THE DIPPER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 290, 27 August 1918, Page 6

THE DIPPER

A LIBRARY INTERLUDE.

(By "Wi.")

His hard hat had a dent in the back of it. Underneath the hat was a crop of bright, fiery, assertive red hair—not the soft bronze exhibited in bar parlour oleographs of the Royal Family, but the combative ginger ofthe ultra-Socialist, with the "Economic Labyrinth" in his coat pocket, or a Sinn Feiner with a shillelagh rampant on a field omejald. Ho came up and laid his book down on the counter. It was'neither the "Economic Labyrinth" nor "Tho Green Flag." . It was a book on astronomy, ;iiid with its return were offered some disparaging comments on tho scientific shortcomings of its distinguished author—Sir John Herschell.

"This Herschell," said the dipper into astronomy, "is talking through his neck. He doesn't know tho , first thing about stars." ; • "Oh!" said the girl at the counter with veiled sarcasm.

Either a peculiar independence, a manifestation of individualism, or a spark of gallantry inspired his next act. Instead of handing the book over to the girl who waited expectantly to receive it, ho opened the book and took out the card himself. This he did by a peculiar process which, in the parlance of the unvarnished, is described as "gobbing." He put his thumb into his mouth, laid tho damp and grubby digit on the card, and attempted to slide it out of the pocket. Tho attempt failed, the only result being a dark smudge on the card. So he put; his thumb back into his mouth again, and once more placed it—tho thumb—ou the card. This time the card, properly scandalised, slid out hurtiedlv.

The girl received it gingerly, and placed it on the counter, but offered no comment. I, lfss discreet, hurriedly camouflaged my emotion by blowing my Jiose.

The student of astronomy presently retired amongst, the shelves, from which ho oinergwl svith another book; and some fresh comment.

"You can talk a'-mat your Shakospeares and ,vour Miltons,',' ho said, "'but for ;•. bit d' real exciteinont gimme a book on bugs.' , I stifled a second hon-caekle with my handkerchief, and loft the dipper in bugs tc his new enthusiasm.