The Legacy

The Legacy

For most people, being a librarian had all the glamour of a baking powder biscuit, but it was a dream job for Leslie Walters. As a kid she had taken refuge in the stories on the shelves and when she became their keeper, she also took refuge in the stories of the people who frequented those shelves. For years she had collected those tales and held them close to her, tenderly and dearly.

The bulletin board she kept in the library hallway reflected the interest she had in her patrons’ lives. Carefully clipped, matted and displayed were articles, milestones and obituaries of the small town’s former and present residents. Leslie had a knack for finding such information.

One man in particular came under her scrutiny. He came to the library each Friday morning, browsed the collection, section by section, but never checked out a single book. He was an indeterminate age and physically nondescript. Yet if he ever caught your eye and smiled, that was something you could remember – the smile. He smiled with his whole being, and everyone smiled back.

When he had first appeared, Leslie tried to engage him in conversation about using the library’s services. However, he had smiled, captured her and she never again verbally offered her assistance. And though he didn’t borrow a book or appear to read any of the materials, his presence became natural and accepted.

On Friday mornings the library was a extremely pleasant place, everyone smiling at everyone else. In fact, that feeling seemed to spill onto other days of the week when a patron would occasionally emerge radiantly from the stacks. Then the image of the smiling man was clearly evident.

Months passed and one day Leslie posted the following clipping from the paper of a nearby community.


Anonymous Benefactor Leaves Legacy
It was revealed today that the so-called “Happy Hermit” of Longworth County was responsible for thousands of anonymous gifts during the past decade. Following the passing of Charles Watson Sommerfield, nearly $10,000 in crisp twenty dollar bills, all marked with a grinning Andrew Jackson, were found amongst his papers by the court-appointed executor of his estate. After a thorough investigation, it appeared that over the years many county residents had been the recipients of similar bills. “The bills would simply appear,” they reported, “on the seat of a parked car, in a mailbox with the mail, in a hymnal in church.” Having no known family, the money will continue bringing smiles as it will be distributed to worthwhile causes. “We will attempt to continue the work of the “Happy Hermit” by distributing the money anonymously for some time to come,” reported the smiling attorney in charge of the funds.


Leslie turned from the bulletin board and walked to the stacks of books she had so long taken care of. She picked one at random from the shelf before her and knew with a smile what she would find when she turned the pages.