Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1896 — Lives Like a Tramp. [ARTICLE]

Lives Like a Tramp.

A Philadelphia auctioneer would scarcely believe It, but ther* are men who will go without the nenssltles of life to gratify their craz» for collecting rare books. I have In mind the case of a man who lives In a back itreet away uptown somewhere In miserable circumstances, but who has & really fine library of rare books. When I have had sales on I have known him to come in looking like a tramp, with the toes out of his boots, soiled linen and a general air of semi-respectable ragrancy. And yet he would think Qothing of paying S6O for some book 'hat he wanted. His daughter came to uie one day with tears In her eyes and begged me not to sell her father any more books, as the family was In absolute want and needed the money for household purposes. I looked Into the case and found that the old man’s passion for collecting had transformed aim into a perfect mlger. He would hoard his money at the expense of b’M family’s comfort, and when he enough together would go off and buy some rare book.”