The light softens a little. The room is almost rose color now. It might
be from the sunset. The Fat Man gently pushes the head of the Sick Man
back on the pillow. Leaning over, he whispers in his ear briefly and the
Sick Man roars with laughter. As his laughter slackens a little The Fat
Man says, "I'll meet you in the press box," and then before you know it
he's gone. The Sick Man is still laughing, but less loudly. People who
did not know might think it was gasping. The Nurse opens the door and is
frightened. She loudly calls "Doctor! Doctor!" and runs down the
corridor. The Sick Man gives one more chuckle and is silent. The
curtains at one of the windows sway slightly. Of course, it's the
breeze.
(_Curtain_.)
The Library of a Lover
THE responsibilities of a book reviewer, always heavy, sometimes assume
a gravity which makes it quite impossible for them to be borne on any
single pair of shoulders. We have received a letter to-day upon which so
much depends that we hesitate to answer without requesting advice from
readers. It is from a young man in Pittsburgh who identifies himself
merely by the initials X. Q., which we presume to be fictitious. He
writes as follows:
"As a reader of the book columns of _The Tribune_ I am humbly requesting
your assistance in the matter of a little experiment that I desire to
perform. I find myself highly enamored of a superlatively attractive
young lady who has, however, one apparent drawback to me. That lies in
the fact that she has never cultivated a taste for really worth while
reading. Such reading to me is one of the greatest of life's pleasures.
Now, my idea is this: that this reading taste may be developed by the
reading of a number of the best books in various lines. I have decided
upon an experiment wherein a list of fifty books shall be furnished by
you and a serious attempt made by the young lady to read them. When she
has completed this reading I shall ask her to make a thoroughly frank
statement as to whether a reading habit has been cultivated which will
enable her to enjoy good literature. I would appreciate very much your
furnishing me a list of fifty of the very best books which you consider
suitable for the experiment which I have in mind. The lady in question
has read but little, but has completed the regulation high school course
and in addition has taken two years at one of the recognized girls'
schools of the country."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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