The gathered dust, the battered chairs, the spider-webs in the darker corners, would have variously annoyed and disgusted Ann Penhallow.

A well-worn Bible lay on the table, with a ragged volume of "Hiawatha" and "Bunyan's Holy War." There were no other books.

This form of poverty piteously appealed to him.
"By George!" he exclaimed, "that is sad.

The man is book-poor.

Ann must have that library.