The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-26

desire. can win their way into his good graces. The man of means looks upon the bookseller as his inferior, whose business it is to minister to his plensuse to keep himself posted on all the ' are and costly editions of standard works, such as only the rich can afford to pos sess to be fully informed in regard to the latest novel and, in fact, to be ready at moments warning to minister to his lordship's slightest whim. With such a state of affairs existing, no friendship then can be maintained between them for none can hold another for friend when he knows that person looks down upon him as an inferior. So though he may be respectful and deferential, and assume the smiling bearing that is infinitely more seductive and dangerous than true friendship, the bookseller will never re gard the rich man as his friend but will reserve his friendship for the struggling student, or the poor man who strives to forget his troubles and cares in the fascinating society of the lit- erary muse. Indeed, 1t is only with such as these that he meets on the broad
 
 equality. Let him once know that man is poor and that i, is an almost constant struggle 10 keep the wolf from the door but in spite of all this he loves books and is determined now and then to gratify his tastes no matter how great the sacrifice-and with that one a friendship Is at once established. With such as these. feeling that they are in a small way both laboring for the advancement of letters, he is on terms of the utmost sympathy and intimacy. He will rejoice with the man to whom the purchase of a book is another victory over poverty and Encouragement, counting each fresh in- vestment new conquest over ignorance and error. or course there are some who do not join in these ennobling sentiments or act the good part, but this class is very small. The old axiom that book seller should know nothing about books" IS saying. that with its attending condi- tions, IS scoffed at and held at naught by the larger portion of the great fraternity.
 Among the good class we have inst been describing was my old friend B.. whose memory have every cause to revere and hold dear. He it was that took warm interest in me when a strug- gling student, first came to know him he II was that gave me many a useful hint, when. like thousands of others. 1 was launching out upon the great sea of know ledge. without guide or compass he 1t was when my scanty purse was empty, loaned me many book. and thus enabling me to gratify an OCT weening thirst for learn ing. How we'll do remember the deep solici;nde he showed in my first weak at temp, at authorship. and his bits of criti- eism, always SO kindly, yet so discerning How happy and gra.ihed he was when after several months of saving. become the owner Of Gibson's 5" Decline and Fall- in six stout volumes how rich too felt the possession of a library like the one started in the Vatican could not have made me felt richer: and my friend in his goodness of heart and from the depths of kindly nature participated in my feelings. When after several years of hard labor my fortunes began to ius- prove. and was able to spend more money on books. what a thoughtfulness he showed for me what pains he took that in buying l should have none but the best: how 10th he was to give his advice on any subject wherein he was not fully informed. fearing that he would lead me estray. Wnh all his other ac- complishments my friend was book hunter fear. indulging his tastes in that direction 90 far ,ha, he was compelled to make serious sacrifices an others. Once he wore his great coat until long after II was faded and seans- worn that he might become the owner of a copy of Words |" Simple Cobbler of Agavain." He was versed 100, in many of the branches of learning which othey men neglect. He had passion for all that was old and as strong an aversion for. all that was new as man of his kindly nature could have. His favori.e authors were those who, though they are still much praised and referred to as literary landmarks. have long since fallen into state of respectful neglect. He found great delight in the charming. restful prose of old Isaac Walton in the graceful, mildly pleasing pages of Ad- dison : in the quaint conce,,s of good old Roger Ascham : in the verse of Spencer. Beaumont and Fletcher. and "rare old Ben Johnson" His favotites among sNHlCtiSduS WCte lTumDou anu sAnuG Bradstrect, whose sometimes charming but, too often suited verse was his es- pecial delight. But the book he prized above all others, and the one he read mos, of all, was Sir Walter Raleigh's $ " History of the World lnever knew him to read but one nineteenth century book. and that was the Essays of Ella" Indeed think often that could the gentle Eng fish humorist have known my friend,- who, perhaps. had never been more than once or twice beyond the little valley in which he was born-he would have found him a man after his own heart. The.old bookseller long since passed out from ,oil and care and down to the dark waters of the unknown sea but whenever return to the village it seems to me that can still see his tall, thin form pacing about among the alcoves ot his stall, now kep, by another. At times the vision is so real that would fain ask him the na- ture of his last nights reading brt then something shadowy and etherial about A |