Evening star., 1928-04-06
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES &. TRACEWELL.

| in printed form. or maybe a combina:.
| ton of all these, so the booklover will
find himself at the end Of certain term
Of years with an accumulation, although
IL may not be large, of books which he
had better get rid Of.
There are such things as worthless
books, as much as the booklover hates
TO admit 1t. They look like books, they
90 through the motions OF books. but
| for the owner they are entirely value
| less. He wonders If any purchaser cares
| for them.
These volumes should be the first to
go in the Spring bookcleaning. GER
tain amount of thought should accom-
pany even them. for there Is always
the chance that the owner Is mistaken;
that they may be great books after all.
Some publishers professional reader
(and presumably the publisher himself)
sat In Judgment on this book, and
| thought 1t good enough to take
chance on
II it has not proved itself to you, how
ever, 1t may as we'll be relegated 10 the
oblivion which 1t deserves IN so lar as
YOUR bookshelves are concerned. Per-
hans It is an old work OF fiction which
the booklover knows he will never read
again. Some one else might appreciate
n Mavbe il is a book Of the moment
whose moment has long gone by. or II
NAV be a volume which was OF tre-
mendous interest 20 years ago, When
one had other interests.
life has a strange way OF changing
us despite our desire or even KnoWledSe
of the process. Often survey OF tne
hook rows will tell a man surprising
things about himself.
y Il n n
After the booklover has ruthleSSly
taken from the overcrowded shelves
s,,ch books as he thinks he no longer
wants. the problem arises;
what shall be done with them?
Secondhand shops are notoriously
shv on handicapping the book owner
with large sums Of money in exchange
for discarded books One VIII be ottereo
s4. for instance. for set ot BOOKS
| which cost SOS and which is in perfect
condition. only TO sec. as he passes out.
ennther used set in the window marked
$35. with the individual volumes much
| battered
-Four dollars," says he, Indignantly.
WHY. I would rather throw them into
| the gutterl"
hotter suit a booklover. for he has some
affection left. even for his books which
he is willing TO discard. If one can get
a fair value for old books. this is one
good way to dispose of them. One
really good book Is worth 10 valueleSs
ones.
! There are plenty Of organizations and
hospitals however. where books are ap-
preciated. and these would benefit more
| in this line If the giver were relieved OF
the work of taking the books out him.
self This is one way In which the
Salvation Army shines. 1t sends a
man and wagon to ones door. We re-
| Gently saw an interesting book appeal
from one of those Kentucky mountain
community centers. which ended with
the following succmct directions: THE
best way TO send them Is by insured
parcel post to the above address.
| While one must agree heartily with this
statement. he Is likely to wonder Ii they
want them wrapped in gold paper or
tied with any particular sort of fancy
/ twine.
When a booklover discards some OF
his treasures in the course of the Spring
'housecleaning. he feels that some
| kindly providence ought to take charge
of his books and give them wings. so
| that they might fly to hands and hearts
that would love them and take care OF
/ them,