Life — August 12, 1909 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Counselors and Counseled R. ANDREW LANG, in one of his least amiable moods, has remarked that if we do not by this time know what to read, it is not for lack of cheap and copious instruction. The are scasons—and this is one of ther when we feel the melancholy weight of his words. There are seasons—and this is one of them—when it seems impossible ir advisers, even if we are dis- posed to pursue our own abandoned wa: to elude ou Those of us who encountered—and suz- vived—the tidal wave of admonition which swept over our harmless heads a score of years ago, when the wise one’s of the world made out lists of the hun- dred books which we were least disposed 4, lists of books which had helped or hindered their own enlightened reers, and lists of books which would keep us content and cultivated on a desert island, disce another approa impetus given by President Eliot's much discussed book shelf, our respectful de- sire to follow the mental processes which prompted his selections, prise of publishers, ever ready to encour- age the useful habit of reading, have roused us to fresh interest in our nei bor's intellectual welfare One businesslike detail of this tran- sient enthusiasm for literature is the of- fering of prizes for lists of books, the merits of which are to be tested by their popularity. Instead of one man telling the public what to read, the public to rea 2 ominous signs of x inundation. The nd the enter- oa cl undertakes to tell the one maa how much he has missed in letters. It has been argued that as the public does the buying of books, its views have substantial weight and should be treated with consideration. A few years ago a great academy of art in- vited some hundreds of working ‘nto inspect an exhibition of wor pictures; and, by way of adding zest to the occasion, cach visitor was re- quested to vote for the picture she thought the best. After an hour's p: tient. examination and consultation, i; woman submitted a re- spectful inquiry. Was the institution going to buy the picture which had the most votes? It was explained one you that no such practical assistance was demanded. Pictures were bought by a purchasing committee. “Oh, I sce,” said the girl, thoughtfully, “ you want us to tell you what we don't know, so that you will know that we don’t know it.’ And having solved the great principle of competitive exam- inations and popular prize lists, she re- turned contented to her companions. Agnes Repplicr. Mé® TUMP: I comes home fum de lodge last night wid sawt of a wavy motion, and muh wife kotch me by de neck, flung ‘crost de foot-boa’d o° de bed, and beat and mauled me world widout cend, mighty nigh. Mr. Sassoon : Huht yo’, sah? Mr. Tumr: Hubt me? Uh-well, sah, dess lemme say dat de lady didn’t ’min- MR. HOCKSTEIN, FINDING THE ABOVE VIEW A BIT UNINTERESTING, BY A SIMD! DEvice— ister no laughin’ gas to me befo" she *saulted me! OCTOR: You ought to sleep in a high altitude. Biccsey: I suppose I could arrange to pass the nights in my New York office Modern ECENTLY two little children were brought to this country to join their mother. But when it that she might not be able to support them they were ordered back to their own country because th might possibly becon as found “charges '’ on this gov- err nent. Later, through the intervention of friends, aided by Cor missioner Williams, th were chased by a tug boat just a the steamer bore them out of the harbor and brought back to. their mother with tears of joy. This is one of in which our laws work. It prevents © © ways gration Idren from meeting their parents, but permits ree a traffie in young girls 4 at would have been a disgrace to Rome in fis palmiest days. meee AAT) WITH ALL THY WORLDLY GOODS I THEE ENDURE comicbooks.com