The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-02-03
Microscopic Ingenuity.

From the earliest times down 10 the nres-
ent day, many examples of minute mechaa.
ism have appeared, interesting from the pa
tient ingenuity displayed in their production
We propose to give our readers an account
OF one or two of the most curious of these
tiny pieces of handcraft In the year 1878,
Mark Scalot, a locksmith of London, made
"ior exhibition and skill one lock of iron.
steel and brass of eleven several pieces and a
| ripe KEY, all clean wrought, which weighed
! but one grain of gold" He also made a
chain of gold OF torty.thrce links to which he
| fastened the above named articles, aud pu,
them around the neck of q flea, the insect
! thus becoming harnessed. As the chain,
/ lock and key weighed but one grain ana a
half, the flea Grew them with ease proof
| that if the locksmiths hands were large and
slnewy, they must have had the delicate
touch OF ch.maker's
a beautiful piece of mechanism construct
ed by Nj. Camus probably stood out promi
nently in the collection Of Louis the Greats
childhood. Described by the inventor TT
consisted OF coach drawn by two horses, IN
which was the figure Of lady with foot.
man and page behind. This coach being
placed at the extremity of a table of deter.
inmate size, the coachman smacked his whip,
and the horses Immediately set out, moving
their legs in natural manner. When the
carriage reached the edge OF the table, II
turned on right angle, and proceeded along
the edge. When it arrived opposite to the
place where the king was seated, it stopped
and the page getting down, opened the door,
upon which the lady alignted, having in her
hand petition, which she presented with a
courtesy. After waiting some time, she again
courtesied and reentered the carriage the
page then resumed his place the coachman
whipped his horses, which began to move
and the footman, running after the carriage,
jumped up behind, and 1t drove on
The following are list Of miracles of
art" exhibited in London in the year 1745:-
The little furniture of drawing room, con.
slsting of dining table, with two figures
seated as if at dinner; tootman waiting; q
card-table which opens with drawer in it
frame and casters; looklng-glass; two dozen
of dishes; twenty dozen of plates; thirty doz.
en- Of spoons, and twelve skeleton back chars
with claw feet. All the above particulars are
contained in a cherry. stOne. A landau
which opens and shuts by springs, hanging
on braces, with four persons sitting therein.
a crane.neck carriage, the wheels turning on
their axles; II coachman's box, &C., of ivory
together with SIX horses and their furniture :;
coachman on the box; dog between his
legs, the reins in one hand, and whip in the
other; the footman behind, and position on
the leading horses in their proper liveries-
all so minute as to be drawn by flea VIII, h
performs all the offices of large chase, as
running of the wheels, locking &c, weigh.
ing but one-thrd OF grain. And pair of
steel scissors so minute that six pair may he
wrapped up in the wings of fly; the said
SCISSORS cut large horse-hair.'
The Plymouth Gazette Of 1928 contained an
account Of miniature cannon, which is
thus described: 1t is complete in all respects,
having bore and touch.hole; the gun is
made of STEEL the carriage OF gold and the
wheels of silver; and the whole weighs only |
the twenty-ninth of grain. The workman
ship is very beautiful but cannot be destin.
guished except through a powerful! magnify
ing glass; the size of this warllke engine be-
ing only that of common pins head. That
surely was curiosity that might have made
Mr.. Sam Wellels fortune, had he taken out
patent for his double million magnifylng
gas microscopes of hextra power"
There have been some curious toys in
which fleas have been the performers. In
1920 man exhibited in London two heas,
one drawing a kind Of car, and the other
ock and chain, with the greatest Of ease. In
\ Dillingham;, also IN the same year. there
we're two fleas shown which had gold chains
placed around their necks, the very Lord
Mayor of tleas. One of them drew a carved
and the other silver cannon.
We should also mention the case Of flea at
lugsburgh that drew a chain of steel made
With links so fine that though it be nearly
pan long the flea will lift it up when lie
caps" A London representative of the
harp fraternity drew four-whcel carriage
m springs, with four persons inside. the
oachman on the box, and footman behind,
all proper" as the language of heraldy hath
t: Another flea is recorded to have given
ONE evidence of civilization by working
he bucket OF well; thus undergoing n spe
les Of hard labor for so often disturbing the
eace Of sleeping martyr. Some of these
ampires furnished with golden saddles and
rides, have carried little eiHgies of Bona
arte and his aides-de camp.-C Chambers
OHJUnl