Telegram-herald., 1890-08-01
A BEAUTIFUL FAILURE.
The Reference Library a Fine Thing TO
Visitors TO Look at


visitors TO Look at
"That's mighty fine place in there to
spend and hour or two," sald the re-
porter to friend just coming out of
the reference library.
"Yes, it would be fine place." re-
piled the gentleman, as he ran his rists
around into the small OF his back
and tried TO straighten out his spl ne by
oendlng il away over backwards; at
would be fine place, If 1t only had in
saw do you know that reference IL
brarv reminds ore of that bathing pen
your paper described? Every thing in
there is all complste except the very
things that make 1t toleraDle. 1t is
pump, a magnificent pump without n
handle, lamp without n wick, a bath
ing place with no place to dress and
undress."
"What do you refer 10? won't print
your remarks, or at least will not quote
you anne"
"Wcll, then, viii wager that If you
will 90 III there and make 4 two hours
observation, will forecast exactly what
Will occur. During the two hours, as
many as 30 persons may come and go,
but not one of them will ramaln half
hour. There are eight persons IN there
now, and every one OF them you VIII
find leaning forward over book or
magazine on the table. No one can
read long in that position, and they
will get up and wander out aching in
breast and back by reason Of the strain
ed position they have assumed"
~frw IN
room, including the young lady IL
brarian, was in the position described
| 1t was found that the chairs were
elegant and expensive, chans cores
ponding with the inside finish of the
room, but built with no reference the
comfort OF persons desIrous 10 SIT and
read Tor an hour. They are high
! straight back chairs, ingenlusly con-
trIyed to show how not to do
| it. This defect Is tantamouLt
to closing of the reference
| library, for nobody can possibly
use that library as Il was evidently in
| tended. The reference library is one
of the finest institutions of the city. and
| II IS a great pity tnat 1t should be so
/ disused tor the want of n six-pence.
| Occasionally a man will be seen titled
|
| other chair, but this spectacle Is ~are,
! on account of the beautiful respect
! hlhty of the place. The want of read
lug-chairs is all the more painful by
| reason Of the great utility Of the re-
ference library.
To say nothing Of the cycioppdic
| books of reference which the library
/ contains. and the other charming
1 r-r.ta
/ Is exceedingly nch. The reporter took
/ MS pencil, and scratched oil the fol-
/ loving titles. which do not include AL
/ that can be found there:
! Tne Overland Monthly, The Author.
I The Century. Scuouer's Magazine, Ec-
t iectlc Magazine. The Nineteenth Cen
I tury, FOrtnghtly Review, Harper s
/ Magazine. Tne Contenp0rar Review
f Toe Westminster Review, ohskespear-
f lana, The Arena. Food, Home and Car
+ den, Magazine ot Amer .csn History
+ Bl8ckwOods Ediuburg Magazine. Inc
+ tosmopol tan. The Wrter-ioT ltersrg
+ workers. Uaroer : Weekly. Puck. The
+ Illustrated News. Frank Lesl.e's Illus
4 trate5. ~t ch0.as, IS lde Awake. The
/ Q0ath's Companion, Judge, Harpers
1 Young Peoo.e. Carpentry and Building.
! Aanufactgrer ano Binder. Tie Zee
+ trcsl World. The Nation. The Amer
( ran Econom 81, TIE Peoples Causs
Iae Scent sc American. be Journa
+ of Education. The Peuman's Gazette.
The Literary World. Science. Popular
- ence Monthly. Ile Forum. ItteTs
4 Living Age. North American Revew.
Yet. oompared 70 What she reference
lhrarr would oe Fita pTcueT con- forts
Tor a. hours larry tlIs fine srraq
~ literature = a4al1st wholly farona
away. let any member n TIE Board
~ EEucat on try fac chars FOR az
hour. and he Sill Couciude that fhrss
straight back Ch2Irs stard directly 81
/ the pathway 81 popular literary culture
"a Grand Rapids