The Detroit times., 1909-01-07
BY WARD mAcAuLEY.

vi Ohio. In TACT nc Is inc Vhis
bookseller there, according 10
his own disdainful claims that
all other local merchants IN kindred
lines are merely newsdealers'
Into a booksellers life there enter
many humorous phases OF profession
often tragic enough from nnaneiai
point OF view. MI Bogger'yl was one
or those rae. philosophis souls, VINO
get out OF 81 business other tnan money
profits, though. OF course, that Is their
first concern. IA Mr.. BogGerly himsei'
put Il: Fl would rather laugh IMAM
do anything else. except to sell man
a book.
One day. man entered Mr.. Bog
gerly's store and peered furtiveiy III
every direction. In the hope of See
ing the bookseller.
MIR. Boggerly iE?' he inquired,
sharply.
NO sir" responded a clerk, he
just stepped across the street. tie IL
be back in five minutes.
I'm wait. sir. I'll wait. must see
Mr., Boggerly. | want TO SEE someone
who knows about books.
Shortly, Mr.. Boggerly returned and
the clerk indicated. with IA hand wave.
that the stranger was waiting TO STE
him.
Something | can do for you?" asked
Mr.. Boggerly.
Yes. sir. that's why Tn here. l
didn't want To pass the tine of day.
Have you private office?'
Certainly replied Mr.. Boggerly,
throwing open the door TO his den, AS
he called II.
Take chair" he added.
Thanks Now, 10 what have TO
say. | want you 10 look NJ a book |
have here. and tell me wha- you think
II Is worth
Carefully undoing the cord the
stranger took of the outer and three
inner wrappings. Then be held the
book for Mr.. Boggerly 10 see. IL was
a handsome leather-bound copy OF
The Ruhaiyat of Omar knayyam
1t is a signed copy he said. LOOK
at IT,"
Mr.. Boggerly smiled as he took the
book.
From what he then learned from
his visitor. and from information la
ter derived from other sources, Mr..
Boggerly learned the whole story o.
how this book, purporting 10 be signed
by Omar. came into this mans posses
sion. Ii was substantially as follows:
Mr.. Jacob Hefferly was what is
modernly termed parvenu. He had
suddenly found himself the possessor
OF considerable wealth without the
grace and manner and cultured taste
commonly looked for in the afiluent
For neither books nor pictures did
Mr.. Hefferly care fig. Nor was he
| ytN
he enjoyed the populgr airs, indeed
IL was in the qualification cf his van
ity. rather than in any additions Ia
his pleasure that Mr.. Hererly found
the acquisition OF wealth delightful.
Now he could be in the swim. He
could look down upon those who had
formerly been his friends. He could
invite the best people TO his table
and they would come,
In order TO fully establish his posi-
ton in the social world In which he
lived and moved and had his being. the
parvenu found 1t necessary 10 have a
library. But, bless you. he was as
ignorant OF literary matters as a
child. All books were. 10 him, nov
els" and not worth the time it took
TO read them.
In order. therefore. to properly M
himself out as booklove" Mr.. Hef
ferly was obliged TO enlist the services
OF one Charles Hurst, a literary man
OF considerable distinction. Hurst had
formerly been reader for a large
publishing house, had edited small
magazine and had written many book
criticisms. At least, Hurst said SO. for
he brought neither scrap nor bit OF
writing to recommend him Be that
as ii may. his appearance alone com
mended him to Mr.. Heferly. Tall
thin, with an intellectual face. Hurst
had a very effective way OF looking
gravely through his glasses 1T was
this look that decided Mr.. Hefferly
You'll do" he said. "yoT've got the
air. When | bring my friends into
the library l want you to tell them al
about the books Make EN- think I've
got the finest library in the state, one
OF the best in the country. Get the
books. Send anywhere for rare books
that no ono else can get hold of, and
give me the bill"
Mr.. Hurst obeyed very explicitly
The bills he turned in were quite
heavy, and, doubtless, Mr.. Hefferly
was not aware that he received a
goodly commission from more than
one bookseller Mr.. Hurst made his
purchases in various parts CT the coun
try. He didn't dare buy a book in
Baldwin, Mr.. Hefferly's home city
since anything obtained so near al
home would be considered common.
Mr.. Hurst constructed a wonderful
catalogue. II consisted of rs hand
some leatherbound blank books, each
of which was used TO index one let
ter. placing books under both the
tauthor's name and the title.
Then, he spoke to Mr.. Hefferly re-
garding the subject. He approached
his employer one morning. when the
latter was starting on his morning
drive.
MIR. Hefferly," he said, respectfully
What do you want?"
| II want TO consult you about the
library"
All right, what is IL?
Well I'm the first place. you have
asked me TO provide for JcI, one of
the best libraries in the country. To
begin with. you haven't space
Haven't space" shouted Mr.. Hef-
ferly, In establishment, why, haven't
you whole ROOM"
Yes" assented Hurst. smiling. but
IL is very small one, ard | really