Evening star., 1933-05-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

| but the result of much experience
| with books.
Books from old, dirty bookstalls, as
the English call them, are all right, but
no one could claim that their dust and
dirt helps them any.
It is great pleasure to rescue some
worthy volume from such a place. but
it is an even greater to put the volume
into fit shape for incorporation into
clean home library.
The mustiness Of old books Is not
their real charm, and certainly their
physical soil is not Such factors are
inimical in every way. after the books
are taken home. In the store dust has
a charm, lending an odor OF book
Sanctity, but in the modern home 1t
is not wanted.
~ ~
The careful booklover, therefore (per-
haps some would term him the finicky
booklover, will see to 1t that even the
secondhand specimens which come his
way are restored to proper paths of
cleanliness by means Of the dustcloth,
the soft gum eraser, sunshine and fresh
air.
These latter agencies, so popular with
modern humans for themselves, are not
always appreciated by the friends of
books at their true worth.
There is nothing like sunshine for
rejuvenating an old book, especially
one which has been crowded into dusty
shelves for years with others.
The beauty of the sunshine treatment
for old books Is that 1t necessarily COM
bines the fresh air treatment.
1t is difficult to give q book q good
sun bath without exposing it to all
the fresh air that blows, too.
All books which have been subjected
to the ordinary abuse of dustiness
should be given good air bath before
being permitted to come indoors
The best way to do this is to take
the covers carefully in the hands, the
front in the left, and the back in the
right hand, and, opening the volume
at some page, repeatedly slap the two
halves together with a resounding
smack.
The sensible man will SO stand. dur
ing this operation, that the released
dust OF ages blows away from him. BY
opening the book at several points, and
smacking it together again, he will in
a few moments release an amazing
quantity Of it.
The application Of the eraser to tie
top edges will remove further CRIME
The same may be applied to the covers,
If handled carefully, but If this Is be-
gun 1t must be carried through, Cher
wise streaked appearance will re-
suit.
These are some of the good ways to
take care of good books, so vastly diff
! ferent treatment from that to which
some persons subject them.
1t Is better to dwell upon the good
ways than upon the bad ways, because
the ills will continue to happen, no
matter what any one does or saws. but
the good ways may be augmented by
words.
Words are better for augmenting good
than for correcting evils.
What happy thing it is that this
Is so!
1t means that, in regard to book
treatment, no results whatever can be
expected from pointing out perpetraSSrs
OF evil, but that some good happily NAV
result from instancing ways of taking
care of books
Those who love books the most are
always on the hunt for ways to be-
good to their friends. Perhaps some
simple expedient has been found by one
which is not known to another. who is
only too glad to adopt it,
Thus the light Of knowledge Is car
ried from hand to hand.