The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Haunted Bookshop, by Christopher Morley

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Title: The Haunted Bookshop

Author: Christopher Morley

Release Date: May 24, 2008 [EBook #172]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP ***

Updates to this eBook were provided by Andrew Sly.

THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP

BY

CHRISTOPHER MORLEY

TO THE BOOKSELLERS

Be pleased to know, most worthy, that this little book is dedicated to
you in affection and respect.

The faults of the composition are plain to you all. I begin merely in
the hope of saying something further of the adventures of ROGER
MIFFLIN, whose exploits in "Parnassus on Wheels" some of you have been
kind enough to applaud. But then came Miss Titania Chapman, and my
young advertising man fell in love with her, and the two of them rather
ran away with the tale.

I think I should explain that the passage in Chapter VIII, dealing with
the delightful talent of Mr. Sidney Drew, was written before the
lamented death of that charming artist. But as it was a sincere
tribute, sincerely meant, I have seen no reason for removing it.

Chapters I, II, III, and VI appeared originally in The Bookman, and to
the editor of that admirable magazine I owe thanks for his permission
to reprint.

Now that Roger is to have ten Parnassuses on the road, I am emboldened
to think that some of you may encounter them on their travels. And if
you do, I hope you will find that these new errants of the Parnassus on
Wheels Corporation are living up to the ancient and honourable
traditions of our noble profession.

CHRISTOPHER MORLEY.

Philadelphia,
April 28, 1919

The Haunted Bookshop

Chapter I

The Haunted Bookshop

If you are ever in Brooklyn, that borough of superb sunsets and
magnificent vistas of husband-propelled baby-carriages, it is to be
hoped you may chance upon a quiet by-street where there is a very
remarkable bookshop.

This bookshop, which does business under the unusual name "Parnassus at
Home," is housed in one of the comfortable old brown-stone dwellings
which have been the joy of several