Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-14
The
Rambler
. Library Gets
Whut 1t Wants
By JACK JONAS

One of these is a rare, two
volume, classical Armenian
dictionary, Nor Bargirk' Hay
kazean Lezowi," by the Mekhi-
tharist monks Gabriel Avedi-
khan, Khachadro Surmelian
and Mgrdich Aukerian.
The other is the original
manuscript of Victor Herbert's
Babes in Toyland. The die
tionary was mentioned as be-
ing sought for 10 years, and
the uscript as "long-
wanted"
Now a want list for a library
as all-inclusive as the Library
of Congress must be fascinat-
ing reading, full of items
like Armenian dictionaries and
H erbert manuscripts. But,
alas, unless you're a mind
reader, there's nothing to read
at all
A lady at the Library said
the want list" is carried
around in the minds of the
various division heads, who
know what they want, and
when they hear about it, try
to get it.
A copy of the dictionary
evaded the Near East Section
in 1916 when another buyer
beat the Library to it. This
year, when one was listed for
sale by a Paris bookdealer, the
Near East Section got off a
quick cable and bought it.
The manuscript was bought at
auction in London.
The closest thing to a want
list, the lady at the Library
went on, is an annual list put
out for libraries all over the
country, who can't find what
they want in any of the other
libraries.
But the big library carries
its wants around in its head.
For the original manuscript
of Victor Herbert's Babes in
Toyland," that might be easy.
But trying to remember Nor
Barhgirk' Haykazean Lezowi,"
by the MekhithariSt onks
Gabriel Avedikian, Khachadro
Surmelian and Mgrdich Au-
kerian?
That's as difficult as trying
to remember, from 9 am. to 6
pm, zone spool white cotton
thread, No. co."
Shoe!
A Star photographer went
down to fuel-lOading docks
south of the National Air
port the other day to get a
picture of more than 100
egrets perched on one of
the docks.
A phOtOgenic scene, he
was told, and worthy of a
picture. So he approached
the guards at the gate. They
said he'd have to have per-
mission from the president
of the company. That was
obtained, after several tele-
phone calls, and the phOtOg-
rapher headed for the dock.
Word had spread, mean
time, that a picture of the
dock was to be taken, and
the dock workers, seeking to
be helpful and make every
thing shipshape for a pic
ture of the dock, chased all
of the egretS away.
Pennies
A man we know says he is
convinced the banks have no
sympathy with the American
Dream.
He and his wife began saw
ing pennies some time ago,
and accumulated quite a box
full. They had no particular
purpose in mind, but thought
it would be nice to have a box
full of pennies around when
some extra cash was needed.
When they took their vaca-
tion this year, they decided to
spend their pennies. The pen
MES were at home, but they
spent the money anyway,
planning to replace it with the
pennies.
Have you ever tried to get
rid of a box of pennies?" he
asked. Il took them from bank
to bank, and all got was a
cold stare. Looks like I'll have
to start chewing bubble gum.
Street Scenes
At the northeast corner o.
Twelfth and I streets NV, or
a rooming house, an old, ole
et-designation sign, faded
but still legible, reading
Twelfth Street West" :.
An open box of peanu
oritdc,. melting in the sun,
baked show window Of ;
downtown drugstore.
4 s a