Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1882-11-10
SOMETHING ABOUT PENS.

"Aunt Marian, heard You say the
other day that you liked quill pens"
said Tom one morning, coming in
with handful of goose quilts, $50 l
thought I'd bring you some from our
geese"
"Oh, thank tou. Tomr' said Aunt
Marian. Il do like them very much.
they are SO much more flexible than
steel pens"
IL suppose people had to use them.
whether they liked them or not. in old
times before steel pens were made"
said Tom.
"Yes," said Aunt Marian. "but fine
pens were not needed until paper began
to be manufactured. In very early
times writing was done on stone or
metallic plates with a graver OF
Steel which is spoken of in the Bible as
an iron pen;' and for the waved tablets
Of the ancicnts q sharp instrument
called style was used. The early
Arabs wfose their poetry and other COM
positions on the shoulder bones of sheep.
For writing on papyrus, reed pens about
shA size Of a swans quill were used,
with fluid ink. After the introduction
of paper the quills of the goose, the
swan and the crow came Into use. pnd
for several centuries these articles were
In great demand. nPoland aud Russia
immense nocks of geese were raised
chiefly for their quilts.
ain 1908 d. Mr. Wise. OF Great Brit
ain, piodnctd 4 barrel-shaped steel pen,
mounted in bone cast fer carrying In
the pocket, but II was clumsy And ex-
...l a ...f Mr
lott, of Birmingham, introduced his
famous steel pens that people began to
abandon qullls. In the school ! wentto
when | was little girl, quills were used
altogether tnd the making and mend
ing Of pens took 1 Erert deal Of the
teachers time. He was tail man and
wore glasses, being little near-sighfS
ed; and one day while he was mending
iny pen some one called at the door TO
see him. AZ s5ofs ~ the visitor went |
away he came back With hispeB-knifs In
his hand Where is your pei. Miss |
MarianP' he asked. in his stern voice.
told him that had not had il. But ]
certainly left il on your DESK he said;
and then the boys and girls began to
laugh, for there was the pen stuck be-
hind his ear. with three OF four others
that he had had in his hand keeping u
company"
II don't wonder the scholars
laughed said Tom; "but I've found
6ut something: that's why they call
them pen-knives. because they used
them for making and mcfding pens.
never thought OF that before"
But what kind of ink did they use
IN old times. Aunt MarianP' asked |
6fase. who had come in behind Tom so
softly that Aunt Marian did not know
she was there.
"various kinds, you sly puss." said
Aunt Marian. slipping an arm around
Grace and. giving her a kiss 'lt is
thought that in the early ages common
ink was made of water and pulyerized
charcoal, with the addition OF some kind
bf gum. The ink used by the ancient
Romans was dark purple liquid OBJ
tanned from q species Of fish: and the
Chinese and Japanese fromivery early
times have used the preparation which
we call Indian ink-npplying il with
fine brushes In Japan tine ch ldren
carry to school a bsx containing camel
hair brushes and cake OF this nix. and
when the copy Is written. thc copy
book ]. hung M TO dry. IL is the Gus
tom in their homes 10 see who can be
MP in time TO write the fir.t copy on New
Years morning. as il Is believed that
the one who is first l. sure t. become
great scholar. so there are some early
risers among the Japanese little folks on
New Years morning
IL don't think I'D Ike writing with
brushes" said Grace; lit would be too
much like painting"
al should think they might just as
well use pen and ink. said Tom; any
body can make ink. We boys made
some once Of elderberrics. and put up
dozen bottles to sell
And what did you get for themT'
asked Aunt Marian. taking up one OF
Toms quills and beginning TO shape il
into q pen
Nothing" said Grace. with . teas
ing little laugh:
YES we did" said Tom meekly;
we got a scolding when our cuts and
came out Of the wash"
-Ck1sti1n Infeliigsncr. II