184 THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 



and Becky Sharpe and Henry Esmond are with 

 us; Scott and a troop of roistering fellows, 

 Scotch to the core, pass in review and pay re- 

 spects ; George Eliot and here come Silas Mar- 

 ner and honest Adam Bede and the brave Felix 

 Holt; Victor Hugo and that wonderful char- 

 acter Jean Valjean and the good Bishop Myriel 

 and so many others summoned as by magic. 

 Mere acquaintances do not count for greatness, 

 only valuable friends and how these friends 

 multiply through good books and we read them 

 again and again because they are so true and 

 dear. How well we know them, of their com- 

 radeship we do not tire, their voices are never 

 harsh but so sincere, their spirit beautiful and 

 so we covet evenings with them as they are, 

 accessories and all, and are never disappointed 

 in their coming and company. 



I have often dreamed of meeting my book- 

 friends and they were as real as dreams are, 

 their countenances perfectly familiar, voices 

 natural, and their bearing in accord with char- 

 acter. I have fancied that some day we should 

 meet and recognize and grasp hands and talk 

 of the times and people and conditions in their 

 books and love each other more than ever. 



A good story must be true to life and life is 

 endless in its possible shiftings and combina- 



