The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-12
THE OLD BOOK STORE
HAS AIR OF ITS OWN
Seems Far Removed From the
City's "Madding Crowd"
TREASURES OF THE PAST
Proprietor Seems Thing Apart From
Restless Life Around Him But
Knows Human Nature Bet
ter Than Most Men
TREASURES OF THE PAST
BY EDWIN ToRGERsoN

Cities NAV have been known to ex-
is+ without old book stores, but Biz
min cham. among all her other claims
for greatness, is duly able to poast OF
one.
MANY. perhaps, do not know OF It's
existence, though its grimy windows
neer out upon one of the city's pusles.
thoroughfares. Like other institutions
of learning, it is modest and poor IN
things of the world and does not court
tho attentions of a vulgar public. Day
NV day the same unheeding crowns
rush past and sneer at Its quaintness'
hut the blear eyes of the book stores
-, c.ra not for sneers, and stare
on, unblinking.
Those who have dared to penetrate
~ !. recesses of the old book store have
met with the same reception. No
suave salesman smiles from over the
counter and tempts the purse OF the
,,s+or,er There is nothing but DOCKS
niles of books on the long table which
rms down the cenetr OF the ROOM
countless books on the shelves TO the
.,.,,+ and to the left and on the floor
under the shelves.
No sound except the noise from the
street without profanes the silence
Volumes, weary with service nave
wandered there and come into their
reward. and in the dust and darkness
sleep the sleep of the blest. Here Is
the catacomb of genius where all the
wisdom of centuries is sleeping. In
a strange chaos of democracy the mean
est is equal to the highest' snake
speare and Alfred Austin sleep side
by side.
over the destinies of the book store
presides man, for 1t Is not glVer
| to books to govern themselves. IL Is
his work to barter in genius, to ex-
change the productions of minds grea'
and small for money. Like his books
he is cold and uninviting In demeanor
With his books, he seems to dwell II
the past, with no love for the con
Germs of the present, and takes thu
ebb and flow of fortune. like his books
with a quaint sang froid.
In the deepest recess of the booi
store there Is an ancient guitar who's
musty tones the proprietor is won
sometimes to awake. At dusk, be
fore the lights are turned on, tn
strains from the guitar may sometime
be heard grooming over the slumber
of the numberless books. and the nois
from the street without dwindles int
far off echo. 1t is then that the chanc
occupant enters into the true spiri
of the place, when the whirl of tn
present gives way to the dead mcnoton
of the past.
At times some unseen spirit loosen
the tongue of the proprietor, and h
talks in random spells of his book
and the people who have braved tn
suspicious of doubling public an
entered the place.
Some of them come in with WORTHLESS
books and little money In the hop
of cheating the proprietor. Some O
them come in out of curiosity. Tn
cheaters are promptly rebuffed an
leave the place lighter In purse an
wiser in head. The curious ar
charmed and remain TO delve in tn
mysteries of the place.
Sure" says the proprietor, in
brogue not at all literary. II see tn
same ones pass every day and look i
and laugh. And one day one of 'er
comes in and thinks / don't knoN
him."
! 1t is safe to say that the book