The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-29

iects 70 talk about Monthly journals %
nigh rank are now published az prices
that put them within the reach OF most
families young girl may. not awe r.
ceived what would De called a finished
education. but she has generally the OPP
pOrtunity OF becoming fairly well IN
formed She may not be able 20 acquire
proficiency in music-a very desirable A.
complishment. She has however In most
instances the privilege Of making herself
fairly well acquainted with general and
current literature. To be able % play tho
piano IS commendable: 20 be able 70 talk
iutellgently Is better.
Books in the Home.
Happy Is that girl whose early hons
surroundings permit her % form the read
ing habit unconsciOusly. The parents and
friends who furnish children with BOOKS
and periodicals are doing no small sha-a
toward forming an intelligent community.
Give me a house" says Beecher. fur
nished with books rather than furniture"
a house should no more be without a -
1rary than without a kitchen or bedroom.
Even IL the house have but one room. lr8
corner OF Il should be the place where =
feW books are % be found. Better % pro-
vide good books than costly ornaments.
one comfortable room well stocked WIN
ocoks j. more % De preferred than 1er-
Bright once remarked. "In the houses %
the humble little library, In my opinion.
- mo-t precious possession" A girl
norary should have place for its con-
trAts. even II 10 occupies only a little SHELF
N one corner OF her bedroom IL shows
a curious defect In home training where A
nome j. FOUND without books. When there
are 10 books there Is the absence OF one q
the best agencies % make up fCr tire pos
Side loss or school advantages II the
absence OF a small library Is due % pow
erty there j. some excuse. When there 4
evidence Of means the lack % books show
= Idck OF culture. IL too often happens
that the daushters Of we,l-t1-do parents
show little appreciation 81 good reading
matter. Money Is expended on dress and
sOcials. but books are seldom purchased
II - one OF the most incougru0us sights
20 see an elegant house with fine furnl-
ture. paintings 81 the masters. valuable
bric-a-brac. elaborate frescoes. EXPENSIVE
house plants. and yet scarcely a standard
Work n the library. The ridiculous -
D!ldings-supposed % be editions De luxe
are purchased which have 10 intrinsic
Children should be trained 20 value their
books The volumes which a girl xprs
when al school should De retained ard
should become precious reminders Il
E fl Gays Tie books one adds 20 her
ADTarL from year % year VIII probably
mark her intellectual and moral gr1wtl
The volumes purchased should be FOR u-s
and not for ornament II passages are
marked when read they will be more SER
viceable for reference A public ubrarv
though valuable can never meet the needs
OF private one For the ordinary reader
a great many books are not needed. IN A
library % fifty or hundred volumes H.
finite riches may Be found. Almost any
girl who tries may have On a Few years a
fair library. Only the best books shculf
be selected. and ~ the leisure moments
are judiciously employed several WORKS
NAV be mastered In year. Parents
should give their children help a. forming
the nucleus OF library. 10 Is a pleasure
70 see young woman retaining the st1ry
books she received IN childhood There =
some sensible advice II one % Emers0r's
rules for reading-''to read no book until
II Is year Old II would not be well %
follow this rule in all cases and vet III Oh
served IL would prevent many ephemcral
novelties from gaining such a great c.r-
culation- Some persons appear % regard
IL a mark Of social distinction % hags
read the latest novel.
Books should not be locked up and krrt
in some unfrequented room IL o. better
for a girl 20 have her books convenient
for everyday use than % have them 0re-
served like stuffed birds Ga a glass case.
open shelves are better than Eiass-d00reI
bookcases. For a private library me
original binding looks better fCr books
than brown paper covers. Plain. substan-
tial bindings are better than costly ELL
who are better Judges 81 the outside Than.
the inside of a book ones books should
be treated as companions. and proper care
OF them Is a mark 81 good taste. II looks
bad 20 see books lying around Ike old
shoes. The advice long ago given By Rim
ard de Bury IL vaiuahie-''never % -
prOach volume with uncleanIy hands.
Note-The papers on Reading Cours-s
and a Girls Library Will be concluded
next week.