Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-07

houses, to find out the number of books re-
 quired to fit them up. Books are an impor-
 tant item in house furnishing. The comfort able old-time sitting-room has made way for
 the formal library. As library, without
 books would hardly do, house-owners are
 bound to have them, whether they possess. literary tastes or not. Besides, they add
 tone and color to room. A customer re-
 gently said to me, frankly enough: don't
 pretend to read anything except the papers
 hut there's home feeling in having books
 around; they look well, too, and sort of en-
 courage the children.' He told me to be
 sure and chuck in few big ones to put on
 the tables.' Another harmless fellow, who
 wanted the reputation of man of culture,
 always directed us to put in some books that
 had been used little. He once told me that
 he was bound to have a library as big as his
 neighbours. and whenever the latter ordered
 @ new stand up showcase he was going to do
 the same. Some of these folks have queer
 ideas. One of our customers insisted on
 having all his books bound after the same
 pattern and numbered. Some time after
 ward friend told him that people were ask
 ing if he kept a circulating library so he
 had morocco labels stuck on over the figures.
 But this only made the matter worse, for his
 guests were particular to ask him what the labels were for. At last, in sheer despera- tion, he sent the volumes to an Ruction-room,
 and we received his offer the next day for
 many feet of bocks each one differently
 bound. He wouldn't have even a two-vol-
 tune edition of anything wealthy man once sent in great haste for dealer, saying
 that he wanted his library closed out imme-
 diately and 8 new one bought He was 8 speculator in produce, but some one had sold him law library. He liked the uniform ap- pearance of the volumes and had made the purchase without reading the titles. His new books were to be illustrated, all of them. When I first went into the business I was surprised to see at customers house an extravagantly bound copy of Shakes pesre's works in the German language. I | knew the man did not understand German, and the circumstance puzzled me. found l out afterward that bookseller had loaded | him up with very unstable article by tell l ing him that every gentleman ought to have | 8 copy of Shakespeares works in the origl- nal. No; house-furnishers do not often buy l the books for library, but they frequently give directions as to binding. They look for | light, elegant and well llcontrasted coIors, or | for heavy antique morocco or Russia bind | ings, suited to the character of the room. | As a rule the owner of the house thinks | himself competent to buy his own books, | though he seeks aid from us in making his choice I once picked out 8 handsome as- sortment for 8 customer about to refHrMish | his house. He had no acquaintance with | books but he looked over the titles and made some rather interesting expurgations He told me to put all of the standard 'thori- | ties in any way and he would attend to the rest He threw out Tn the Meshes'-which
 he supposed to be book on fishing because he was no angler. 'BoswelPs Life of John | son was rejected because he didn't want po- 1 litical campaign works and wouldn't have 1 the biographies of the Presidents they all 1 lied so. These men do not bother us much, l for they are easily satisfied but what do you
 think of gentleman who refuses to pay his
 bill because you have left out the dictionary the most important work of all-from 8
 complete edition of Daniel Webster's 8 works'"