Evening star., 1932-09-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

The problem Of the reader on public
utilities has not been given much con-
sideration.
A passenger is a fare, primarily. and
whether he looks out the window, or
talks to some fellow rider. or reads a
book or a newspaper, has nothing much
to do with the case, according to the
officials.
So the rider-reader on bus and
street car will have to look out for his
own welfare.
There are some people who invariably
read their way to and from work: others
who never take to print so publicly. but
pass the time by staring at the land
scape.
The public vehicle. however. has its
merits as reading room; there can
be no doubt of that especially If the
reader is pressed for time.
The best sort Of book for this exer-
else is not one, but dual. Either it may
be a novel, preferably a good, exciting
one, or 1t may be heavy work, So
called.
The remainder Of bookdom had better
be reserved for the home, but speci-
mems of these two types readily find
their proper place on the moving seats.
A great many readers belong to the
late-riser class, so that they will have
little time for reading before they
leave home in the morning.
After they have returned, they do not
much feel like taking up book, owing
to the fact that they may have used
their eyes all day long. Often they
have more rousing events planned for
the evening.
This leaves the trips to and from
work about the only time available for
the great sport of reading. the finest
recreation of them all, and at once the
greatest way to self-help open to the
average man.
The merits Of looking out the window
as one goes to work in public vehicle
have been canvassed before, both here
and elsewhere.
Little has been said of the reading
room functions of motor bus and street
car. Available for no extra price, they
mined to overcome distances an op-
portunity to do some real reading.
1t Is amazing how soon a book may
be read. little at time, If the reader
sticks to 1t persistently. There are
many men and women in the Govern
ment service who have gone through
scores of notable volumes In this way,
supplementing their street car time. as
may be. with odd moments seized when
available.
One good point about such reading
Is the fact that the mind is fresh in
the morning, or at least ought to be,
cleared by a good nights sleep.
There Is something about the cool
air, the freshness of the atmosphere,
the good breakfast, the morning crowd,
which puts the pasenger-reader into
exactly the right frame of mind.
Good frame of mind, that is, If he
will refrain from discussing politics
with strangers and mind his own
scenery or his own newspaper or his
own book.
Even the most avid news reader often
will find that He can dispose of his
paper in no time at all, unless he wants
to delve deep into the intricacies Of yes
terday's base ball game or the pros
poets for tomorrow nights rassling
racket.
Here Is where the book comes In.
There Is nothing like book for Sus-
tanned interest. At first the public We
hicle reading room may strike one as
rather too noisy, but in time this wears
off.
Suitable bookmarks should be kept
in the volume in hand, so that if any
thing outside attracts ones attention,
cne's place may be kept.
The use of bookmarks may be old
fashioned, but there is nothing to take
their place, as many reader has found
out.
To use bookmarks or not to use them,
that is a question often answered in the
affirmative by the experienced reader.
OF course, if one has read properly, one
perhaps ought to know where he left
off, or, more to the point, where he Is
to begin again