The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-30


on the question of free access to the
shelves in libraries, President Eliot of
Harvard university is quoted as saying;
"Open shelves or the plan of allowing
people to go to the books themselves,
are productive Of browsing, which is not
the most nutritious kind Of feeding. /
object to the process Of browsing. In
most public libraries it is cut of the
question; the brOwser viii become the
victim Of casual knowledge" It would
be easy to quote a multitude, both Of
libraries and of literary authorities in
opposition to this sentiment
Charles Wagner has nearly finished
his Impressions Of America - which are
70 appear IN the "Revue des Revues-'
There is, Of course, to be a chapter on
President Roosevelt. TRANSACTIONS Of
the Simple Life by the way, are to be
made both in japanese and Hebrew,
and an edition Of it is being arranged
for the blind.
A complete edition of the works Of
Benjamin Franklin is being published
by the Macmillan company.
Harley Reisman. formerly a Topeka
newspaper man but now editor of the
Des MOines Daily Legal Record, has
2 blossomed out as a book publisher. A
creditable holiday production from his
press is THE silver Serpent" a poem
covering 80 pages.
Bandmaster John S. Duss. whose Law
ish Venice" of two seasons at Madison
Square Garden. set music loving New
York agOg. Is soon to be given the op-
portunity to explain on the witness
stand the manner in which the eighty
accumulated millions of the little COM
mune at Economy, Pennsylvania, came
under his control
The Indiana State Teachers associa-
ton held meeting on Thursday of
this week in honor of James Whitcomb
Riley. Senator Beveridge was chair
man and addresses were made by Mer-
edith Nicholson, Henry Watterson and
others.
This week The Macmillan company
publishes Mr. Clyde Fitch's well-known
play THE Climbers" Professor Harry
6nyder's book on Dairy Chemistry;''
De Quincey's Joan OF Arc" and 1.-THE
in the Pocket Classics Series: India by
Flora Annie Steel, author ION the Face
of the Waters" with seventy-five color
ed plates by Mortimer Menpes: "A Book
OF Mortals; Being a record of the good
deeds and good qualities of what hu-
mainly is pleased to call the lower ami
mails" by Flora Annie Steel; a new edi-
ton, entirely rewritten and greatly en-
larged, of 1.-THE Practical Telephone
Handbook and Guide to the Telephone
Exchange" by Joseph Poole. A. I. Z. E.;
and Essays on Economics" by H.
Stanley Jevons, NJ. A.
Mark Twain on his last visit to his
Old heme-HannibaI Miss0urf-toId to
the school children a true story about
a schoOlboy.
This boy" he said, "awoke one morn
ing very i'll His groans- alarmed the
household. The doctor was sent for
and came post-haste.
90 Wen. said the doctor. as he enter
ed the sick room, what is the troubIe?'
a pain in my side said the boy.
A pain in the head?'
90 Yes, sir
% Is the right hand stiff?'
80 A little
How about the right foot2'
90 That's stiff, too
The doctor winked at the boys
mother.
We'll he said. you're pretty sick
But you'll be able to go to school on
Monday. Let me see. today is Saturday,
and
Us today Saturday, said the bow in
a vexed tone. I thought 1t was Friday
Half an hour later the boy declared
himself healed, and got up. Then they
packed him off to school, for it was Fri
day, after all"
New editions of Harper books being
printed this week include The Masuuer-
ader, by Mrs. Thurston: Annie Hamilton
DonnelIs Rebecca Mary. and Mrs
Wards The Marriage of William Ashe
Pastor Charles Wagner writes char
aCteristically about the American edi-
ton of his book L'Evangile ct la Vfe:''
Ell safely received the copies of the
Gospel Of Life and find the translation