The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-04-01
Something About Paper.
HISTORY.

4 which characters written or printed
were impressed were the bricks on Min
eveh and Babylon. Certain letters
i used to convey certain facts, We're Gu
\ OF. pressed into the soft substance o
| which the, brick was made, either by
the finger or some Instrument, and theI
tho brick tburned or left to harden, per
petuated the history. Wood was oc'
casi0nally used, and slender slabs O
stone, On.which characters were drawn
much after the manner of writing or
slate in modern times.
Next to Impressions made on brick,
| wood, and stone, came parchments.
These We're prepared skis of animals,
somewhat resembling the yelum of the
i present day, or (nearer) the material OF
! which drum-heads are made. This
was manufactured principally Of the
skins of sheep, calves. kids, still-born
lambs, and the heavier kinds cf the
skins Of asses, wolves, and goats, and
sometimes of the skins of clean birds.
IT required several months of time,
several processes, and not q little ma
niplllatiOn to change these skins into
clean white, and sometimes almost
transparent substances, ready fof the
| pen of the writer.
| Next to parchment came paper. Ii
was at first made (probably by the Chi
nese) out of the inner bark of tree,
but in its largest abundance from the
Papyrus, q genus of plants belonging
to the Sedge family, which once grew
in great luxuriance on the banks OF the
Nile and the rivers of Abyssinia.
This plant has triangular, smooth
stem; grows from five to twenty-five
fleet high, and bears long, grassy leaves,
that spring from near the ground. In
ancient times, it was one of the most
valuable products of Egypt. 1t was
made into ropes sails, mats, garments,
coverlets, shoes, and especially paper.
HOW PAPER WAS FIRST MADE.
The earliest history of the processes
* manufacturing was by removing the
inner coating of the bark timer cuticle)
with a sharp knife or a pointed needle,
taking it of in strips as long as the
stalk would allow, and rs wide as pos
sible-perhaps an eight or a quarter of
the whole inside circumference. These
strips, separated from all other substan-
ces, are exec ediugly thin and trans
parent.
FAfter /: quantity of these had been
properly prepared, they We're carefully
laid lengthwise on a long table, so that
the edge of each narrow strip would
meet the edge of the next; thus FORM
ing a complete surface, which was then
saturated with the wa,er of the Nile,
which probably evolved from the strips
a kind of gluten; then another layer
was placed transversely in the same
way; after which the whole was treated
to another thorough wetting, and then
hung up to drysip the sun. When the
moisture was mainly dried out, the
sheet was subjected to kind of pres
sure, producing an effect similar to
passing it bStween two wooden or iron
rolls.
These sheets were then joined togeth-
er, and the whole wound upon a
wooden roller, generally with some Or
namentatiOn on the ends; and i'm this
form it was ready to receive the history
or story which the pen of the profess
sional writer, with a wonderful readi-
ness and clearness, placed thereon.
EXTENT OF THE EARLY MANUFACTURE.
Paper tpapyrus1 was an article Of
trade during al the early centuries Of
the Christian era. So great was the de-
mand for it that the sovereigns of some
of the countries where the plant out of
which it was made flourished, mOnOp-
olized entirely its culture, and added
largely to their personal income by the
sale of the manufactured article.
1t is mentioned as part of the con-
commerce of the countries
bordering on the Mediterranean Sea;
but, of course, as the world grew in in
telligence, other substances appeared
that partially and at length wholly
took its place, till finally about the |
eleventh or twelfth centuries it disap- |
peared altogether, its place being sup
piled by a better article made of cotton
and linen.
I" l Always Know Where to Find Him."
This was said i'm our hearing of a
young man by his employer. Hecould
have said nothing more to the point,
Dr. better. 1t was to us an entire SER
mon as well as a text. 1t gives us a
better knowledge of the character of
1oung man, and a better key to his fu-
ure, than Mr.. Wells could have fur
listei Oh paper after ever SO careful a
examination.
II said this: That young man Is re-
liable, conscientious, faithful, truthful,
competent, and essential to
ny business. 1would as soon think of
citing watch upon my own actions
IS on his. His statements bear upon
heir face the seal of truth. His men,
,ry Is never at fault. He is thorough
y methOdical and cautious i'm all that
he does that he seldom, if ever makes
! mistake. He is as much interested
n my business as I myself am. A hint
o him Is equal to command. If he Il
lnows u thing should be done, he does
lot wait to be told, but goes at it at :
NEE, and when he puts his hand to a
ask, you can venture any small
mount that it will be finished before
le leaves il.
All this and more was included i'm
hat brief, pithy commendation and
We felt sure then, ;lSwe do now, that
We cali forecast that young mans fu-
ure. He will be not simply an honest
nan and "useful member of socie-
"" but a positive mana man of in
dependent character and assured posi-
a man of wealth, but
ura Ely, without misfortune, blessed
marry, and his children, should he
rave any, will find in him not pro-
ector only, but a companion and
riend. They, like his present employ
r, will "know just where to find him."
His neighbors, too, will have decided
opinions as to his whereabouts. They
will rarely guess wrong as to what he
will say or do in any matter of public
or private interest. Tie
worthy poor whom he may know, will
earn TO discount his philanthrpPy at
atable figures, and the worthless vag- ;
bonds who may cross his path, will
tx a. positive an estimate upon his
redulity. He will sit astride any po-
itical fence; but, on one side or the ;
ther, will be found earnestly at work.
t protesting Christian, the fact will
,e known outside of his church pew,
Iot through blatant selfassertiOn,
nut I'm those many quiet ways which {
peak more loudly than words, He |
vill forget, while young, TO =" SOW his ;
Wild oats" and so. when old, he will :
cap only Tie mature and plump kerr
el, which is the fuiiiass OF joy and
e;lee.- -Hckard's HontAiy, ~
Seeds, Plants, Etc.. b. Mall. I
Tie following are rates Dy la1 :. q ,
For all parcels OF. .f0Dr ou,ices..-2 cts
- eight oVsess- 4 :. {
&. ,),,e JJfyu,,G s,y,r<Js So 4