Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-08-02
own YOUR OWN BOOKS.
II s BETTER Than Knocking Around n
Public Libraries.

Public Libraries.
Let me say TO you, young man or WON.
an, begin at. once the foundation Of
your library. You often ask profess
sional men like myself. "How do you
use the public library?" l, for one,
must reply that never have yet learned
how, though Ihave haunted them all my
life. ! never go into q public library
that do not get confused; my original
quest is blunted or turned aside by the
page OF catalogue matter, my ardor is
cooled by the mechanical fussiness Of
getting what thought l wanted. Ny
ideality Is broken down by the heat OF
the room, the lug OF an overcoat on one
arm, my hat and umbrella under the
other, the search tor blank and PEN
Gil, the crowding of the man next me,
the payment OF fine on the last book
overheld. the pert and airy delay
of the. pretty girl who stands at
the gate of knowledge to stamp
my card. or worst of all. the third or
fourth rebuff of ''outl" ms / designate
| the volume | want So that, II | had
an idea burning in my soul when came
in. ] depart utterly vexed and wholly
out OF writing or speaking mood for that
4
and kindle my fires anew. AS TO sitting
down in the library itself. making notes
and keeping To my idea in that publici-
ty. with me II Is wholly out of the
question. Perhaps il is my want OF
concentration. Perhaps moreover, II !
were a statistician only seeking names
and dates, or. on the other hand, an
idle man, bent only on passing an hour
over novel indoors rather than on the
park benches, | could read in n public
library. But II my author is TO kindle
me and inspire me with suggestion for
! any original added work or word, my
duh head must be more solitary, my
ears less assailed.
II you buy your own book it Is at least
clean; IL brings no infection into your
dwelling. Is there any thing more de-
lightful than the fragrance OF the new
J. book as you crack il open as flowers
u open to the gaze OF daybreak? And the
sense OF proprie torship prevents all
+ hurry. You have IL. There 1t rests on
: your table patient for your convenience.
! You may lay IL down to think for an
. hour with no impertinent voice whis-
Y pering: Hurry up! My turn next" II
y is thinking over book which is the
2 very most valuable thing about read
n ing. That is the way we take the lit
tie book and eat Ii" as St John says.
y 4 book Of real worth seems 10 say:
"a LAY me down and take me up again
o after you have dreamed over what
o' sa' on such a page" Your own book,
10 marked and leaf turned down, will
~ sometimes stand year on the shelf
all disused. But you know whore to
AZ lind what you want. As time goes on
10 one day you spring out of your
In chair exclaiming: Il have read
ne something on this point. Oh, have it
. 1t is in such and such volume. Seel
IT. Here it is" You are conversing with
your friend about Rome. what did
Dickens write about the Colosseum?
Dear. dear, got il out OF the public
iihrSry. have no Dickens OF my own.
nd But you have a Byron. You pull II
out. You sit and read and charm your.
= self with pleasure far more exquisite
than when you first perused it.
49,. There is no greater error than TO sup
~ pose that mere reading OF all the
~, pages OF u book once exhausts it. IL il
-, the fortieth reading that affords the
: finest flavor OF pleasure. Slowly, yei
~ surely, even with painful economy you
,od collect few good things. The stors
,os will always be worth the investment u
I'M. YOU. You will learn how to select Yot
oh will sell some books as years r1ss bu
-. some will always be dear as lii, TO you
az You will acquire the habit of hanging
10 round" bookstores, which eultiyates |
AZ man as the face of a friend sharpenetl
,ao the face. You will read review
1, and learn to be on the watch for th'
I \ newest and latest in thought No on
.ed reads reviews who does not buy books
,w. vet reviews are often nowadays th'
laf ripest thought in newspaper You
9 home will be perfumed by your library
ar. Flowers on table are not so aesthetic
,nt The lack OF the library is the seyeres
as reproach on many sordid home amonl
The the mere money-getters. In fact on
ine would. but for the overgrowth of whicl
ace the illustrious EnRlishman complains
oh as soon think OF borrowing cradles an
md eating dishes as the few masterfu
led books that underlie present hnma
the knowledge and culture
tie II am young man living in board
ale inC-house. A library would be an in
he enmbrance To which reply; A youn
ses man with library will prove irresisti
BILE. lie will soon have local habits
lpa ton and a name. lie will outgrow hi
ort boarding-house. The world has plac
aat for him and his books. Randolph Hill
lrn in Boston Globe.
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