The Carnegie Formula

Writer’s Cramp Contest (1,000 words maximum)
Prompt: Write a story about discovering a ‘Special Book’ ‘Hidden’ in the ‘Original’ Scottish Carnegie Library.

999 words


*******
Dunfermline Scotland 1914

Afon Dey gently pried the front panel from the Librarian’s main desk. Meticulously carved into the wood panel was an open book held aloft by Seraphim Angel Wings. And between the wings: not the Ark but Aladdin’s Lamp! Mary, Queen of Scots, a stanch Catholic, lost her head for less. But by 1883, when the Library was built, Scotland was mostly secular. So Afon wasn’t surprised by this bit of heresy. The Scottish were always rebels.

“Move it along, Afon…We don’na have time for yer fiddlin’. This renovation has to be done ‘fore the winter rains start.”

“And when would that be Oswallt?”

The other two carpenters laughed when Oswallt threw his hands in the air as he left the half-demolished reading room.

Afon thought it was a shame history was being destroyed. But others had decided the original configuration of the first Carnegie Library, funded by The Man, The Right Honorable Hisself, The American Billionaire, needed to be more accessible to the common man. Walls had been removed and areas extended.

As the final screw gave way and the carving fell into Afon’s hands, he gasped.

A fragile, aged booklet, really just a few sheafs of paper hand-sewn together with thread, fell into the sawdust at his feet.

The paper was yellowed and looked like it would disintegrate if touched. He hesitated. Should he call Oswallt or show the others? Quickly he decided.

Placing the delicate paper between two tiles that had been knocked off a window enclosure, he secured it in his work bucket.

*******

At home that evening he gathered his son and wife. It was 1914 and he feared he would be hanged for stealing. But if this had any value, perhaps he could sell it. To whom he didn’t know.

“What is it Da?”

“I don’t know, Cadell. I found it behind the carvin’ on the Librarian’s desk.”

His wife offered, “Looks like a Dunfermline weaver’s work. Threads ‘er startin’ to fray. It’ll fall apart soon, I’d be a’judggin.’”

“That’s what I afear too,” agreed her husband.

“Can we sell it?” his wife asked.

Afon tried to look offended, but he wasn’t fooling her.

“What’s it say?” Cadell asked as Rhonwena’s wee fingers inched towards the prize.

Her mother shifted the baby to her other hip.

“Don’na look like words. Some kind of code?”

“Ya mean like when The Bruce passed secret messages to his followers? Maybe you found one of Bruce’s messages.”

Everyone in Dunfermline knew about The Bruce, his bones at rest in the Dunfermline Abbey.

“If’n it was rit by The Bruce, it’ll fetch a piece of gold.” The wife’s eyes glittered. “Don’t sell it for none of ‘em worthless banknotes.”

“Looks like naugh ‘cept dots and dashes.”

Cadell looked over his father’s shoulder. “I think it’s Morse Code.”

“I’ve heard of that.” said Da, uncomfortable to be advised by his boy. But because of Carnegie’s Library, Cadell knew a lot of things.

Cadell said, “I think this is important, Da. You’ll get in trouble if you don’t take this to the Council. They’ll know what to do.”

Afon’s wife left the table.


******

A month later, The Council officially honored Afon in a public ceremony. The highly educated Talfryn Broderick gave the speech.

“We don’t know how this booklet was secreted behind the carving, but it is suspected Carnegie’s mother, who officiated at the opening of this first Library, requested the carpenter tuck it in.

The Council concluded it might even be the study paper that teen-Carnegie used to teach himself Morse Code.

Since Mr. Carnegie currently resides in Lenox, Massachusetts, he has been contacted about this extraordinary find.

He has verified it is indeed his hand-written paper, bound by his mother with her own needle. He was very touched she left it in his birthplace. He would like to have it back as a personal remembrance. And so we shall honor his wishes.

He told us this Code is what he credits as his entrance into the life that made him a billionaire. Libraries in America were just beginning to be free to the public and that is where he found it, written in a book. Totally free for his use.

And now we present a gift from Mr. Carnegie.”

Although not paid in gold, Afon’s wife stood proudly beside her husband as he accepted a substantial banknote.


******

Christmas 2023


“Money Talks,” Amber mimicked her Grampy’s words from yesterday.

“It does not,” said six year old Eric.

“Does so! Big Bird talks. So does Cookie Monster.”

Amber, thumb in mouth, sulked in the arms of her Grampy.


“She’s right Eric. These old re-runs of Sesame Street wouldn’t exist if they hadn’t been funded by the Carnegie Corporation back in the ‘70s,”

Eric, who was turning a somersault in front of the tv, ignored him.

Grampy’s son, now in his forties, sat silently next to him on the couch. He was pretending to be interested in what Amber was squealing about…Cookie Monster gobbling cookies and Big Bird scolding him about manners.

Sooooo…..unchallenged, Grampy droned on.

“Andy boy seeded over 2,500 libraries too. Called his plan: The Carnegie Formula. It had regulations. Just like Foundations today. Access to his donations for Libraries was well known to town councils.

They had to demonstrate there was a public need, they could provide a suitable site, and they could maintain, furnish and stock them. That meant taxes. Imagine that. Regulations and taxes. Nothing really free.

And did you know, the Carnegie Corporation also seeded PBS and NPR.

And Sesame Street! Now there’s a story.

The idea was pitched in a private home to a Carnegie CEO over cocktails.

Money does talk, even through puppets.”

Amber’s father rolled his eyes at the double meaning. His father was so political. Best not to make any kind of comment, nor create a scene. It would just ruin their Christmas dinner which smelled so good. The aromas from the kitchen made his mouth water.