The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-03-29
Meerschaum Pines.

"Gris," the funny man of the Cinoin-
natl Times, thus reveals some of the So
crets of the manufacture Of meersohaums
Moerschaum pipes arc made from the
foam of the sea. There is no question
about it, but, then, there is great differ
ence in the foam. 1t isn't always a good
day for the sea to foam when the pipe
makers 20 down to the beach to make the
pipes, and buyers foam about it, but it
can't be helped. 1t seems singular that
anybody should want foam at the mouth,
but there are numbers who do, it seems
paying heavily for this adjunct of mad
ness, aud getting madden as they doubts
the genuineness Of the foam.
There is very little made on meerschaum
pipes. 1t is expensive going to the sea-
side to get foam, and it takes great deal
of it to make pipe. One hundred and
twenty-six gallons make pipe-so if you
know how much foam one gallon will
make, you can estimate the amount you
will require for your meerschaum.
The wooden stems to meerschaum pipes
are uUb lIUm buo WdobO lOdn, Oh
many suppose, neither are tho cases found
floating around on the foamy waste, al
ready lined. The lining has to be put in
afterward.
The cost of meerschaum pipes ranges
any where from what you can buy one
for to any sum you are mind to pay
As general rule, the more you pay for
one the more moLey you have squandered,
and the least possible sum that you can
get one for the better you are satisfied
afterward.' We have had great many Of
them but the one we were the most con-
tented with, all things considered, was
given us. 1t was net very good foam,
either, but we never uttered complaint
We wouldn't look gift pipe in the mouth,
and it was in the mouth the most of the
time.
When the meerschaum pipe remains
white it is not surrounded with hun
dredth part of the interest that it COM
mands when it is colored, which isn't
very different from the estimate certain
philanthropists put upon objects of human
charity, when appealed to in their behalf.
1t is a long and arduous process, coloring
meerschaum, and it requires heap of
perseverance to accomplish it, The per-
severance of some people runs ouly in
that direction. We have known men
who we're discouraged at the slightest OBJ
stacle in ordinary affairs exhibit the great
est persistancy in this.
We once knew man to-struggle for
years to color a particularly obstinate
meerschaum pipe. He smoked incessaht-
ly. He tried all the different kinds Of
tobacco, put a "button in it, boiled it in
tobacco juice, but all to no avail. 1t
wouldn't color. He grew morose and
sour, shut himself up by himself aud
smoked, and smoked, and smoked, NUT
tering savagely from between his clenched
teeth-coior! l say. D-n ye, PNc-o-t
or ye" He gave up all business, aud
devoted himself Who'll y to smoking, deter
minsj, as he said, to color that pipe or die
in the attempt. One day he failed to
make his appearance at breakfast. His
room was, opened, there he sat in his
chair, dead, the fatal mserschaum clutch
ed tightly between his teeth, The meer-
schaum was as white as when it first
emerged, Venus like, from the foam of
the sea, but the man was turned rich
brown. The meerschaum had colored
him,