They used to see the book lying on the boy s table, but they never saw him reading it. At last > during the winter term of the senior year, some of the students broke in unexpectedly on this classmate. It was late in the evening, and he was getting ready for bed. Standing on edge, close to the fire, was Bishop Williams’ book. The mystery was solved. It was the student’s habit to warm the volume thoroughly and put it into his bed before he got in, thus using it as a warming pan. The originator, of this scheme became a famous bishop himself. Doubtless he acquired doctrine by absorption.