as she put it on the shelf for future perusal.

"It was not long before the thought struck Abner that he was losing
opportunities which spread themselves around him, so he jumped up and
took down a book. The volume proved to be one of 'Elegant Extracts'; but
after reading certain reflections 'Upon Seeing Mr. Pope's House at
Binfield' he thought he would like something more in the nature of a
story, and took up a thinner volume entitled 'Dick's Future State.' He
turned over the leaves, hoping to meet with some of the adventures of
Dick; but his attention was arrested by a passage which asserted that
arithmetic would be one of the occupations to be followed in heaven. He
was about to put away the book in disgust--for to him there was no need
of a man's being good in this world if he were to be condemned to
arithmetic in the next--when the light from the open door was darkened
by a large body who approached in carpet slippers, making no noise. This
proved to be a round and doleful negro woman, a greater part of her face
wrapped up in a red-and-green handkerchief. Her attire was somewhat
nondescript, and entirely unsuggestive of literary inclinations. She
groaned as she entered the room.

"'Whar Mr. Bro'nsill?' she asked, with one hand to her face.

"Abner was amazed. Was it possible that this woman could read, and that
she cared for books? He explained the situation, and assured her that he
could attend to her just as well as the regular librarian.

"'I's mighty glad to hear dat,' said the woman, 'I's mighty glad to hear
dat, for I hasn't slep' one wink for dis tooth. Mr. Bro'nsill he allus
pulls my teeth, and dey nebber has been one what ached as bad as dis.'

"With this she began to unwrap her swollen face.

"'You needn't do that,' cried Abner. 'I can't pull teeth. You must go to
the dentist.'

"'That'll be fifty cents,' said the woman, 'and Mr. Bro'nsill he don'
charge nothin'. I know whar he keeps his pinchers. Dey's in dat drawer
in de table. And you kin pull it out jes as well as anudder pusson. I'd
pull hit out ef I wuz anudder pusson.'

"Abner shook his head. 'I never pulled a tooth,' he said. 'I don't know
nothin' about it.'

"'Don' dey tell somethin' about pullin' teeth in dese here books?' said
the woman.

"Abner shook his head. 'There may be,' he said, 'but I don't know where
to find it.'

"'And you's de librarian,' said she, in a tone of supreme contempt, 'and
don' know how to fin' what's in de b