The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-12
MEAPHIANS WHO READ.
AN INTERESTING CHAT WITH A
BOOKSELLERS CLERK.
Running Comment Regarding the
Latest Novels and Those
Who Buy Them.

one OF the CLERKS IN q le2ulng MAIN
street book store yesterday even
ing as he made bundle of one OF
Herbert Spencer's works, one OF John
Stuart Mills, a new edition OF Josephus
and handsomely embossed copy Of
the Revised New Testament for the
APPGAL mans Sunday reading. "a
man may be in one mood today and
another tomorrow; he may feel like q
novel now, and something good and
solid, such as these, at another time,
but he always has a preference for
some one line of books. Occasionally
q customer has round about way Of
letting you know what he wants.
Stop a minute while wait on the
young man with the large air and the
SIN III legs over there. He is one OF
them"
The customer asked in a careless
sort OF way If they had received any
new works on political economy, and
was shown shelf full, but quickly
ran his eye over them and turned to
ask if Marion Crawl I'd had anything
new cut. His curiosity sati fled he
asked Tor something rec5nt by Hugh
Con way.
"He's dead" soIemnly answered the
clerk.
"Well, say" the customer asked in
stage viii per, "do you keep the Police
Gazette now 2"
Receiving au auewer in the mega
tive he looked about him in O con-
fused sort OF way for a minute aud
then departed empty handed.
81 have to 60 through that same
thing dozen times day." said the
clerk YEARLY, as he came back to
where the newspaper man stood"
Sometimes they will paw over the en-
tire table OF periodical s, read away
hard for two or three hours and then
ask for something they know we don't
get. 1t makes me very tired. OF
course it is understood that anyone
may come in when he pleases, hunt
about for something to read, and If he
sees nothing to strike his fancy, walk
out. But il is the chronics / am talk
ing about; the men who make daily
habit OF that sort Of thing and never
buy a book or paper. Taking about
papers, now can give you an idea OF
the trouble some people cause us.
See that case of pigeon holes there.
We clean about $40 worth Of papers
out Of il every month that are dead
loes. They are ordered by parties
who ask us to put them down on the
regular list and save one or more
papers for them, and never put their
noaes In the door apain
"Sell a good many paper backs,
don't your"
"Yes; they go good deal faster
than bound books. When the thing
was started the Seaside Library was
all the go for long time, but every
publishing house In the country now
gets them out. Some OF them are
very attractively printed and Others
come In all sorts OF shapes, but ii you
will notice the titles few OF them are
solid. The man who likes TO read
good hook as rule wants to keep II
where he can refer to 1t or read It
again. Some men read by FITS and
starts. They will devour a dozsn or
two books, and then perhaps we will
not see them again for months. Others
come in regularly four or five times a
year and get twoor three volumes at a
time"
''Do You notice any improvement in
the public taste?"
Eyes, | do" was the reply, 81
have been book clerk in Memphis
all my life, and notice a decided
change for the be ter A great many
more people read books now than ever
before, and they are b tier posted.
The moment any new wofk creates
furore in the EaBt there is q run on il
here, and many OF the opinions hear
are good enough to put in print. Take
Called Back forinstance. II was all we
could do to keep a supply. Then Mr..
Lsddcs was in Big demand, and so was
it's immediate successor, DR.. Cldudius.
When Progress and Poverty first came
out we ordered only a few, as we had
not been able to sell dozen books a
year ON political economy. But they
were every one engaged before they ar
rived, and we had to order them by
the car load, 10 be little expressive.
TRANSACTIONS of the great Russian nov
elitt Tolstoi 40 like hot cakes, and the
sale of SGiammbO has been simply phe-
nomenal. II is expensive, too, as only
ore firm publishes it, and then only in
boardF. DR.. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde hes al
ready besn read by hundreds. Talk
ing about Henry George and political
economy, we have one customer who
has very sweet tooth for things OF
that kind.
I'll venture 10 cay we eell moro Of
that class of literature to Bolton Smith
than 10 all our other Gus omers TO-
gether. lie will walk in now and then,
run his eye over the shelves, look be-
tween the covers Of two or three, pick
out one without much loss OF time,
AJAX how many We have of il and thea
order the whole supply.
No, he don't read them all. lie
gives them away. When Progress and
PONriy fiat came out he bought
twenty st clip, lie evidently be
lievss Henry George TO be prophet
Il. h. Semmes and Harry Wilton are
almo, the first to buy the new bcoki
az they come out. They are always
posted and never let rnyth ny ge
away from them. But IL YOU want &c
get pc nt,rs about Du BoiSgobsy, Bil
"a, Hugo, Dunes, Feuillet, Daudet
Belct and that school you ought to G,
around TO the Bank Of Commerce
aud talk to Mr.. Ombtrg. 10,
SpCcht, j., is pretty we'll pos &C
in that line, too, and car
give You good half hour lecture OF
any Of Ouida's works. Neither ont
OF them is lar ahead OF Cliff Bruc,
though, He has good taste VIXEN /
comes 10 French { ausIatIoue, and car
quote you cfI afcole or more of book
that will not disappointment you. Lei
Kroner spends good deal OF his leis
ure time reading A WIND Of Deslinl
and As Z Has Written are two of h.
latest purcha4ee Judge Greer spend
sn occasional hour with a novel. HI
wss lavish in his praise thu other dsl
OF Mr. Isadc and DR.. Gdudiu'
and went out With the Lat
Mrs Null Maj. Beard has exca!len
taste, and his verde; OF Sdldmmbo Ia
sold a good many copies Of that su
perb work. Gen. Paterson, Mai. Nc
Farland, Justice Coleman, Henr,
Walsh, and dozen or two others, f)l
1oucd he lend and Tho Mainr vyoo III