The Old Ladies Journal from Leavenworth, Kansas • 3

3 THE OLD LA I) IKS JOURNAL. HPRIL, A WELCOME. Far in the sunny South she lingers, Yet slowly conies along, With fairy garlands in her fingers, With snatches of sweet song. Her eyes with promises are beaming, I lor smiles will rapture bring, Thrice welcome, lovely spring. She brings us gifts, the royal maiden, Fair lowers to deck the hills, With primroses her arms are laden, IJlue bells and daffodils, lile crocuses have come before her, Wild birds her welcome sing.

Ten thousand longing hearts adore her, The gray world's darling-Spring. Spectator. LENT. was one of the most appreciated donations. On the opening day there were 750 volumes on the shelves, of which 500 were presented by the W.

C. T. as the residue of a circulating library once operated by them. The library wa3 fairly well patronized during the first year, and in the fall it was found that larger quarters could be obtained at the Court House. So in November, 1800, the books and furniture were removed to the second floor of the Court House, the rooms occupied being those set asid for library and reading room.

At the present time there are 2,000 volumes in the library, though the subscription list has fallen off considerably. A year ago the literary clubs of the city became federated, and this federation has undertaken to assist the library. It has presented a petition to the City Council, asking that body to put before the people, at the spring election, the question of levying a tax for the support of the library. This can be done under a State law, though the tax can only be a small one, never exceeding one mill. The Federation is also conducting a concert for the benefit of the library, which will be held on the 17th of May.

Fifty thousand tickets have been issued for this concert, and it is hoped they will all be sold. The merchants of the town have contributed largely to this enterprise, and their contributions will be distributed in the form of gifts to the fortunate owners of tickets, whose lucky numbers win a present. These tickets sell for the small sum of 25 cents, and may bring the buyer a thousand times its value. The proceeds of the concert will be used to put up a library building, and we call upon all of our citizens to help the good work on; especially the women, for this is a woman's enterprise, and to them will belong whatever credit emanates from it. In remembrance of me, When the days come round, cave your jollity, Pleasures of sight and sound! Take your burthensome sins To the desert of thought; Think how one who was bound Man's deliverance wrought.

Think how one who was shamed, Hanging upon the tree, Shows the glory of God To humanity. alia Ward Howe. ever the old citizen was approached with such a suggestion, he waxed wrathy and declared that never another cent would he give for that purpose, as it was sure to fail. When pressed for reasons, he could only say the Mercantile Library had been a fail ure, and a new one could not thrive. However, as the children of the old settlers grew to maturity, they felt more and more the need of a library, which has been a subject of mortification to them on more than one occasion.

Gradually a number of literary clubs were organized. In all cases but one, these clubs were formed entirely of women, who were, hi many cases, the wives and daughters of the aforesaid old settlers, who after all, are not so aged as this appellation would imply. In the summer of 1887, a club of young girls was formed, whose ulterior object was the establishment of a pub lie library. With this end in view, they carefully husbanded their resources, made their initiation fee a book, and talked public library on all occasions. In the fall of 1805, this club had made arrangements to put the books it owned in a case in a room kindly offered rent free by Mr.

Horace Stevenson. This was to be used as a club readiug room, and, it was hoped, would be the nucleus of a future library. In the meantime the Thursday Reading Club had purchased a number of books from time to time, and in considering what was best to do with them, it was decided to unite with the Whittier Club, and any others that would join the enterprise, and actually start a library. For certain reasons it seemed better that this suggestion shouhl come from an individual than from a club; 'so Mrs. 10.

W. Snyder, being a member of several clubs, asked each literary club in the city, that was interested in the formation of a public library, to send three delegates to a meeting at the 15ard of Education rooms. The six clubs then in existence complied with ibis request, and the outcome was the organization of the Leavenworth Public Library Association. On January 1J, 1800, the library was formally opened at its first home, a small room on the second floor of the Kyau Building, the rent of which The Public Library. HYRENA m'kEU.

Many years ago, when Leavenworth was a bustling, hustling frontier town, on the edge of civilization, a library was considered essential to its welfare. A company was formed, large subscriptions were douated, life memberships and yearly tickets sold at an exorbitant price. Little entertainments were given by home talent, the pro ceeds of which netted from $1,500 to $3,000 dollars an evening. IJjoks were purchased ami a librarian se cured, and for a few years the Mercantile Library was a flourishing institution. But at last it fell under the bde mu which Leavenworth has constantly suffered from mismanage meat and went to pieces with a crash, the books being scattered by an auction sale.

Years passed, and from time to time tentative efforts were made towards setting up a public library, but when IN WAR TIMES. The soldiers march to war away, Tramp, tramp, tramp! We stay at home the bills to pay, Stamp, stamp, stamp. The habit of looking at the best side of every event is worth more than a thousand pounds a year. Bovcc,.