Evening star., 1924-07-16
THIS AND THAT
BY c. Il. TRAcEwELL.

The driveway in the rear of the
Public Library is fanked by two
signs, each reading:
mo Horses Permitted in Driveway"
IL it happens to be. Wednesday. is q
sign reading something like this:
Library Closed on Wednesdays
At O'Clock"
Discrimination against horses at
the back door and persons at the
front-here- was a pretty how-dee-do!
But, as it turns out, there Is no dis
elimination against the faithful horse
at the Public Library. He is not al
lowed in the driveway for a perfectly
good reason.
That Congress has not done all it
might for the people of Washington
is the story behind the sign on the
front door, which announces that the
people must be deprived of their
books on account of lack of funds to
keep the building open.
How Washingtonians love their
Public Library,
If any one should doubt this-coal
man. student, member Of Congress or
candlestick maker-Iet him come
Seventh and K streets.
There stands the fine building,
presided over by DR.. George F..
standing, thin poplars grouped oil
rectly in front and close to the large
windows, sits the graceful building.
"A University of the, People" 1t
truly is, as labeled in large letters
cut in the back of the semicircular
stone seat running around each side
of the main entrance.
For it is here that thousands and
thousands of Washington children
have gotten their taste for books, or,
at any rate, had the taste acquired in
school fostered and cultivated
Many a spindling lad has left the
library with the three volumes of
Prescott's Conquest of Mexico" tuck
ed under his arm, to come back many
years later conqueror in his own
right.
The student finds it an every-ready
place in time of need, and the owner
houses volumes he never even heard
of. The library serves all.
Sit with your back to one of the
foot-high letters carved on the seat.
Watch the pageant of youth and age,
streaming in and out of this 'univer-
sity of the people"
The hot sunshine falls along the
stone seat, bathing it in antiseptic
light. How many have sat here IN
the sunshine, dreaming of years 10
come, of things to ba done.
Maybe their dreams never came
true, but they dreamed them, and
that is a great, great deal.
The thoughts of youth are iong,
works may be found on those shelves
within. ..
with sensitive features and light hair,
who sits not far away. two huge vol
umes in his lap. wouldn't you give
a great. deal to know the titles?
Lovers have sat here, and old men
and women, and those who had hopeS
and those who had given them up, an
the sorts and conditions of men ana
women, they all have sat here on this
stone. seat. Rich or poor makes no
difference here. This is the people $
university. -,
There goes a genuine daschund:
He is a black fellow, who seems to
have come up to sample knowledge.
undeterred by the sign at the rear
warning horses to keep out.
The dog clears the sidewalk only
by an inch in front and two inches IN
the rear.
Two small girls, bobned hair and
all, stop to pat the daschund. nc
animal walks on graNely, tries 70
| catch a flea on his tan, put IL; cdMl,ut d,tn,'
| tages to being a daschund, evldentiE.
|
Gee, fellows, let's go swimming
shouts an eager fellow OF POSSIBLY
| twelve years, as he and his COM
| nar,ions troop out the library doors.
With shouts of appreciation the
| gang makes off.
"He lost his mind before he died,
| said the gray-haired man IN thI pal
anna, talking to anolhef 1 so,+e6 he
| lore the letters "CN'' in university.
| But it came on gradually.
But why is it necessary to warn
horses to keep out of the driveway
That bothers one. Since the aosenA
of the automobile horses have haa I'd
take a back seat, anyway why LUZ
ther insult the poor horse?
Bless your soul eXpos'Q.arss Ears Nh, ,s
1
there many years ago. we wouio pc
| glad to allow horses access TO our
hooks. il it would do them any sooos
hut I am afraid it wouldn't. You see,
| when thers used to be more horses
than there are now, many or them
}slipped, in icy weather, on that drtHe
wav. which is on sharp oecllVl.S.
Nowadays there are not SO man
horses, but still there are a lew; anu
| we leave the signs up to warn dr.Vsta ,t:
not to attempt to take horse oo"A
the drive" -. M such
simple explanation to offer as TO
lciosirg the. library every Weonesua:
lat 8 o'clock, depriving all these eager
intense seekers of their mental rare.
I He shows you old typewriters II
usel that saw their best days years
laeo. He points to plans tor ne new
| branch library on upper ibth sIece,
Ind saws that it will open witnouI
Ieither personnel or. books. Tor ION ION
| eress failed to make any appropria,
| tions for these rather necessary
let MS go out into the sunshlne M :
.rain and think it over. Woulu liza
our stone seat were big enough 10 ie'
al Congress sit here, too!
Trade Not Sentiment.