Evening star., 1933-07-07
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

anything which meets conditions and
helps solve them is welcome.
The reader with a curious turn OF
mind might put his bluejay feather In
a war book, his brown thrush feather
in q volume devoted to music and his
red bit Of cardinal plumage IN some
lively modern novel.
Most of US, however, would not re-
serve such feathers for such classifica-
ton, but would use them indiscrimi-
nately, as the need arose. There should
be no hard and fast rules here, nor IN
reading itself.
A course Of reading" unless under
taken for q specific purpose. is less
likely to result in good to the general
adult reader than the apparently hap
hazard plan of reading pursued by most
persons.
For the latter is a plan, and 1t is not
as haphaZard as it would seem to the
critical. It is based upon the life
habits Of the individual, who really
ought to know more about himself by
this time than any one else.
II one puts determination into his
| reading, actually knows what he likes,
cause he is interested in what he Is
| reading about, and continues because
the book interests him, he will have no
particular need for a set plan" other
than his own good desire. He ought
to trust himself to that extent.
1t may happen that q sincere reader
Is yet no magician, In this respect, but
feels that q certain amount OF imagi-
nation is lacking in his disposition, and
that the help of plan or set course,
In reading, Is just the thing he needs.
He may solemnly 60 through any one
Of the famous collections.
No one would say a word against
| that. Such a means toward intelligent
personal knowledge Of the worlds best
is also good. If it fits in with a readers
| temperament and basic desires
Fluttering down from the skies, the
bird feather makes a peculiarly good
| bookmark, and an exceptionally ap-
propriate one, we think.
Bits Of ribbon, especially when tied
to the midrib of the book, somehow co
not seem to belong. They are forever
| getting IN the way when one does not
want them, and at times cannot be
found when one does.
Everything from pieces of wood to
old letters have been used to mark
OalC pioCC III q DOOh. MhIly CuE lOuSiy
wrought and intricate ivories, and the
like, have been used; the common fault
OF them all is too much thickness
What we like about the birds feather,
especially when the tip is placed down
into the leaves. leaving the thick por-
ton of the feathers midrib sticking out,
Is that there Is no unnecessary bulk.
A thin silver Of paper, such as may
be taken of the white edge Of q news
paper, makes one Of the most useful
bookmarkS that can be had.
1t has practically no bulk at all, and
answers every purpose, besides costing
nothing. For marking several pages
where appropriate sayings or other In
teresting material Is discovered, as one
goes along, nothing Is better than a
strip so torn from the margin Of q
| newspaper page.
The feather, however, has many In
teresting connections with bookdom.
For centuries, as taken from the goose,
1t was made into a pen, with which
many a masterpiece was written.
1t Is light. like the book page, and
has midrib like the book Above all.
it has an airy quality, which the best
books, even though about heavy" sub
I iectS ought To Qfye liz