Evening star., 1924-09-11
THIS AND THAT
By G. e. TRACEWELL.

others to be swallowed, and some Few
to be chewed and digested."
Bacon's famous advice about books,
it always seemed to me, is a bit
carnivorous; Books are essentially
spiritual things, since they deal
wholly with ideas. Such a metaphor
Is somewhat too digestive.
The idea in 1t is good. however;
that is why it has lived through the
centuries, to crop up here today on
the editorial page of The Star. Man
kind cannot get away from its ideas.
Books are like cabbages, in one
respect, at least; they must be pur-
chased either to be tasted, swallowed.
or chewed and digested. Some one
buys all the books; IL not you, then
another person. or library or other
institution.
Probably no man living but has,
at some time or other, bought book,
If no more than book on how to
run a motor car. This. too, is a
book, and as such contains the
spiritual essence, the idea. of the
automobile.
Hence bookshops loom as among
the most interesting stores in a great
city. London has it's famous book
stalls, renowned for centuries; so has
Paris and other great cities of the
world.
The bookshops Of Washington
less picturesque because we are
familiar with them. Familiarity
does not necessarily breed contempt,
but does make for indifference.
Probably the first booksbop the
average Washington boy and girl
knows is secondhand store cen
trally located. There several shops
that deal in school books, but this
particular one Is taken as a sample.
Here, every fall, big sign, School
Books" is put out, heralding the fact
that another scholastic year is about
to begin. Those of US who have our
school days safely behind us-thank
God-often smile at that sign as we
hurry by on the sidewalk or glimpse
it from our car.
There the latest "math" book is to
be had, either new or second hand,
also the version of Latin instruction
decided upon the by school board for
use this year, and the proper history
of Rome, together with the English
lit" tome. containing approved ex-
amples of prose and poetry.
After school hours ordinary citizens
will find it hard to get waited on in
this store, owing to the influx of
scholars from grade to high school
ages. Boys and girls crowd the
aisles, one wanting a certain volume,
another another, and SO on down the
line Of required text books.
One is free to roam among the
stacks, however, if he cannot get
waited on. These are tall and
gloomy, although a light may be
turned on when necessary. ! particu-
larly like the nook, over behind the
proprietor's desk, where they keep
the chess books. At least they used
to keep the chess books there before
l bought them all up.
The aforementioned shop still ciings
to the custom of placing several
tables of old books on the sidewalk.
labeled "25 cents" and 80 cents.
Here regularly stop booklovers OF all
ages and conditions, on hot days ana
on cold days.
1t is an interesting, sometimes
pathetic. sight to see old mer and
young men, old ladies and snappy
fappers, boys and girls. stop sudden
ly by the. stands, turn the leaves OF
first one volume and another. then
walk away. or turn into the store
with a book.
Such tables were the first testers
OF human honesty. That honor does
not belong to the newspaper tri-
angles left at street corners for non
est pedestrians to drop their pennies
into. The book stands have been on
the streets OF the world for centuries,
and no man has slipped a volume
under his coat and walked on with II.
as far as is known. Almost always
lilies hooks is TOO honest
to steal them
I have seen many a ragged fellow
stop before that stand anl look at the
books, only to pass on his way after
awhile One would like to go for
ward ard say, Mister, 1 haven't got
much money but If there is any book
you want here. and you are tempo
rariIy out of funds, let me get it for
YOU" But the absurd conventions of
city life hedge US all in too closely
for that, much as we are ashamed to
be seen giving a dime to a beggar.
SO we sneak it to him.
a man will turn over half a Ii
brary to make one book" said
Samuel Johnson.
So one book will make a library.
In the matter of books it is as in life
in general-he who will not be salts
fed with little will be satisfied with
nothing.
A man had better have a few
treasured books which he genuinely
likes than shelves of expensive VOL
umes purchased because some one
else likes them.
Every book store is doing it's bit
in this regard. AS Carlyle pointed
out in hrs Heroes and Hero Wor-
ship" all that mankind has done.
thought, gained or been. is lying "as
in magic preservation in the pages
of books. The true university of
these days, he said, is a collection of
books.
No limits as to size. either in
smallness or largeness, are made, it
store in Washington, buy a book
any book-and you have a small uni
versity, or at least the beginning of
one.
Smart book stores are much alike.
They have well lighted display
rooms. with we'll dressed clerks
lowering over the volumes, in some
instances as if afraid booklovers
might run away with a set up their
coat tails.
An unforgettable scene in one of
these shops was presented by
clergyman. who stood examining a
Bible. Two ladies across the aisle,
with clasped hands, breathed admi-
ration.
"Oh, isn't he sweet" said one. /
felt like hollering right out, Madam.
you don't know that old bird"
Clergymen, you know. are human be-
.1r r,rn
The very newest books are dis
played on special counters, so that
those who. have plenty of time to
devote to the river of fiction may get
it without too much splashing
around.
Then there are fancy little shops
of the new type which came in as a