BURNING UP A LIBRARY

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 6, 1888

BURNING UP A LIBRARY.

A FEW days since, while seated at the dinner table in the house of a friend, the subject of books became the topic of conversation. Said the host: "I consider my 'Encyclopedia Britannica' is worth more than all the rest of my library" and he had a good library. But he added, "When I got it, Mr. I. said, 'How is this? how can you afford it? I cannot. Why, it cost you more than one hundred dollars.' Now, my friend, Mr. I., let us see about it. You smoke, I do not. In less than one year you puff one hundred dollars into smoke; here are one hundred and thirty dollars in this encyclopedia, a lasting blessing to myself and the community." He might have added, "and your money worse than wasted." This unwise Mr. I. is no exception. Scores of men in every community, not rich by any means, think nothing of watching the curling smoke vanish into nothingness, that might represent a nice little Jersey, besides plenty of feed to keep her on. No doubt, many wives and children are denied, not only comforts, but actual needs, in order that their "lords" may indulge in their after-dinner, after-supper, and after-breakfast smoke, with one or two smokes sandwiched in between meals.—Selected.