National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-09-26
Making P,intcrs' Rollers.
An Experienced Editor Tells How II Il
Done,

The following story of how to mako
roller, as told by Harris, OF the Con
cord, N. G., SIN, will be appreciate,
by printers. Harris is known rs tn,
Mark Twain Of North Carolina. jus
listen TO him:
We have been making roller this
week. Roller making is nice art
Few men properly understand it.
Our long experience in the printing
business enables us TO state positively
that it is one of the fine, if not one OF
the lost arts. We made our roller out
of glue and molasses. The glue is
usually made out of army horse ears,
and hoofs OF cattle, that We're, no doubt,
diseased with rinderpest. Tie stove
having been removed from the press
room on account of the hot weather,
some months ago. was placed in posi-
ton after losing much temper and n
good chance of honest perspiration.
We thought we knew how to put up n
cook stove, and that our experience in
that would certainly enable us to put
up an ordinary box-stove. With the
assistance of the boys and tm-shop
we got the pipe in proper shape We
bought the glue, put it to soak, wrap
ped it up in our apron, and let 1t soak.
After the soaking process, we made an
examination, and found it had assumed
the proper consistency, and we were
very happy. Bought the molasses-
Sorghum won't do)-after all the boys
trying it on aboutfour pounds of crack
ers, it was decided that the m 9lasses
was of the right kind, and would 4 swer
for roller. SO we put it on to oil
several of our coantry friends inqu ID
if we were making n candy stew >
piled to in the negative i'll Il most | l.
tive manner, by our foreman, and told
them "that we were not--were making
roller"
"Oh yes-we understand no,0."
The molasses, obeying the natural re-
suits of the application of heat, rose to
a gentle boil, and then we commenced
the Swimming process, After all the
impurities had Hoated to the surface,
our foreman suggested that it was now
ready for the glue. Glue was handsome
ly unrolled from the swaddling cloth,
and dumped into the vessel containing
the boiling molasses. As soon MS
properly h. ated, the kerfogle began to
ascend. Burnt leather was perfectly
charming in comparison to that odor.
Boquet-de Gourd vine could offer to our
ollactories, a more acceptable perfume,
Il deceased water moccasin, ranking i'll
a July sun, furnished an aroma, that
was pleasant compared to this-and in
due process of time the foreman, WHIP
ing the perspiration from his aged
brow, said ait was finished, our
happiness was now nearly complete.
The roller mould was dashed to the legs
of the table, and the composition pour
ed into wash pan Gas a matter of con-
venience) and thence into the mould.
After being allowed to cool off, and
job being in waiting, we suggested to
the foreman the necessity of drawing "
the roller. Now this process of draw
ing" rollers is no work of sport-there
being no fun connected with it, we We're
summoned to assist. Selling the end,
with both hands, and feet planted
against the wall, the work of delivery
began. We knew from the way that
roller came out, that there would be
" suction" to it; our long experience in
roller making taught us, that that roller
would do.
SO after the combined efforts of
senior editor, foreman, pressman, two
compositors and three boys, the roller
came out of that mould-and it was a
struck with lightning and used as hand
spike at log rolling. The inside of
the mould had about as much compost
ton in it as the stock had on it. The
molasses boiled two hours, and the
whole mass was cover fire for four
hours. That roller now stands on end
in our press room. On close examina-
ton, we discovered on one side of the
roller hard knot, took the roller to a
window and examined the knot; that |
knot was hoof of a mule, with shoe
about half worn on the bottom. Fore |
man suggested that the other end of
the roller was "peelin made curso-
ry examination, and found to our aston
shment that it was nearly whole skin,
md detected the brand U. S. on it.
One of the boys remarked that the glue
vas not COW ears, but a government
mule hide. That boy has correct no.
;ions-he is evidently destined to be-
,ome a great man some day. We hand
I'd the roller to the foreman for further
and inspection he says it
will do-for jobs.
This issue is printed with that roller,
f this per Sc is not sufficiently good ev
dence that we fully understand the arts
md sciences of roller making, then we
re no judges of good roller. We do
lot use patent composition; any printer
Who wishes to know how to make roll
rs can be furnished with all the infor-
nation, gratis, by calling at the Sun
'tlice. We make no charge. Our pro-
ess is not patented-neither is it likely
o be. We have not filed our caveat, as
ONE would suppose-it is free to all
he profession. The craft shall have
he benefit of what we know about max
no rollers.