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concocting schemes for cozening his fellows。〃
The little bookseller's bald pate shone in the light of the bulb hanging
over the wrapping table。 His eyes were bright and earnest； his short red
beard bristled like wire。 He wore a ragged brown Norfolk jacket from
which two buttons were missing。
A bit of a fanatic himself； thought the customer； but a very entertaining
one。 〃Well； sir；〃 he said； 〃I am ever so grateful to you。 I'll come again。
Good…night。〃 And he started down the aisle for the door。
As he neared the front of the shop； Mr。 Mifflin switched on a cluster of
lights that hung high up； and the young man found himself beside a large
bulletin board covered with clippings； announcements； circulars； and little
notices written on cards in a small neat script。 The following caught his
eye：
RX
If your mind needs phosphorus； try 〃Trivia；〃 by Logan Pearsall Smith。
If your mind needs a whiff of strong air； blue and cleansing； from
hilltops and primrose valleys； try 〃The Story of My Heart；〃 by Richard
Jefferies。
If your mind needs a tonic of iron and wine； and a thorough rough…
and…tumbling； try Samuel Butler's 〃Notebooks〃 or 〃The Man Who Was
Thursday；〃 by Chesterton。
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
If you need 〃all manner of Irish；〃 and a relapse into irresponsible
freakishness； try 〃The Demi…Gods；〃 by James Stephens。 It is a better book
than one deserves or expects。
It's a good thing to turn your mind upside down now and then； like an
hour…glass； to let the particles run the other way。
One who loves the English tongue can have a lot of fun with a Latin
dictionary。
ROGER MIFFLIN。
Human beings pay very little attention to what is told them unless
they know something about it already。 The young man had heard of none
of these books prescribed by the practitioner of bibliotherapy。 He was
about to open the door when Mifflin appeared at his side。
〃Look here；〃 he said； with a quaint touch of embarrassment。 〃I was
very much interested by our talk。 I'm all alone this evening my wife is
away on a holiday。 Won't you stay and have supper with me？ I was just
looking up some new recipes when you came in。〃
The other was equally surprised and pleased by this unusual invitation。
〃Whythat's very good of you；〃 he said。 〃Are you sure I won't be
intruding？〃
〃Not at all！〃 cried the bookseller。 〃I detest eating alone： I was hoping
someone would drop in。 I always try to have a guest for supper when my
wife is away。 I have to stay at home； you see； to keep an eye on the shop。
We have no servant； and I do the cooking myself。 It's great fun。 Now
you light your pipe and make yourself comfortable for a few minutes
while I get things ready。 Suppose you come back to my den。〃
On a table of books at the front of the shop Mifflin laid a large card
lettered：
PROPRIETOR AT SUPPER IF YOU WANT ANYTHING RING
THIS BELL
Beside the card he placed a large old…fashioned dinner bell； and then
led the way to the rear of the shop。
Behind the little office in which this unusual merchant had been
studying his cookbook a narrow stairway rose on each side； running up to
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
the gallery。 Behind these stairs a short flight of steps led to the domestic
recesses。 The visitor found himself ushered into a small room on the left；
where a grate of coals glowed under a dingy mantelpiece of yellowish
marble。 On the mantel stood a row of blackened corn…cob pipes and a
canister of tobacco。 Above was a startling canvas in emphatic oils；
representing a large blue wagon drawn by a stout white animal evidently
a horse。 A background of lush scenery enhanced the forceful technique
of the limner。 The walls were stuffed with books。 Two shabby；
comfortable chairs were drawn up to the iron fender； and a mustard…
coloured terrier was lying so close to the glow that a smell of singed hair
was sensible。
〃There；〃 said the host； 〃this is my cabinet； my chapel of ease。 Take off
your coat and sit down。〃
〃Really；〃 began Gilbert； 〃I'm afraid this is〃
〃Nonsense！ Now you sit down and commend your soul to
Providence and the kitchen stove。 I'll bustle round and get supper。〃
Gilbert pulled out his pipe； and with a sense of elation prepared to enjoy
an unusual evening。 He was a young man of agreeable parts； amiable
and sensitive。 He knew his disadvantages in literary conversation； for he
had gone to an excellent college where glee clubs and theatricals had left
him little time for reading。 But still he was a lover of good books； though
he knew them chiefly by hearsay。 He was twenty…five years old；
employed as a copywriter by the Grey…Matter Advertising Agency。
The little room in which he found himself was plainly the bookseller's
sanctum； and contained his own private library。 Gilbert browsed along the
shelves curiously。 The volumes were mostly shabby and bruised； they
had evidently been picked up one by one in the humble mangers of the
second…hand vendor。 They all showed marks of use and meditation。
Mr。 Gilbert had the earnest mania for self…improvement which has
blighted the lives of so many young mena passion which； however； is
commendable in those who feel themselves handicapped by a college
career and a jewelled fraternity emblem。 It suddenly struck him that it
would be valuable to make a list of some of the titles in Mifflin's
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
collection； as a suggestion for his own reading。 He took out a
memorandum book and began jotting down the books that intrigued him：
The Works of Francis Thompson （3 vols。） Social History of Smoking：
Apperson The Path to Rome： Hilaire Belloc The Book of Tea： Kakuzo
Happy Thoughts： F。 C。 Burnand Dr。 Johnson'