Judge, 1929-07-06 · page 10 of 36
Judge — July 6, 1929 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Heart of a Collector" This story satirizes obsessive book collecting by contrasting a collector's romantic reverence for rare books with mundane reality. Professor Hymes cherishes his library—a Shakespeare, Dickens, and Byron—treating them as precious treasures from his romantic past. He fondles a morocco-bound Byron volume with mysterious nostalgia, imagining it a gift from a forgotten sweetheart. The punchline reveals the deflating truth: a library overdue notice falls from the book. The library threatens prosecution for an eight-week overdue item. The joke mocks Hymes's pretentious collector's mentality—his treasured, carefully-preserved "gem" is simply a book he negligently failed to return, transforming his sentimental fantasy into embarrassing reality. The accompanying cartoon above jokes about journalism professors overlooking actual news.
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justed his spectacles. I discreetly withdrew and went home to din- ner. One night before a roaring fire—I guess it was six months “Well, which of your old sweet- hearts wrote that note in your py of Byron?” He didn’t answer and what seemed to be a tinge of wistful- ness crossed his f: he handed me the slip that had fallen from the book. “Read it yourself,” he whispered, and that strange light of the true collector shone in his eyes again. 1 did. The billet doux “This book is the property of the Public Library. It is now eight } weeks overdue. Unless it is turned ‘ in at once, the Library will be | compelled to prosecute you.” —Artucr L. Lirpaann later—I casually asked Hymes, | Prof. in school of journalism, pointing out what news interest is nowadays. The Heart of a Collector I was helping Hymes move his magnificent library to his new apartment across the street. As he fussed over the precious tomes, he occasionally handed me one of his special treasures. “Look at this Shakespeare.” he exulted. “A masterpiece of the bookbinder’s art “Very lovely. Old “Had it over forty-five years. But wait until you sce this Dick- ens. Beautiful volume, isn’t it?” “Very interesting.” Hymes was way up on the lad der now, rummaging on the top thelf. “Here's a real gem!" kx exclaimed, coming down with a little morocco-bound volume. of Byron years - had this old book fifty said the bibliophile far-away look came into his e3 “Can't remember where I got it. Perhaps it was a little bijou from one of my sweethearts long for- gotten. I always was a funny little bookworm, more interested in bookish browsing than in sports. But there were a few gilts a3” I reached up to take the book from him. As I did so a little scrap of paper fluttered to the floor. I picked it up and handed it to Hymes. “A souvenir of the past,” I quietly commented. “Good Lord, Estelle, are you crazy? 110 degrees!” He took it from me and his “Pooh! What does such a little thing know about the ther- hands shook a little as he ad- mometer?” comicbooks.com