New-York tribune., 1899-10-07

But greater than his contempt for them
Is that which he feels for the man be-
yond, who holds Imaginary Converse
tions." The gentleman with the Sketch
Book" has been cut; but 1.-THE Autocrat
Of the Breakfast Table" genially throws
him a nod as he puts an arm through
that of q friend. The latter at once be-
gins, "As We Were Saying" The Social
Reformer brightens as he comes to one
who is Getting On in the World" but
he frowns again when he sees the house
Of 1.-THE Easy Chair" The village re-
spects the Social Reformer, but 1t does
not love him, and the poor, disheveled.
broken-backed residents Of the little slum
district crlnkle their paper covers In
wholesome dread of that frown OF his
His best friend is a Statstician who Is his
near neighbor. They have both been hard
students in their day, the one In facts
and the other in theories; and the Statis-
tician has been the greatest help to the
Reformer It is hard to see how the latter
could have lived without the food FOR
thought which the neghbory figurer lent
from his own tables during the trying
period of composition, before the Reform
er was so famous.
There are several poets and few art
lists in Bookvillage. They are pretty
creatures as a class, the former using
their feet most daintly. They are ap-
proved in a quiet way, but, except one
singing, fighting, rollicking fellow, are
not really popular. They are not like
the frivolous, captivating, happy lucky
folk on Fiction Avenue.
1t is wonderful how many young people
there are on that street. Nearly half or
its residents have come to town recently,
for this is the main thoroughfare of
rapidly growing section. Romance is
knee deep along it. There is hardly
house that has not had a wedding. And
that is no wonder-such stunning heroes
are there, such beautiful girls with long
lashes and winning smiles. Mediaeval
armor dress suits, and present-day brass
buttons make an inspiring tumble here.
There is no other part of the whole COM
munity so picturesque as this, though
others are more earnest and some are
wiser. You see to-day Guardian An
gel" perched on top OF 1.-The Wrong
Box" while appropriately near are the
words, Its Never Too Late to Mend"
"St. George and st. Michael" leaving
THE Cloister and the Hearth" wander
over toward VANITY Fair" THE Chill
dren of the Abbey" call after them and
Border Shepherdess " stands per-
picked beside "The House Of Seven Ga
bles " as though she wished 1t were
Bonnie Brier Bush" But Mr.. Doo-
ley" chuckles through Peace and War"
as he, moves toward THE Houseboat on
the Styx," and you would know. to see
the couple beyond. that here was I" A Ca
thedral Courtship." il not "A Wedding
Journey"
Some Players have settled further
along, but they are few and form a So
cial set Of their own. mixing less we'll
than one would expect with the men and
girls of Fiction Avenue. Here and there
in both portions one finds a touch of
tragedy, as on the Dolls House." but
the general character is one Of light
heartedness. In fact, BoOkvillage, for all
the seriousness that is 80 obvious on In
tellect Row. in spite of occasional sad
ness, and for all the self conscious So
lemnity Of the splendid boulevard. gives
one the impression of a happy commu-
nifty. It's influence for good or evil reaches
further than we know.