The Washington times., 1916-06-26
Speaking OF
Lending Out
Your Books
In Order to Get Back Those
>. Books Which You Lent
Her Six Years Ago, Just
u Clip Out This Form Let
ter and Mail 1t Before the
Enthusiasm Over the
Idea Dies Down.

G~ NCE in q while It Il possible to
~ get back a book that someone
h has borrowed. But not often
A while, 10 long space OF time
:. =. and once in q while Is longer than one
vamight think.
It gives the conductor of this column
great pleasure to write the following LETT
ter. We trust that 1t will give others
equal pleasure to read It. The susges-
tion made In the head over this tale.
.lthat It be clipped out and sent to the
rr,friend who borrowed your book years
ASo. Is not amiss.
,st Just think how many little books
would 90 speeding on their way to their
ltowners. II every copy were sent out.
Friendships healed! Hearts gladdenedi
Old friends united. Families drawn
:iploser together!
2, The Letter.
.2Dsar Friend:
g Many months ago out Of the kindness
Vtt,of my heart lent you book You did
not ask outright for It at the time and
said, "Oh. I can get through with this
In no time at all. Ill send It around.
or bring It myself"
That. as I mentioned before was
months ago.
mention the borrowed property. Per-
haps ell knowledge Of 1t has faded from
-, Know perfectly that the book that
] had borrowed from you, did not fade
! either from my mind or from yours.
o. Why Is It that suddenly your mind
not return u H The BOOK " for orn. several reasons %
e Sre true for for i pI have felt n4M them % Working s
inside OF me time and again.
o.. Why the Book Is Kept.
s I. You cannot take an evening on
10 hunt for the burned thing.
< =. You never remember II at homo un-
' less you haven't time to hunt It.
sfnsa TO that on shs viii sens
around that evening because you have
i,a sneaking suspicion that your sister
.s slent 1t to someone else.
s1t after SO long time. =.
20 g. The book was lent in the early days
Of our friendship. we were too close
rIhsde any difference whether It was at
.syour house or mine. and now that we
sohaye drifted apart you are afraid that
dnight consider bringing back q book a.
sNn overture for friendship.
.S.'r Promises.
Also do I make promises.
I promise. II you send or bring my
book back. never to revile you. in pub
-. lie or in private, never to mention
the fact to you again, and to humbly
- accept the favor without wish for
=. additional attention from you.
i" 2. promise that bear no III will
- towards you now and that I Will not
rs be angry at any mineral or vegetable
e sediment which may have collected
3. ri | further I promise Te that w i viii not
Z, an open frank statement that the
= book is hopelessly lost.
IL against you. nor call you q careless.
- addle- Drained idiot.
- g. will not assume. arrogantly,
~ that you are also a dangerous person
to whom to lend an umbrella.
- g. will not assume. that you are a
sE poseur. bluffer. and that you bor-
rowed the book idly, just to impress
~ ~ you borrowed It and haven't seen It
since and do not care.
= II will banish quickly from my
mind all thought that you are a
), positively lined with the books which
z you have literally stolen from guile
- less friends.
T.. Exhausted!
o. am exhausted. Through.
o Send me back my book. l paid money
si{or It. or II was given me by a friend.
Forget which, but anyhow I want It.
Idug II out OF the great mass of litera-
ss&ure which infests our shops. took 1t
to me from the boundless all-good to
help ma to live.
You can never get much out of II.
Because the idea of possessing 1t and
1 having the gumption to either ask a
.sfriend for It or buy II never entered
nyour head. Send me some message of
bSny book.
& remain. at present. your potential
!. THE CONDUCTOR.
=