Evening star., 1934-09-29

Dear Sir: As q lover Of books, ]
was greatly interested in your recent
article about the girl who let her book
be rained on. You are absolutely right.
But the girl who Is even worse GRIM
inal is of the type who recently visited
us, who took some of my friendliest
books from my shelves and turned
down the corners OF the pages to mark
the place; who laid my books face
downward opened at her place; who
doubled my beloved friends backward
until back touched back, and carried
them around under her arm, hither
and yon, until I could have choked
her with pleasure and without q pang
Of conscience. But she being our guest,
and trying 10 be gracious and fairly
decent host. merely gritted my teeth
and promised my books that l would
| never again invite her to our home.
This kind Of maltreater OF such goodly
and kindly friends as books may we'll
furnish you with a text. Try 1t on
your typewriter, if you can work your
self into the proper kind Of rage. Sim
cerely, j. r. w"
= **
Can't you see this good, honest gen.
! tleman inwardly writhing with rage at
the sight of his books being treated so?
1t is a picture familiar to all book
lovers.
Unfortunately there are many very
fine persons who do not at all know
how to handle these best friends OF
mankind.
The dog often is called mans best
friend" but, after all. what Is a dog
compared with book?
The feeling that books are something
to be handled carefully. almost with
reverence, is not possessed by all per-
SonS
Nor are youngsters solely TO blame
| in this matter.
More than the thoughtless boy or
girl is to be feared the kindly old lady
who finds it necessary to wet her thumb
as she turns the pages.
The booklover with q respect 1or
books as things will find himself spec
/ ulating upon such occasions as 10 the
origin Of this habit,
Aside from its somewhat loathsome
| aspects, it Is an action which Is en-
tirely unnecessary If the reader will
take the slight trouble to get the
| feel" Of book.
Each book Is different. OF course. A
few tentative tries at the edges OF the
pages are necessary with each and
| every volume.
No two are exactly alike In this.
l. q
after page. while the next will require
a little more care. But any pages can
| be mastered with q comparatively few
| trials, so that there exists absolutely
no need on earth for the application
OF water to the fair page OF any book
Water has no place on or near
book. An author may be all Wet, IN
the slang phrase, but that Is as near
! TO moisture as the actual paper should
come.
Another most unpleasant and most
unnecessary marking OF books Is the
| imprint of the finger nail.
| This. too, comes about through lack
Of the most elemental knowledge IN
the proper handling Of these friends
| Of mankind.
This. as the former action, Is en-
tirely thoughtless no matter what the
/ age OF the offender.
1t arises because the reader will not
take the time to acquire the afore-
| mentioned feel of book. this time
as to the weight, texture and thickness
OF the paper
Cursory examination Of sheet
would reveal if there is danger in this
respect. but these unhappy readers
never stop to think about the matter
at all. They simply grab the sheet as
if it were made of cast iron. Their