Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-08-28
PAUL AND THE COMB-MAKER
[Wide-awake.l

[Wlde-awake.
Little Paul Perkins, Master Paul, his
uncle called him, did not feel happy. But
for the fact that he was guest at his
uncle's house he might have made an un-
pleasant exhibition of his unhappiness;
but he was well-bred city boy, of which
fact he was somewhat proud; and so his
impatience was vented in swapping off
the teeth of his pocket as he sat
by the window and looked out into the
rain
1t was the rain which caused his dis
content Only the day before his father,
going from New York to Boston on bust
ness, had left Paul at his uncle's, some
distance from the ''Hub," to await his re-
turn. 1t being the lads first visit. Mr..
Sanford had arranged very full pro-
gramme for the next day, including a
trip into the woods, fishing, picnic, and
in fact quite enough to cover an ordinary
week of leisure.
And now that the eventful morning
had come, it brought drilling, dis
agreeable storm, so that Mr.. Sanford, as
he met his nephew, was constrained to
admit that he did not know what they
should find to supply the place Of the
spoiled programme.
ssAnd my little nephew is so disap-
pointed that he has ruined his pretty
comb, into the bargain" said the kind
uncle.
Ill was trying to see what it was
made Of stammered Paul, thrusting the
handful of teeth into his coat pocket. II
don't see how combs are made. Could
you make one, uncle2"
81 never made one," Mr. Sanford said,
"but have seen very many made. There
is comb-shop not more than half a mile
away, and it's quite curiosity to see
how they make the great horns, rough
and ugly as they are, into all sorts Of
dainty combs and knick- knacks. -
"What kinds of horns, uncle?"
ssHorns from all parts of the country,
Paul This shop alone uses nearly a
million horns year, and they come in
carloads in Canada, from Florida, from
the great West, from Texas, from South
America, and from the cattle-yards about
Boston and other Eastern cities''
"You don't mean the horns of common
cattle2''
eyes, Paul; all kinds of horns are used,
though some are more tough and better
than others. The cattle raised IN the
Eastern, Middle and Western States fur
nish the best horns, and there is the curl
Gus difference that the horns of six COWS
are worth no more than those of single
OK Many millions Of horn COMBS are
made every year in Massachusetts; per-
haps more than in all the rest of the
country If you like we will 60 down
after breakfast and have look at the
comb-makers.
! Paul was pleased with the idea, though
he would much rather have passed the
day as at first proposed.
By and by a mail stage came rafting
along, without any passengers, and Mr.
Sanford took his nephew aboard. They
stopped before a low, struggling pile of
buildings, located upon both sides of a
sluggish looking race-way which sup
| piled the water power, covered passage
works.
presently, just over the KNOLL" said
his uncle, 'syou will see a big pile of
horns, as they are unloaded from the
cars"
They moved around the knoll, and
there lay a monstrous pile Of horns thrown
ind1scrimately together.
Greatly, there are not so many as we
should think" said Mr.. Sanford, as Paul
expressed his establishment. "That is
only small portion of the stock of this
shop. l will show you a good many
more"
He led the way to group of semi
detached buildings in rear of the princi-
pal works, and there Paul saw great bins
of horns, the different sizes and varieties
carefully assorted, the total number so
vast that the immense pile in the open
yard began to look small in contrast.
In another building only one man was
employed, and the peculiar character of
his work at once attracted the attention
of Paul In small frame before him
was suspended a very strengthening cir
cular saw, running at a high rate of speed.
The operator caught one of the great
horns by its tip, gave it turn through
the air before his eyes, seized it in both
hands and applied it to the saw. With
sharp hiss the keen teeth severed the
solid tip from the body of the horn, and
another movement trimmed away the
thin, imperfect parts about the base. The
latter fell into pile of refuse at the foot
of the frame, the tip was cast into box
with others; the horn, if large, was divid
| ed into two or more sections, q longitude
nal slit sawed in one side and the sections
thrown into box.
ssThis man. SAID Mr.. Sanford, Gre
ceives large pay and many privileges, on
account Of the danger and the unpleas-
ant nature of his task He has worked
at this saw for about forty years, and in
that time has handled, according to his
record, some twenty-five millions of
horns, or over two thousand for every
working day. He has scarcely a whole
finger or thumb upon either hand-many
of them are entirely gone, but most of
these were lost during his apprenticeship.
The least carelessness was rewarded by