St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-21
THE BOOKS WE READ.
A Mtnneapolftan Investigates the
Literature of His City.
He Finds Fiction Predoninattng as
Everywhere Else.

fore / could touch the annllnciator, and a
gentleman walked out. Without waiting
to close the door, the elevator boy sank
back on seat and was at once engrossed
in book he held in his hand. So deep
was his interest that he did not at first no
tice when entered the elevator, but mo-
ment afterward he raised his eyes with a
start, dropped the book, and we began our
downward career.
'"The adventures of Prairie Pete must
be very exciting" said. He only smiled,
and picked up the book and glanced at
the title. AT that moment the elevator
reached the first floor, but was unable to
move, with sheer surprise. The book in
my hand was Taines English Literature
1t was Prof. Peaslee OF Cincinnati who
once remarked ''The literature it INDUCES
in does not always indicate the intellectual
character of community" What would
he have thought could he have seen that
boy, not over IA years of age, reading
Tame, and that so eagerly as to be lost to
his surroundings sitting doubled up in the
corner of an elevator, reveling in the cele-
brated Frenchman's cirtique on Byron?
Being stranger in Minneapolis. as | walked
down Nicollet avenue wondered whether
mistake had not been made, and | was
really in Boston; and the little incident set
me thinking.
IN BOSTON OR MINNEAPOLIS.
Was this book fair sample of the lite
rary menu of Minneapolis? With this men
tai pabulum at SO tender an age, what in
tellectual giants Minneapolis must produce
as adults. Mingled with this was refiec-
ton on the advantage the modern youth en-
joyed in cheap publications, when for
90 cents that boy could read what had cost
me ten years ago So. Pursuing the inten-
ton to furnish the GLOBE with definite
idea Of the class of literature, or more
properly, reading matter, most sought after
by the Minneapolitans, took my stand in
the Athen8um library next morning and
with Observant eye and ear noted the con-
slant demand. Not being a free library in
the full sense of the term, this one fails to
give the complete picture desired, since it
necessarily bars out certain class. My
elevator boy, for example, does not come
here, not having the necessary deposit OF
80 and the rs cents quarterly, but never
theless fair idea may be obtained. The
assistant librarian, as intelligent as
he is affable, without knowing to what use
his information was to be applied, con-
veyed several interesting facts, which are
embodied in this article.
THE MINNEAPOLIS YOUNG LADY,
taking her as she averages, whether from
the intellectual center of Mt. Curve or the
fashionable quarter of Tenth street south,
is sweet girl, bright, sensible and enter
tanning but she is not heavy reader. Her
choice Of books lies in the direction
of Mrs. Southworth, Marion Harland
or the No Name series, rather than
in that of Lubbock, Lyle or Spencer, and
Mrs. Wister is dearer to her heart than
Edwin Arnold. She has a decided penchant,
too for books that are fashionable. When
she learns that book, written by a certain
Minneapolis lady, is the rage at present she
is determined to have it at all hazards and
to add her pretty 'raving over it' to the
rest. Just at this time. especially, she
wants something light and pleasing to read
at the lake, you know" which means
the latest thing in novels, so she takes the
Reigning Belle, Wife in Name Only or
Sunshine and Roses. There are some young
ladies, however, members of Chautauqua
circles, who demand books of reference, of
history and of travel, and still more lin
tied number which has even asked for
Spinoza, Kent or Hoeckel. Of late year
months would be better-there has been
demand for works on art, on the
part of certain ladies, who blushingly
and confidentially acknowledge mild
dilettanteism... Middle-aged ladies 1nvari-
ably seek felton, the exceptions to this
fixed rule inquiring tirnidly for works of
fashion or ladies' books. Of 1874 books
taken out the preceding day, 76 were novels,
and of these "a were taken by ladies and
the remaining two by young boys, who
were presumably messengers for their sis
tiers.
COLLEGE STUDENTS
drop into the library quite frequently and,
if they are known, or with friends, inquire
for one of Procters astronomical treat
les or some leading books OF refer
ence. But one of the juniors of
the university came in just before COM
mencement week and took out Huckleberry
Finn. Many of the most constant patrons
of the athen8um are artisans who come for
the purpose of examining technical works
and to them the collection is a great boon,
and there are not few young pupils OF the
public schools who procure historical and
biographical works and books of travel.
There is constant demand, by boys, for
theswritings of Oliver Optic, Mayne Reid
Alger, Ballyntine and Kellogg and
and travel which embody ex-
Livingstone, Du Chaillu and Stanley have
a never-failing interest for a class of these
youngsters.
THE BOOKS OF A DAY.
The 1874 books that went out in one day,
as mentioned, were divided as follows: Fic-
ton, 76; juvenile. 8; scientific, 5; travels,
z; history, 10; art, 1; essays, 6; political
economy, l.; biography, 8: poetry, L;
translations, (Ovid) 1; philosophy, l.;
theology, Q; magazines, 10, This state
ment gives a very fair idea OF the
proportionate demand for books and does
not vary, materially, from day to day. In
winter, the class of reading matter is lit
tie more solid than in summer, caused, as
was explained, by the demand for light
evenings call out something more solid and
steadily and the seats are usually full and
the librarians busy In the early morning,
about a dozen men take advantage of
the free reading room to go
through the morning papers. About
TO- O'clock, before the oppressive
heat begins, young ladies drop in for read
ing matter for the afternoon hammock, and
by the time they are secured the regular de-
niand of the day begins.
TO PoPULARIzE A BOOK.
While pursuing these harmless inquiries
I saw young lady friend in corner chair,
and, upon learning the nature of my visit,
she said:
s.Here is pointer lis that what you call
it?-for you. The librarian can easily makea
-
book, popular 6y simply ,l9l making book
say: Tell me something good to read He
will give her book andtell her: Here's a
book that's all the rage in Boston, and the
ladies are all inquiring for it, That will
settle it. Inside of a week one must have