Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-14

IN Few minutes he descended
with musty book in his hand. ''How much is
it," he asked, pulling out pocketbook that
looked as if it were made Of pasteboard. covered
with wall paper. He didn't ask for a reduction
| in the price, but paid it, and remarked Your
| store is not nearly so dusty as the other old
book store just left, but still guess had bet
| ter go down stairs and wash my hands," The
| old umbrella went. too.
Doesn't it often happen," said the reporter.
turning again to the proprietor, that . valua-
bic book is sometimes brought to you for sale
| by some one who doesn't know that it is rare %
Yes. that happens. / have bought book
for 25 cents that i afterwards sold for sos; but
paid for it the price asked. Speaking Of valu-
able books it is only of late years that the value
OF departmental publications has been realized
In forming q library now, one of the first wants
is government publications. l have just COM
pleted an orderfOr department books for library
| in Hartford Conn. / buy these books when
can and store them away until they are wanted
1t was only the other day l bought lot of
Treasury department reports from lady whose
father was Secretary Of the Treasury fifty
years ago. "NOw let me show you where 1
put the books when buy" The rep<ter fol-
every nook and corner of which was filled
with miscellaneous old books. "When
l buy a lot of books" continued the proprietor.
Il dump them right on the floor. and then when
the business of the day is over l come down
here and sort them. When / come to a book
-
until wanted, and when 1 find one of which
there is no copy on hand, it goes on the proper
shelf up stairs. Nobody can do the work but
myself and have to know just what is on hand
and what is wanted"
WHAT ANOTHER DEALER SAID.
Another dealer in secondhand books had
something interesting to say about the trade
His manner of making purchases was similar to
that described above. There is great demand.
t., ryxxSko -
States, particularly with regard to the rebellion,
and also to the Indian question. He also does
fiourishng trade in school books. Pupils, as
they are promoted to higher grade, bring their
books to him for SALE and when the text books
are not changed too often. they are rapidly dis
posed OF to younger children following.
DEPARTMENTAL PUBLICATIONS.
ave have great many calls for depart
mental documents" said the proprietor. Last
summer a gentleman called here who said he
had come from California for the purpose of
completing set of the reports of the Smith
sOnian Institution. and sold him fifteen vol
umes. How do we get hold of these govern
ment reports? People get tired of having them
knocking about the house. where they were
brought perhaps by some member of the family
occupying formerly prominent official position.
The old rag man with the push cart gets them
for little or nothing. If he can't dispose of them
to the junk dealers he brings them here. If
they are worth anything We buy them, ii not
the covers are torn off by the rag man, and they
find their way finally to the paper mill"
do you have many calls from regular anti
quarian book hunters3" asked the reporter.
''Yes. there are number Of well known citi-
zens who make it habit to come here every little
while and overhaul our books, and they gene
rally find something they want. 1t was only
the other day that one of our regulars came ac-
companied by stranger from New York, who
was in search of some revolutionary prints. He
picked out about fifteen that suited and then
asked to be shown some Of our rare books. /
pointed out the shelf to him, and he made that
big hole you see there. He bought nine volumes
of the transactions of the London Society
Instituted for the encouragement of arts, manu-
features and commerce. London, 1857" He
will have them rebound and put in his library.
Some of our customers think that we don't
know the value of a book, and are always en-
deavoring to get rare books very cheap. Now
there is a gentleman we'll known in this city
who came repeatedly and tried to buy for IS
cents volume the same books sold to the New
York man for g. 50 per volume. When he saw
little chance of getting them for that price, he
would call just to see if We had them still He
hasn't been in since they were Sold and don't
know how he will take it to find them gone"
FICTION AND RELIGION.
81 suppose books of fiction are in great de-
mand?" said the reporter
EYES, fiction reading is on the increase, but
the trade is almost ruined by the cheap seaside
novels and firesde library"
''Well, how about books Of q religious
nature?"
ITO tell the truth. we don't do much with
books on religion; piety is at the low ebb. The
only demand for that class is from cOlOred
preachers, or from young cOlOred men who hope
to become preachers. They will stay here by
the hour hunting over all kinds of books on
religion"