Evening star., 1934-08-06
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES 4. TRAcEWELE.

One Of the most charming things
about a hobby Is that It wipes out
the years.
Ages do not matter at all when two
men are discussing stamps, or tropi-
cal fishes. or books.
Much the same may be said OF any
common interest. but one may feel
that It applies with particular force
to hobbies, all the hundred and one
interesting activities outside the field
of earning a living.
The strict amateur. one may feel,
has the best Of it here. for he keeps
this niche in his mountain of daily
activities for a breathing spell.
The relentless pace Of occupation
tones down to q leisurely walk. Even
the most harassed worker has the
habits of a millionaire in his hobby.
There is true democracy, too.
Perhaps nowhere else does the prac-
tice Of democracy catch up 80 well
with the theory of It. Age and class
are wiped out; al that counts Is the
interest
n EOOo nODDY LSs 4HSt anu IOfc-
most, an interest.
A common interest means 9 COM
mon type OF mind.
There is a true meeting Of the
minds" here, II nowhere else. Some
how the incessant drawings OF diff
ference Of opinion are stilled, as men
meet in common consideration Of
their interests of this type.
Nor need these meetings be Of large
numbers. Wherever two get together
there is an interesting exchange of
opinions and experiences.
Life is made up, in civilization, oi
opinions and experiences, at least in
part. And when these are exchanged
in relation TO some chosen interest
they do form. indeed, some OF the most
interesting of all conservation, for they
strike deep at the real urges of human
beings. No one is compelled to take
up a hobby, whatever it may be. Most
ly one collects, If collection forms a
part of the hobby land it does in true
hobbies), simply because one finds the
subject interesting. There may be
Interior motives in all else, but seldom
in this. He who takes up a hobby, no
matter what, or how popular at the
moment, because some one else does,
or because it is fashionable, or 1.-THE
thing" or "an the rage as they used
to say, will be a poor lobbyist, and
ultimately give it up.
The real lobbyist enters the ranks
because he becomes interested. That
is the key which opens every lock
Interest he must have, whether ad-
mitted or covered. A great many per-
sons who really ought to know better
tend to regard certain hobbies as es-
sentially juvenile. There is the case
of Benjamin Solemn, for instance, who
believes he will set up a small
aquarium of guppies for his small boy.
Never for worlds could you induce Mr.
Solemn to admit that he wants the
aquarium for himself. Oh, no, he is
not interested In tropical fish. 1t is
true that he has been exposed to talk
about them from several ardent fish
fans" but he has regarded this mostly
as idle chatter. Yet the germ of in
terest has been planted in his mind
Inc CIldIlCco are LIlhb Ilc Will IlIlQ LIE
creatures interesting, and begin look
ing around the shops where they are
sold. Then he will buy an "Angel
fish," the first thing he knows. Every
one doesI He still viii look upon the
sport as essentially juvenile. He would
be amazed, at this stage of his pro-
gression, to be told that a real busi-
ness in tropical fishes has been built
up in the United States during the
past three years, that imports of 50,-
600 of the little fellows at time are
nothing uncommon. He will be amazed
to find out that some men are making
money at it. and that all who have
anything to do with it are having a
swell time. He will be astonished to
find out that thousands Of the tropi-
Gals, as they are called, are shipped