The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-17
BOOKS.

1t is most interesting at this time OF year
to go into the book stores. 1t Is delight
to ramble about among the books, looking
lovingly at the old ones and questioningly
at the new. 1t is almost as absorbing 10
stand in an obscure corner and watch thc
people coming and going. Here Is the hard
working father who reads only the news
papers, but who has been told by Johnnie
and Mollie to please get them books for
their Christmas gifts. He asks the clerk
what to get and gazes admiringly at the
row placed before him thinking proudly how
pleased his children will be.
There is the cultivated old gentleman in
ssting that books are not so well bound as
they were forty years ago. He examines the
title psge-notice how few people do that
slowly turns the leaves, gently rubs his
hand over the cover. taps upon IL with two
fingers while asking the price and goes
away carrying It in his pocket.
Here is the school girl who reads the first
paragraph to see If the story starts of WELL
who says pettishly, that she hates preface
and never reads il, who adores Mary ].
Holmes and cannot endure George Eliot
Now comes a small boy wanting Christ
mas books for his mother. He knows that
she belongs to a Chaucer class and goes
away happy when tho clerk persundes him
that a volume of the Canterbury Tales il
just what he is seeking. And here comes a
woman in a sealskin cape OF the latest cut
who stops before a counter full Of treasures
and whose expression never changes wheth-
er she be looking at copy Of Milton or
of Whitcomb Riley. One cannot help Won
dering what will become Of her purchase.
If she does purchase, whether IL will lie
unread on an onyx table Or be sent 10 the
minister for a Christmas present.
Near the fur cape is a cloth jacket, and
above the jacket a serious face. Now
there, we say, is a real book-lover. She re-
moves her gloves before handling one, she
looks it over from front TO back, smiles just
little, moves on appreciatingly from one
table to another, and buys just what you
had expected her TO.
by her daughter to buy a book on natural
history. II don't know what IL IS; my
daughter said she wanted aook on latu-
raj history that's ali know. Now ] SHOULD
think she'd rather have .eweiry or some
fancy thing, but no, sir, nothing but book
will do. Do you sell many these hard times?
See the rosy little girl counting out PEN
MES and nickels for volume az Carlyle
Further over is a well-dressed man look
ing at leather-bound copies OF Shakespeare.
We feel certain he has never read a play.
awkwardly he handles i'll
Near him Is the minister, Tho wishes he
could buy out the store. out goes away with
only one small volume. The clerk says II
is no wonder he buys sparingly. as he
gives more than half his salary away.
Oh. the happiness of the genuine book
lover. Never did an angler land d shin
ing trout with half the thrill that comes
when one has thought of ways and means.
counted ones mornings and octg0ngs
until he finds that there is enough left for
new volume. There is peculiar spring
in the step, an unusual erectness IN The
walk as he enters the book store door.
There is a sparkle I'm the eve and a nusn
on the cheek when the treasure is placed
on the shelf at home. Between the man
who is able TO buy as many and as often
as he chooses and the one who forms his
library a single book at time there Is
all the difference that lies between using
a seine and Using a. rod for nshing. Who
can examine each particular fish when he
has a net full2 But the man with the rod
watches and waits. and dreams and longs
until he has landed mis- prize. Then he
| gloats over Il. weighs IL. notices each
rainbow tint, each cleaning scale. So the
| hook BUYER He draws his chair 10 the
| fire adjusts mis- spectaeles holds his treas
| ure close and says. Give ME "a nook and
| a book then let the proud world spin
| round. MAY w. DONNAN.