Read Online Rachel's Hope by Shelly Sanders - Free Book Online Page B

is an investigative reporter who faked insanity in order to report on brutality in a women’s asylum.”
    They were in the public library on the third floor of City Hall. Rachel could hardly believe the number of books, the rows that went on and on. She had never set foot in a library before.
    â€œIn Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days ,” explained Anna, “the character, Phileas Fogg, tries to prove he can go around the world in that amount of time to win a bet. Later, Nelly Bly actually traveled around the world by herself to see if it was possible to do it in eighty days.”
    â€œDid she do it?”
    â€œYou’ll have to find out for yourself.” Anna plunked a copy of Verne’s novel onto Rachel’s large pile of books.
    â€œAre you sure I can take all these books home without paying?” Rachel shifted the books to ease her arms.
    â€œThat’s the whole purpose of the library, letting people borrow books for free,” said Anna in a distracted voice. She examined the spines on a shelf just above her head.
    â€œI think I have enough,” said Rachel. “It takes me a long time to read in English. I still have to look up so many words. It will take me months to get through these.”
    â€œNonsense,” said Anna. “You must spend every moment possible reading if you’re going to write in English. It’s like learning to paint: The more you practice, the better you will become.” She dropped another book onto the pile in Rachel’s arms. “Walt Whitman. A fearless poet. You just have to read his poem, ‘O Captain! My Captain’!”
    Rachel groaned under the weight of the books. “Aren’t you going to Russia soon?”
    â€œNot for a few months,” said Anna. “Lots of time to help you with your reading.”
    They made their way past many shelves of books to the circulation desk.
    â€œDid I tell you that the Emanu-El newspaper published my letter to the editor that I wrote about first coming to San Francisco?” asked Rachel. Emanu-El was a weekly Jewish newspaper published in San Francisco.
    Anna stopped and spun around. “No. When did it come out?”
    â€œYesterday.”
    â€œThat’s marvelous!”
    â€œThey even printed my full name, not just my initials,” said Rachel, referring to the Jewish newspaper she’d written for in Shanghai, Israel’s Messenger . The editor there had refused to put her first name with her articles, telling her that people wouldn’t read things written by a woman.
    â€œYou’ll probably be a staff reporter for the San Francisco Call by the time I get back,” said Anna, referring to one of the most important newspapers in San Francisco.
    â€œYou are very positive,” said Rachel, rushing to keep up.
    â€œA better word would be optimistic . It means hopeful.”
    â€œYou are very optimistic,” said Rachel.
    â€œYes, I am,” laughed Anna.
    Rachel dumped the books on the wide desk and pulled out her landing papers to prove her American residency. She needed these in order to get a library card. The librarian, a wisp of a woman with curly hair and unusually large front teeth, wrote Rachel’s name and address on a card, noted the names of the books she checked out in a ledger, and handed them back to Rachel.
    â€œYou can return them in three weeks or check them out again if you haven’t finished.” The librarian raised her eyes beneath her spectacles as if to suggest Rachel could never read all of the books so quickly.
    â€œShe’ll be back in two weeks,” said Anna with conviction.
    Rachel stifled a laugh and followed Anna down the stairs and through the door that led to the street.
    â€œTwo weeks!” said Rachel, when they stood at the busy corner of McAllister and Larkin.
    â€œI haven’t known you long, but from the way you’ve pushed yourself to improve your English