The sun., 1919-09-28
CONDUCTED BY
FRANK PARKER STOCKBRIDGE.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.

- branch hbrarleSf" l asked the librarian
of the Public Library in middle West city,
mot so much as they ought to, y he answered,
frankly. cit is difficult to make them realize how
much good they could get out of it.
The same day sat at luncheon with group OF
business men. One of them had attended lecture
the night before; something about Opportunities
in foreign trade"
"Was it any goodY' asked one Of the others.
"Oh, suppose got some good out Of it" was
the reply, "but wish I'd gone to the theatre in
stead. Somehow l don t seem to care much about
being lectured at.
1 wondered if that last phrase might not fur
nish key to the apathy of business men as re-
CARDS libraries.
&"Have you read Charles NJ. Peppers book
on foreign tradef" 1 asked, adding, entering
wedge, 'They must have it at the Public Library
The reaction was instantaneous.
A Famous Remark Revised
''Public Library be damned!" exploded one OF
the group, who had been silent until then eff
books worth reading You never can get it till 1t
out Of date. Why dom librarians understand that
books about business good only when they're
fresh-everythng changes so fast"
"What did you say the name of that book was?''
asked another, pencil and notebook in hand. "Iu
have my secretary phone over to'the bookstore for
it if you think it's worth getting"
whats the use of reading books about the ex-
port business when you can't fill the orders you've
got nowf' put in still another.
81 might want to try it some day, D." said the man
who had noted the title of the book.
$50 might 1, replied the previous speaker, ''but
when 1 do I'll find out all need to know from
frst-hand sources and it will not only be mfOrma-
ton that is up to date but also information can
rely upon Most books are written to prove some
Oh bocr haan in
way" '
'Theres a good deal in that, " admitted the
other, "but once in while you find book that's.
got something in it, written by fellow that knows
what he's talking about. buy lot of books;
suppose I've bought thirty in the last year. You
can get a good deal out of books if you have time
to read them
"Well, by the time I've got through dinner, if
do have an evening at home I don't want to dig
into book" retorted the sceptc. 81 might run
through the magazines. My wife gets lot of
them. But when 1 read book I want something
light, something with pep in it, something like
WELL like -.-
"Dere MGble?" l suggested, to help him OUT.
Instantly the group was all animation.
"Isnt that scream7" cried the who
doesn't read books Funniest thing I've read
since Billy Baxter
'Did you read that other one, That's NE All
Over, Mable?" asked another "He's all right,
that fellow-whats his name i-Streeter?"
Let Us Discuss Literature.
''Tel you good book, interposed the man who
had been to the lecture. cts called The Young
Visiters and it was written by nine-year-old
girl.''
GA scream" replied the man who had mentioned
Miss Ashford's magnum opus ''Way she sends
girls off to London hotels with felows-well, you
just laugh your head off. Just like kid
Funny thing, the way kids try to write like
grown-ups' said the man who likes to read "somc-
thing light ''Now, my boy--he's only twelve
he wrote piece of poetry that 1 thinks just
good as anything Longfellow ever did. Let's see
if I've got it here l want you fellows to see it."
His hand sought his breast pocket. Five other
hands began to tumble for pocketbooks simultane-
ously. There only six men in the party-)
"You ought to read the story my little girl
wrote" 81 think this is pretty good for young
ster of seven" The chorus was unanimous. Out
of the tumble of sound emerged phrase that
:, harked back to the beginning of the conversation