Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-16
WHERE BOOKS ABOUND.
The Finest Private Library in Kansas
Is at Enterprise.

/ gave two-column description of 70
reka's handsome private libraries anC
. showed that the capital city has some
fine book collections. All, however
pale before the library of Ex-Mayor c.
NJ. Case at Enterprise, which is doubt.
less the most expensive and best select
ed in Kansas and certainly the finest
in Dickinson county.
Mr.. Cases collection of books fills
the shelves on ali sides of large room
and OyerflOws on the tables and floors,
in Guiding, as it does, thousands of vol
umes covering all lines of general liter
AZURE and subjects theological, philo-
sophical, biographical, scientific, CLASH
cal, and historical. The writer was
surprised and delighted at the wealth
of learning there gathered, all clothed
in the richest of bindings and showing
the marks o: careful selection and
reading. In standard works, there are
complete sets of Bulwer, Scott, Thack-
airy, Irving. Cooper, Elliot, Bronte, De-
Quincy, Dickens, Mrs. Sherwood, Geo.
Sand, Hannah Moore, Jane Austin,
Goldsmith, Carlyle, Goethe, Schiller,
Motley, IIarper's Classical library (thir-
ty-SiX vOlumesl, Disraeli, James, Tour
genieff, Auerbach, Hugh Miller, Plu-
tarch, in fact, everything that can be
considered lis standard. Mr.. Case has
also rare and de bGGe editions of many
authors, such as Hugo and Dante, us
well as hundreds Of other magnificent
special volumes, like GOodyear's Ellis
tory of Art" and Miss Mitchell's Ills
tory of Ancient Sculpture. In history
the library is particularly rich. We
find complete works of Gibbon, Hume,
Macaulay, Grote, Rollins, Mccarthy,
Rambaud, Bullfnch, Losing, Ban
croft, Patton, Abbott, Harper's Illus
trated History of Rebellion" Martin,
and Guizot, with many other publica-
tiOns of less pretensiOn.
In poetry, there is veritable wilder
ness, Bryant, Burns, Hood, LongfellOw,
Browning, Proctor, Poe, Tennyson, In
gelOw, Homer, Virgil-but why name
them? for they art all here.
Then as we go back along the shelves
we fluid Burke, Spencer, Darwin, Eivy,
Aristotle, Horace, Plato, SOphocles,
Rousseau and Euripldes' "Greek Thea
tre," and BOccacciO. In the next di-
vision comes Twain, Nye and a score of |
other writers of fun.
Bacon, johnson and Fielding are |
fanked by whole shelf filled with |
costly editions of Shakespeare a
genuine Holding Hoarse edition of |
Byron is here and four other volumes
of that writer.
AS for modern writers there are |
hundreds of volumes including HOl
land, Piatt, Capt. King, Library of
American Literature, Century Diction
airy, Ruskin, Emerson, Froude, Arnold,
etc., etc. There is indeed scarcely
modern author of note whose complete |
works are not here. The fact that not
a volume is missing makes the library |
of great value. The special editions,
such as the ExmOOr edition of Lorna
Doone" are also numerous. There is
shelf after shelf of bound and unbound
magazines and reviews, all carefully
arranged and complete.
Not only these but there are books
that recall boyhood days-Tom Brown,
1Esop, Hans Anderson, Defoe, Arabian
Nights, Don Quixote- with SanchO
Panza portrayed in all his glory, each
in an expensive edition fully illustrat-
ed. In mythology there are Limpriere's
in a rare edition with dozens of vol
umes of reference and illustrations and
translations of classic authors to assist
the reader. There are too cyclOpedias
in abundance, including full set of
Britannica.
If one tires of reading there are en-
cravings, etchiDgs and portraits in
profusion, enough to make an art lover
enthusiastic. Hcgarth is found COM
plets and Abe Provost illustrated by
etchings in India ink. There are wood
cuts by Dore' and scores of master
pieces by American artists.
But it is useless to enumerate.
There is shelf after shelf that we have
not mentioned, all teeming pleasure
for the lover of books, those friends
which never change only to become
more dear. Mr.. Case is almost to be
envied his magnificent library. If one
could live forever it would be difficult
to chose a more congenial spot than
the room we have briefly described for
a habitatiOn.