The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-06-10
SOME OLD BOOKS
(By Miss Ethel M. Knapp Public Lbrarian)

seems to denote my meaning better
than the more familiar word vitality.
In the introduction we read, Sur.
rounded by the portraits of those l
have long counted my friends, l like
to chat with the people about me con.
cerning these pictures, my compan.
ions on the wall, and the men and wo-
men they represent" He is true to
this beginning. The sketches are
chats. On closing the book we feel
we have been talking with the friend
OF great men: we forgot we have been
merely reading book. For example,
he writes Of Thackeray, He said that
sometimes, especially II he had been
dining late and did not feel in remark.
ably good humor next morning. he
was inclined to make his characters
villanously wicked; but II he rose Sc.
rene with an unclouded brain, there
was no end to the lovely actions he
was willing to make his men and wo-
men perform" How human and whim.
sical! Instantly Thackeray seems q
little nearer our own life and exper.
ience so often colored by sudden
moods and passions. Dear Old Thack.
cray" as Mr.. Fields elsewhere calls
him.
The Highways Of Literature" by
David Pryde is more formal. more ap.
preaching q text book than "Yester.
days with Authors" but formal only in
that 1t suggests definite plans for
study not in the sense of being dull
and uninteresting. The alternate title
describes the. book. What to Read
and How. to Read" am giving It In
the list not as the best book Of its
kind. but as good book to be used as
q guide by one who is seeking his own
way through the maxes OF literature
without the aid of teacher and as a
book less known than some others.
To some the chapter on Poetry may
seem trifie cold-blooded In the at.
tempt to reduce the enjoyment of DO
etry to science. The spirit of poetry
is so elusive and SO disdainful of the
few moments most of US are willing to
spare from the busy rush OF every day.
Yet perhaps It is well. now and then, to
consider our shortcomings in this line,
yes even consider them in cold blood
Unnecessary. The chapter is at least
suggestive and calls to mind what we
are missing by crowding out OF our
lives some Of the finer pleasures.
1 Taste Is as varied as character and
experience and the books have nam.
ed may not interest you. II they do
not, remember that our shelves are
filled with books Of many types. Come
and find for yourselves the ones which
especially appeal to you.
| We often talk of browsing In a II.
brary but how seldom In these hurried
days does anyone really experience II!
The expression instantly brings to the
minds Of most Of us the idea Of look.
ing slowly over the shelves, taking
down an old dusty volume here and
there and reading with leisure. Most
people find leisure a little more posi-.
Bile during the summer We can fur.
nish the old books and, on most days
during warm weather In spite of the
janitor's care, unpaved Sugar Street
will furnish enough dust to be poetic
Come and browse! Ours is an open
shelf library where you are free to
take down what you will and examine
1t to your hearts content. Or, II you
do not find what you are looking for
we are here to help you.
II you are planning a vacation trip
come and look over our books of travel
for hints which will make the days
away mean more to you. II you must
spend the summer at home, then. more
than ever. come and enjoy through
other eyes, places which, now at least
you can not visit.
Nature, work. life first, hooks sec,
ond, but each help to the other.
u .p-
i CURES wv POISONING