**
Mr. Wellington’s Bookshop
Books are a girl’s best friend.
–Harry Finkle
Lizzy slowly opened the creaky door to the bookshop and stepped across the threshold. The chime of the bell hanging over the door echoed throughout the shop, welcoming her. She took a deep breath, then smiled. Lizzy loved the smell of books and could read them all day. It had taken her nearly two years to read all the books in Uncle Harry’s library, and she enjoyed every single page.
Lizzy stood for just a moment to appreciate the books in the shop. There were rows and rows of them on thick shelves almost reaching the ceiling. Between each row was a round window with a spider web design, providing more than enough light for browsing. Lizzy also admired the new titles displayed on the small round tables located at the end of each row.
Since moving to Finkleton, Lizzy and her brothers, Jack and Robert, helped their parents run the general store, which they’d inherited from their father’s uncle, Harry Finkle. Harry was technically Jack, Lizzy and Robert’s Great Uncle Harry, but they mimicked their father and called him Uncle Harry as well.
Uncle Harry was their grandfather’s brother. Sadly, Uncle Harry never married nor had any children. He lived in Finkleton his entire life, then unexpectedly died at the age of 82.
Lizzy and her brothers were given pin money to spend as they wished. Jack and Robert would spend their earnings at the local bakery or sweet shop. But Lizzy saved her coins and knew exactly what she wanted to purchase.
Every week Lizzy would visit the local bookshop, owned by Mr. Wallace Wellington, and browse the titles. Mr. Wellington was a short, plump man with a very pleasant personality. Of course he wore spectacles, which seemed to be a requirement for bookshop owners.
Mr. Wellington always had something clever to say, unlike other storekeepers who displayed humdrum personalities. His intelligence impressed Lizzy, and his quirky ways made her laugh.
Mr. Wellington allowed Lizzy to sit at a table in the back room and quietly read the older books from the less desirable shelves. Most people wanted to purchase newly published books and didn’t even bother to explore the rear of the shop.
Mr. Wellington also kindly lent Lizzy a few books to take home that she’d return the following week. She was more than eager to visit his shop today because not only was she returning books, she was planning to purchase two books he’d been holding for her.
“Hello, Mr. Wellington,” Lizzy said, smiling. She handed him the books she’d finished reading.
“Hello Lizzy,” Mr. Wellington replied, grinning. “I take it you enjoyed reading my friends?”
Mr. Wellington referred to the books in his shop as his friends. He would say, “Friends, I have hundreds of them! Where would I ever be without them? On occasion they leave me bound for a new home, but new friends arrive weekly, so I am never alone.”
“Oh yes, I truly did,” Lizzy said, “and today I am buying the two books you’ve been holding for me.” Lizzy’s face beamed with joy. She could hardly wait to take her books home and place them next to her favorite childhood doll on the fireplace mantel in her bedroom. She’d named her doll Victoria, because that’s what little girls do, they name their favorite dolls and keep them forever.
Mr. Wellington stooped below the counter for a moment, then stood holding the books Lizzy had been saving her pin money to purchase. Using a small dust rag he lightly brushed them off, then placed them on the counter directly in front of her.
“You have good taste in friends, Lizzy,” Mr. Wellington said, tapping the books with a smile.
Lizzy eagerly removed the coins from her purse and placed them in Mr. Wellington’s palm. She then gathered the books up and hugged them close to her. Although she had already read these books, she could read them over and over again and never get bored. These books would become her new friends, as Mr. Wellington liked to say.
“I moved a few more of my friends into the back room, if you’d care to sit a while and have a read,” Mr. Wellington added. “Most folks around here only want to read stories of adventures and such, but I have a feeling you’ll enjoy some of these.” Mr. Wellington smiled once more at Lizzy and then continued about his business.
Lizzy proceeded quickly to the back of the shop. Her fast walk turned into a skip; she couldn’t wait to see the books Mr. Wellington mentioned. A young lady should never run, but Lizzy felt skipping was altogether different.
The back room didn’t appeal to most folks. Each time Lizzy removed a book from a shelf there, she had to blow a thin layer of dust off the cover before opening it, and sometimes she sneezed.
Above the bookshelves was a small, grimy window adorning the longest wall. It permitted just enough light to see the thick cobwebs that decorated the nooks and corners of the room.
Lizzy had once thought about offering to clean the room, but she didn’t want to offend Mr. Wellington. Besides, that would have given her less time for browsing books. She enjoyed a room full of books, clean or dusty. She could travel the world by simply reading.
Mr. Wellington had a habit of placing a new candle in the holder right before Lizzy arrived. He might not take the time to keep this place clean, Lizzy thought, but he’s thoughtful enough to make sure I always have enough light to read by.
Lizzy gazed at the books stacked on the floor. She placed her own books on the small rickety table next to the unlit candle, then knelt down to admire the new additions to the neglected room.
The shop bell chimed. Lizzy could hear Mr. Wellington talking to someone. Lizzy didn’t pay much attention to the new customer, though; she was too intrigued with the books that surrounded her.
Typically a person would enter the shop and request a new title, pay for the book, and leave. Lizzy never saw anyone besides her hover in the shop for long. Lizzy thought this was kind of sad. Mr. Wellington’s shop held thousands of books. She never got bored there.
If I had enough coins, Lizzy thought, I would buy them all! Uncle Harry’s library is already packed full of books, but I could make space in my bedroom. Lizzy loved to daydream about all the books she’d read, and she couldn’t wait to read more.
Lizzy had never understood why her brothers, Jack and Robert, didn’t like to read. She felt that she’d lose her mind if she couldn’t read a book. The idea of a world without books was frightful to her. How else would people be able to learn? And wouldn’t they miss the feeling of a book in their hands? Lizzy brushed the unpleasant thought out of her mind.
Lizzy noticed a book titled Glowworms of Finkleton. She thought, How perfect! She opened the book and discovered all the pages had been written by hand. This must have been a personal journal, she thought. Maybe it was owned by someone who studied insects in Finkleton.
Lizzy opened the journal. This is how it began:
The glowworms in England never remain in the same place, making it hard to conduct a proper scientific study of their habitat.
A major exception to this rule are the glowworms in Finkleton, which remain in the area and thrive. No one knows why. Perhaps it’s the lush countryside, or the perfect seasonal weather.
Whatever the reason, the radiant green light of the glowworms brightens the countryside during the summer. This glorious sight is like nothing else on earth. Sadly, it happens only every two or three years in other parts of England.