The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-06

A ST Louis professor who makes
speciality Of the class" languages and
IS particularly fond Of the Latin lit
eratucc was treated not long since TO
II surprise lac is not likely soon to for
get
An old friend who for many years
resided in a distant state not long ago
moved to this city and sent to the pro
fessor notice Of his arrival. The twain
met downtown by appointment, and
the now arrival invited the professor
to call at his home as soon as we get
things fixed up" After a decent in
tcrval allowed for the fixing up the
professor called. and as the gentleman
OF the house was Inomentarily engag-
ed the man Of much Latin was usher
ed into his friends library, where he
sat delighted with the elegant appear
3Ice Of the superb carved oak book
cases and the long rows of gilt aud
Russia. His chair was close to one
of the cases. and, glancimg round, he
noted with keen satisfaction the names
OF Greek authors who had been his
lifelong library companions. lie also
noted thai each half Of each case to
the middle of the door contained exact
~ twelve volumes and that each au-
thOr's works constituted set Of the
same number. Homer. twelve vol
umes; SophocIcs. twelve; so also with
Aeschylus, Euripides, HerodOtus, Thu
cydides and even Theocritus, each had
its appointed number
''Ihis is peculiar" said the professor
to himself for he knew that some OF
these authors wrote little and others
much. "Extcnsive commentaries per
haps" was his refexiOn. and rising he
stepped to the next case. and on the
top shelf here was Ennius in twelve
volumes, heading a long line of most
respectable Roman historians and
poets. "What's this?" The professor
gave start, for although he knew
perfectly wei! that Ennius was the
first in tim. of the Latin poets. he
knew also that there were only about
n couple Of dozen lines of him left and
that these had been preserved as quo
tations in the works OF later writers.
"Ennus in twelve volumes: l never
heard of. such n thing What in the
world can 1t be?"
lie glanced inv0iuntarily at the lock.
But there WAS no key. And while his
marvel greater grew the door opened
and in came his friend
Half an hour later, after old times
had been discussed and former friends
recalled, the professor. who grew more
and more curious to find out how any
commentator could expand twenty or
thirty lines of an old time poet into
( relve large volumes. brought up the
subject
"Ey the way, | notice you have an
Ennus here in twelve volumes. Now,
remembering that only twenty or thir
~ lines of his poem; arc known to eN-
list | have q great curiosity to know
what this can he. Is it Il commentary,
history or II not, what is it,
His friend smiled. "Oh, that a lit
t'e idea o. my wiCH You see, she has
a taste fey Latin and Greek stuff like
that, ani whoa we went to buy books
FOR our librarr she determined to have
Il Greek case anG Latin case. but
when we looked at the Greek and Latin
books shn found they We're OF all sizes.
some too big to go in the shelves and
some 50 little that they looked like ba-
hies alongside the others, so she would
not take EN-. ..-.... 49,. .-...
But having her heart set on filling
up the Greek and Latin cases, she kept
worrying about them until finally she
hit on a great idea. The ladies always
DO. YOU know. if you give 'em time
enough.
'Shc took her idea to the binder and
TOLD him the exact length of the
shelves and their height, The binder
grinntd Il little to himself as she ex-
planned but he was not the man to
lose a job. SO he took n lot of thick
pine boards. trimmed one side so that
il bulgcd regularly like the backs OF
books ana she went to Il library some
where and got Il list of names for him
10 put on the backs. and he came and
tackled in the boards. and SO she filled
1Ip her Greek and Latin cases in sets
OF twelve volumes each, twenty-four
volumes on every board. and was per,
fectly satisfied. | don't know what
she did with the keys. All. here she
is now. Allow me to introduce my
friend. Professor Blank. I was just
telling him, my dear, OF your little
idea Of the Greek and Latin cases.
'Oh. l hope. professor. You admire
the sets said The lady. Aren't they
lovely
"Perfectly lovely, madam" echoed
the professor.
and don't you think it's a good
idea" rcjoiueG the lady. You see
nobody ever reads those old books
anyhow. hut the uniform sets look
pretty, and the red contrasts we'll with
the carpet"
''Rcautifully," murmured the profess
or, and the subject was dropped. but
lie is still wondering how much lower
classical learning will sink after that
twelve volume edition Of Enthusiast
Louis Globe Democrat