A wonderful library

There is a school library in my village. I wanted to know what it contained. I found there exactly fifty books that I had leafed through thirty-five years ago. The abundant dust showed me enough that no one disturbed their profound peace. They were not lacking in value, but of what use could they be to small post-war peasants? The Avenger of Montcalm, Robert-Robert, Francine, French and Germans, by Dick de Lonlay; Télémaque, the Voyage of the Young Anacharsis, César Cascabel, by J. Verne; Let's drop Asia, let's take Africa, by Reclus; a few old travelogues, sixteen volumes from the Bibliothèque Rose, that was all the literary baggage of a school in 1923.

Having made this lamentable situation known to whom it may concern, I was informed that a subsidy of 50 france was allocated to the school library of my village. The teacher was delighted. I thought he would be able to use this sum without delay. Alas!

The grant can only be mandated when the volumes are purchased! The teacher therefore spent the sum he had not received. As the amount of the purchase was to be exactly 50 francs, he arrived at the desired total, not without difficulty, by completing the order with that of two insignificant works.

The books received, he asked for the payment of the subsidy, supporting his request with the bookseller's invoice and a certificate of support for the books purchased.

Six months later, the bookseller sent an end-of-year statement. As the promised subsidy had not yet arrived, the teacher advanced the funds and settled the bookseller's bill. Two months later, on May 23, exactly nine months after the purchase, he received a money order for 50 francs, marked in blue pencil: "To be collected before May 25." The tax collector lives sixteen kilometers away. The next day, the teacher, who, fortunately, had a bicycle, received from his hands 49 fr. 75 (deduction of 0 fr. 25 for the receipt stamp) and suppressed the class of the morning to be able to do this urgent errand.

God save me from asking for another grant for my village library! Tomorrow, I want there to be on its shelves travelogues that don't date from 1850, illustrated albums, amusing books and history books, treatises on botany and agriculture. With the mayor and a few generous people, we will manage to bring together wonders that will owe nothing to official munificence.

EF. L.