The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-06-25

~ ONaf ~ SO0E0a
Let mo say 70 you, young man Or som-
an, begin al once the foundation Of your
library. You often ask professional men
like myself, 'IIow do you use the public
libraTy?" I, for one, must reply, that l
have never yet learned how, though /
have haunted then all my life. never
90 into a public library that do not get
confused nay original quest is bluuted or
turned aside By the page Of catalogre
matter, my zrdor IS cooled by the me-
chanical fusrines5 Of getting what L
thought wanted. My ideality is broken
down by the heat Of the room, the Ing
Of Al overooat on one arm, my hat and
umbrella aisder ths other. the search for
blank and pencil the crowding Of the
man next me the payment Of fine on
The last book oyerheld, the pert and airy
delay Of the pretty girl who stands at the
gate knowledge, or, worst Of all, the
third or fourth rebuff Of ''out ""s des-
ignate the volumes I want. So that if I
had al idea burning in my soul when |
came in, l depart utterly vexed and
wholly out Of writ or speaking mood
for that forenoon. / must go back TO
my der and kindle my fires anew. As
TO sitting down in the library itself max
ins notes and keepi : to my idea in that
publicity, with me i is wholly out Of the
Question. Perhaps it IS my want Of con-
centration. Perhaps, more yer, if were
a stitistician only seeking names or dates,
or, on the ot-sr hand, an idle man bent
only on lssing sn idle hour over novel
indoors rather than on the park benches,
l could read in public library. But if
my author is 10 Eindle me and inspire
me with suggestion fnr any Ciginal add
Gu work Jr word, my dull head must be
more soil. 4ry, my ears less ssssiled.
II yo buy your own blk it is least
1l,an; iit brings 10 infection INTO yonr
lTeliing. T. there anything more Le-
.isl.fh than the fragrancH of the rev
1co,, rs you crack it open IS lowers open
% &c gaze cf daybres K? And the sense
of psopriaiorship prevents all hurry. You
have l.. Thets il r sts on your table,
pctien' for yog- convenience. You may
lay it down to think Cor an ho,r with 10
impertinent voice whispering, "IIurry up.
Ny turn next" It i thinking over
book which is the most valuable thing
about reading. That is the way we take
tn Ii, lie book and eat it, rs St. John
says 4 book OF real worth seems 10 say,
LAY me down and take me up again
after you have dreamed over What said
on such page Your own book, mark
ed and leaf turned down, viii sometimes
stand a year on the shelf all disused. But
you know where 10 find what you want.
As time goes on one lay you spring ont
Of yOurlchaiF eHclSiming: Il have read
something on this point. Oh, I have it.
1t is in such a volume. See, here It IS ~
You are conversing with your friend
about Rome. "What did Dickens write
about the Colosseum? Dear, dear got
it ont Of the public library. have no
Dickens Of nay own" But you have a
Byron. Ycu pull it down. Yo- sit and
charm yourself with pleasure far more
exquisite than when you first perused it.
There is no greater error than 10 sup
pose that the mere reading Of ali the
pages Of book once exhausts it. Il is
tlIe fortieth reading that affords the finest
favor of pleasure. Slowly, yet surely,
even with painful economy, you collect
few good things. The store viii al
ways be WORTH the Investment to YOU.
You will learn how to select You will
sell some books as years pass, bus some
will always be as dear as life toy0u. You
will acquire the habit Of Hanging round
book stores, which cultivates a man, as
the face Of friend sharpeneth the
friendship You will read reviews and
learn to be on she watch for the newest
and latest in thought. No one reads re-
views who does not buy books, yet re-
views are often nowadays the ripest
thought in newspaper. Your home
viii be pcrfumed by your library. The
lack of the library is the severest reproach
on many a sordid home among the mere
money getters. In fact one would, but
for the overgrogth Of which the illus
trious Englishman complains, as soon
think Of borrowing cradles and eating
dishes as the few masterful books that
underlie present human knowledge and
culture.
81 am young man living in a board
ing-house. A library would be an IN
cumbrance." To which I reply A young
man with library will prove irresisti-
bic. He Will soon have local habita
ton and nsme. He will outgrOw bis
bOarding-house The world has place
for him and his books.-RandoIph Hill
in Boston Gl2j,