The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-25

20f Libraries were sent out Dy the
commission. When Miss Reynolds first
came to the commission, fresh from
the library school, and filled with enthusi-
asm over the work. she used TO put up snug
little libraries OF such things as Hints on
Farming for the menfolk, and 'Womans
Mission on the Farm for their wives. but
the books came back as fresh and clean as
when they left the press. The farmers
would not read them TO the amazement of
the young librarian. She found that when
the farmer came in from his work he was
in a much better mood to enjoy MRS.
Wigs OF the Cabbage Patch than he was
to read about How a Nebraska Man Puts
up Sio, and his wife vastly preferred
'Lovey Mary TO an article on butter-mak-
ing How to Get the Best Results from
Setting Hens
cit is not the idea to give farmers books
on farming" said the librarian. but it is
our plan TO send them books that will in
terest them as citizens. We want TO get
hold OF good. up-to-date literature We
want to give the people who patronize these
libraries facts in a readable way"
WHAT THEY LIKE TO READ.
1t is astonishing, the library people say,
how many grown people are fond of the
childrens stories. In sending out books to
the rural districts it was found that when
Knighthood was in Flower was tre-
mendously popular book The patrons Of
the travelling library read and re-read 1.-The
Spenders, and they receive Dickens and
Thackeray freely. but they do not care for
Tolstoi. Miss Reynolds has a New Eng
land conscience, and she does not lay it
eta
library. On her desk lay an up-to-date
novel. pretty book in scarlet binding. Its
title was THE One Woman"
This book will not go in the library IL
1 have my way about it, she declared.
picking up the volume and handling it as if
she were afraid it would scorch her fingers.
II understand it is barred from the City
Library, and it ought TO be. / am not will
ing that anything shall go in these travelling
Libraries that is not absolutely clean. If
the people in the country want this book,
let them buy it themselves. don't believe
in cheap sentiment" Having made this
emphatic observation, the young woman
picked up Soldiers of Fortune" and tossed
it over to another table to be packed in
library that was going out that afternoon.
Next she picked up 1.-The Pit and then
1.-THE Octopus" and finally the "Sky Pilot"
and threw them across. These stories
will all be very acceptable in the neighbor-
hood where this library is going" she re-
marked, land there is no objection to
them" Miss Reynolds finds that the peo-
pie in the localities where her libraries
go never grow tired of Uncle Toms
Cabin She does not spend time selecting
poetry for her people to read. While
Browning and other poets are considerably
read, the Hoosier poet is the most popular.
Miss Reynolds's conscience will not per-
NIT her 10 send that well-knowH novel
called 1.-THE Damnation of Theron Ware"
out to her people. She has studied il care
fully and finds that it is rather a hard hit
at the religious revival. Now she said,
these revivals certainly do no harm and
/ shouldn't want to be responsible for some
who has leaning toward churches, to de-
eide there was not much i'm them and after
reading Theron Ware throw aside the
book with the declaration that that man
Frederick has about the right idea -