Evening journal., 1893-04-04
AN ENGLISH SOCIETY.
WOMEN WHO KEEP INFORMED IN CUR
RENT LITERATURE.

Books and Convenient and Sociablc
Way of Discussing the Latest Efrusion OF
Popular writer.
An English woman, recently married
10 a New York lawyer. with home in
the suburbs. is trying an interesting ex-
pertinent in the way Of a literary and
book lending society. The system she
has adopted has been used in suburban
towns of England and in many Of the
larger provincial cities for more than
half century. In fact, there is a soci-
ETY. in Rochester. England, which claims
to have had it in continual use for more
than 100 years. There is probably no
system exactly like it, however, in this
part of the world
The main object of this system is to
supply books to women who have ample
time for reading and are eager 10 keep
pace with all that is interesting in the
tremendous rush of contemporaneous
literature. A man with even a moderate
income cannot afford 30 keep his wife
supplied with new books and magazines
as they come out. The cheapest new
novel. If it is worth anything, will be
sure to cost him 80 cents. In nine cases
out Of ten the first price is more likely to
be $3.50 To be sure, almost everything
nowadays ultimately drifts into the
cheap edition. but it is after the book
has ceased TO be fresh in the minds Of
the public and people have ceased to
talk about it.
Women who live in the country and
in the suburbs have more time for read
ing than women in cities, and withal
fewer means Of getting anything good
to read. The time worn volumes in tie
local circulating library have been their
familiar friends from childhood. If the
husband subscribes to a circulating
library in town and promises TO bring a
new book home with him every night,
he is likely TO grow weary soon and for
get all about it. An then when an in
telligent woman reads a good novel she
likes to talk to somebody about IT, Her
husband hasn't time to read, and the ac-
quaintances she visits have never even
heard of it.
The literary English woman found her
self in this plight, so she interested her
self in forming a club similar to the one
she belonged TO at her English home.
The idea is n simple one. Forty OF 90
persons in town organize a book soci-
ETY.. That is the name usually given TO
them in England Il has been found
advisable TO have at least 40 members,
and not TO have more than 90. The
Rochester society has adhered to this
rule despite powerful pressure to in
crease its membership. Applicants for
membership are kept waiting six years,
and sometimes more. for admission. A
society No. has naturally been formed,
but the prestige remains with the pioneer
society. which meets every week, winter
and summer. in the Old Bull hotel, made
famous in the "Pickwick Papers" The
society hires q room, cheerful and com
Portable, which is placed at its disposal
one night each week. The landlord al
lows the members to keep n large oup
board 10 the room in which to store
books.
These books are in charge Of a secre.
tary. The position is simply an honorary
one. but the members usually make the
secretary who attends to business a very
substantial Christmas present-a piece
Of silver or some article Of household
furniture perhaps. The members deter.
mine by ballot what hooks shall be pur-
chased. but it devolves upon the secre.
tary to buy them. lie is supposed to get
discount prices from publishers. This Is
managed without difficulty. and the
publishers generally find itfor their own
90.
Christmas time. The result is that in
prosperous societies the position is
sought after. IL is worth while to de.
vote some little time to it.
Balloting TO determine what new books
shall be bought takes place once eacl
month If twenty or more members find
it expedient to purchase some new bool
or series of books issued between ballot
ing meetings for instance, a.
Btanleys latest record Of his travels oi
n new volume of a popular encyclope
dia-the secretary must get it for then
when they present a request in writing
But the members keep themselves 50
well posted that books of this kind ar,
usually voted for in advance.
All the money subscribed is not devot
Bd to buying new books and magazines
In every society there are a few mem
bers who prefer to read and even rereat
Dickens. Thackeray, Scott and numer
Gus other standard writers The want
Of these people must be and are provide,
for to n reasonable extent. Each mem
Der may draw three books at one time
but it is not allowed to keep any book fo
more than IA days. If it isa book whicl
is in demand. the time is limited to on
week.
Every two years the books belonging
to the society are assorted by the secre
tary into lots of equal value and ar
.-drawn" by the different members in
lottery. Every member present has th
right to draw one number. In this wa,
the ''cupboard" of the society is kept frel
from dead wood" and the indiyidua
members are able to build up a soil,
little library at home. Every membe
eventually gets his money back in books
As to the cost Of running a society 6
this kind. perhaps the best criterion
would be the Rochester society. Eacl
member pays a shilling at initiation an,
eixpence a week dues. If he gets benin,