Wichita eagle., 1888-08-08

EFFECTS OF THE CONTINUED CON-
SUMPTION OF TRASHY STORIES.

SUMPTION OF TRASHY STORIES.
A Washington Reporter Prizes Into tho
the Secrets of the Cheap Eook Trade.
sults-Cheap Libraries.
Persons very fond of reading, but with
little spare time to indulge their taste, who
visit o narrow shop near one of the de-
partments, are apt to come away with
severe attack of the blues. The shelves,
counters, and even the floor of the shop
are chock full of pretty nearly all the wis
dom of the ancients and wit Of tho mod
ems, done up in elegant but handily
pocketable paper bound packages, which
sell at from ten to twenty cents each Tho
shop, in fact, is a sort of headquarters for
the cheap libraries now so numerous, and
which are said to be doing great damage
to the more pretentious branches Of the
book trade.
Here, for s., careful person can pur-
chase library more extensive and better
than was ever owned by many man
whom the world calls great and wise.
History, biography, poetry. philosophy,
gled in bewildering confusion and pro-
fusion. a glance at the titles Of the
famous works piled on shelf and counter
fills one with despair of ever being able to
read them ALL SO numerous are they; and
yet they are so cheap that person with
the reading habit feels ashamed not to
buy an armful and rush off to his den to
devour them at once.
1--WE have several customers who read
two and three books day" the proprie-
tor said to an inquisitive reporter. zone
man in particular used to come in regu-
larry every other or third day and carry
off each time from six to eight volumes.
He didn't appear particular about what
he read, but took them just as they came
He kept it up week after week. too. He
had q place in the interior department,
but was discharged not long ago."
The proprietor didn't intimate that there
was any connection between the mans
reading habits and the loss Of his position.
but it struck lie reporter that there
might be.
A BOOK DAY.
There are plenty OF people who aver
age book q day, month in and month
out" tho proprietor continued. These
people are mostly novel readers. Of course.
1t gets to be a passion with them, like
anything else. and they give all their
spare time to it. If they can't get hold
of new story as soon as they have fin
ished the old one they don't know what
to do with themselves and are miserable
like tippler whose rations have been 1
cut of or morphine eater who can't get /
the drug"
"Do you notice much difference in the /
class of stories preferred by men and wo-
mem the reporter asked.
mo, | can t say that do. The women /
don't seem TO be especially fond Of love /
stories. In fact, some women who come |
here wont read love siories or novels 4
written by women They prefer the de-
tective stories and mysteries Of Du Bots
eobey aud Garboriau aud Zoln's highly
favored stuI q. W. II. Reynolds sen I
sationsl ronances used 10 have q big sale.
but they aren't IN as much demand rs
they wore"
Haven't The cheap Libraries hart tho
sensational story papers great dealI" lie
reporter inquired
Well. not as much as thought they
were going 70 at frs:." the gentleman
said Il expected tho story papers would
DO eutipcly driven Ont Of the field by the
cheap Libraries. but hardly think their
sales have fallen "a much es Is per cent.
Tic papers have 70 keep booming them
selves ell the tine. thoagh- or they lose
srouDd badly, They Aren't TIE bsnanzas
ley used TO he. Tho negziealers wouldn't
Dc very sorry II the story papers were
driven out OF the field atsosclxr The
margin Of profit on them - vcYy email
md the worst Of It IL the people who bay
.hem arc Of tho charge Il and I'll PAP.
Tou -aexf-tir1e' class Now, II they fall
o pay once IL knocks tie prof. of q eood ,
aany papers"
Tho people who read tho story papers,
hen. are Of different class, from those i.
who bay the cheap library noveist'-
FALSE AsD FooLIsE IDEAS.
Yes. as rule. they are. The peopls
Who re4d these novels and serial e.or.es
,et false and foolish ideas Of he. This
S especially true OF tie confirmed story ,
'apr readers. They are the worst OF all
can tel one q them alfzos: &c quickly
s set eyes CT her-for tho story paper
eadezs are generally Women They have !
N01l9 BE grand snd roraa,tic air about
1e-a, use big words Sad theatrical en-
-essioEzs, and Try 20 initiate generally Il :
heir manner the highly vrossh. eha.ze-
e-s hey Rad about IN lie se-.Als Girls
-oaght u2 froEa :hs ;.n-e they are aneea :
r sixteen On this so-- Q. re-5sur xrsaS Z
stigsed with a man rznless Is is Ike tho :
eroes Of tlcs, stories. an tosy z-s aye :
o wait good vLlls bclozs tAey acd ere
'Ao see-1s 70 promise 20 corse 10 wtsx. :
beg c~l Their IDEAL And thea. X Ckey :
0 g. married. q ninety nine eases On.
( . hCsds~d. .bes sooa cseoger shss tie
ronlsss wire I'll fa.se: that they kaveat
2arr1ed their bero q. al, tct ensy a {
coz-on place nan, with rot
zorgh Of tie st0-y rAp~r Ideal - ai-a '
. supply 2azszsspi n &c ss lie s.sppy ..