Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-19

1t was before the days Of the phonoeraph. The
palmy days Of the book buyers and book sellers
have not gone by, for passing the book stores
which line the avenue they seem 70 be alwaye
more or less crowded.
THEN AND NOW.
The difference seems TO me- to be that In the
days write Of the book store was Q resort and
an intellectual exchange. Mr.. Taylor was IN
encyclopedia Of BOOKS and man of intellectual
force. Mr.. Beall tells INC there are the same
class OF book buyers who frequent his store,
and ne presumes that Of others who buy with
knowledge, and when they find what they want
are not deferred by the price, In q recent visit
TO London Mr.. Beall purchased some rare
books and when We looked at the condition OF
them and the date Of their publication they
owners: Here is "Coliy Cibber's Apology"
1850; Thomas Hobbies "Peloponn esian Warre. -
1929; Works Of Charles l." 1887, and others.
Among the liberal buyers of books OF the pres
ent day, Mr.. Beall says, is Senator Hoar OF Mas
sachusetts, whose library is one Of the best in
the city.
LOAN WELL sEPAID.
Mr.. Bean relates an incident Of Humphrey
Marshall, Who was . constant visitor to Taylor's
book store in the ante-bellum days. One even
ing he borrowed Of Mr.. Taylor $500, and went
into the faro bank OF Goode Il PrinGle, next
door to Taylor's store. and won 81 600 which
he spent next day in books. From Franck Tay.
lor's book store has graduated some of our
most public-spiritsd citizens, Mr.. G. c. Glover
OF Riggs i Co. and others. and Mr.. Beall,
despite his devotion to books, has become
largely Interested in the city railroads -
director and stakeholder.
SOME FAMILIAR OLD FIRMS.
The old stand at the corner Of 18th
street was where for many years the late Robt
Farnham and after him Blanchard d Mohun
kept book store. The old house Of Morrison
Il Co., which for years was on the avenue near
AZ street. and ID still carried on by one of the
younger members Of the family. say younger,
but speak OF the old house as / knew it so
wei! forty years ago. Ono OF WashinGton's old
book stores Is that of Ballantync. The name
recalls Walter SCOTS printer, and as the elder
Mr.. Bailantyne 10 native of Scotland there
may be relationship. con recall Mr.. Ballan-
tyne and his store for q good many years. Tho
founder of the house of Brentano ! remember
away back in the early fifties whom he kept q
news stand IN . basement on Broadway neaH
Becker street. He began life under the seri-
Gus disadvantage OF lameness which would
have rendered a man of less enterprise almost
helpless, but his energy made aE.epds for that
drawback and ne grew into wealth as years ad-
vancsd and died leaving his name associated
with literature and it's productions. The second
hand book stores here are quite numerous, ono
OF which contains collection not sur passed by
those Of New York. Washington, since first
remember, has been a market for books The
private libraries to DO found here and the gov
eInmental patronage has made the fortunes of
several of our book sellers in the past and those
OF the present day will doubtless follow the ex-
ample Of their predecessors. All this long
story of books demonstrates that the people of
Washington are reading people.
JOHN F. CorLE