Actually, somebody figured it had been overdue 52,825 days. At 5 cents a day, that would come to $2641.25. BUUUUUT, currently the Leyburn Library charges a buck a day, so that would be $52,825. Maybe it would have been a better idea to hold on to it.
I understand the library was thankful to get it back (I didn't read whether they still had the other three volumes) and waived the fee.
The Union soldier was C.S. Gates, and he took it June 11, 1864 when General David Hunter's army raided the town and looted the college.
A note inscribed by Gates in the book reads: "This book was taken from the Military Institute at Lexington Va. on June 1864 when General Hunter was on his Lynchburg raid. The institution was burned by the order of General Hunter. The remains of General Stonewall Jackson rest at the cemetery at the place."
He still thought it was from VMI even though the name Washington College is handwritten on the title page.
After the war, the book passed down through gates' descendants until it came into the possession of Mike Dau of Lake Forest, Illinois, who arranged to have it returned.
Now, This is the Kind of Story I Put My Cheaters On to Read. --B-R'er
No comments:
Post a Comment