What does the Harvard Man Read? Saturday Evening Post, Square Dealers Say--Humorous Magazines Sell Fast

What does the Harvard man read? There are three men about the Square who can answer with authority; for it is the newsdealer's part to watch the diminishing of his stacks and thence to prophesy the next month's demand for magazines quiet or gaudy. So the men whose shops are in sight of the Rotunda speak both with authority and with figures.

It sis almost to be expected that the Saturday Evening Post should lead, with about 1000 copies a month sold on the Square. The sales of Liberty, of about half that volume, are for some reason much less than at Boston newsstands.

Among the monthly periodicals, over 300 Cosmopolitans are sold of each is site. The Red Book's sales figures hovers near the 225 mark. But the humor magazines are close contestants in the race for first place. Life enjoys tremendous vogue; Vanity Fair is nearly as sought after; and Judge and even the English Punch beat the Century in a popularity race.

Among the higher priced periodicals the American Mercury leads with 100 sales a month. The Atlantic Monthly just fails to reach 50, while 25 Harper's leave the counter meantime, and about a dozen of Scribner's.

A sharp drop in sales of the newly born Golden Book magazine of literature is witnessed; the decrease is from 150 two months ago to 25 of the latest number.

But above all Harvard men seem to be judges of beauty. Though they devour College Humor, and know Captain Billy by heart, with the magazines of pictures their interest is keenest. At one store, at lest, the American Art Student and Art and life sell as fast as the Saturday Evening Post.

Hence they man behind the counter, watching the piles going slowly or fast knows a deal about the tastes of Harvard men. But he has yet to write to the editor about it.