Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-09
4 PEN HISTORY.

''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
thought I'd bring you some from oul
geese"
ooh, thank you, Tom.'' said Aun
Marian. 81. do like them very much
they are so much more flexible thar
steel pens.''
II suppose people had to use them
whether they liked them or not, in ole
times before steel pens were made. u
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 OF
| metallic plates with graver of
steel, which is spoken of in the Bible as
an iron pen;' and for the waved tablets
| of the ancients a sharp instrument
called Il style was used. The early
Arabs wrote their poetry and other COM
positions on the shoulder bones of sheep.
For writing on papyrus, reed pens about
the size of swans quill were used,
with fluid ink. After the introduction
of paper the quilts of the goose, the
swan and the crow came into use, and
for several centuries these articles were
in great demand. In Poland and Russia
immense fiocks of geese were raised
chiefly for their quilts.
"In 1903 MIR. Wise. of Great Brit
ain. produced a barrel-shaped steel pen,
mounted in bone case for carrying in
the pocket, but it was clumsy and ex-
pensive; and it was not until Mr.. Gil
lott, of Birmingham, introduced his
famous steel pens that people began to
abandon quilts. In the school went to
when [ was little girl, quilts were used
altogether; and the making and mend
ing of pens took a great deal of the
teachers time. He was tall man and
wore glasses, being little near-sight-
ed; and one day while he was mending
my pen some one called at the door to
see him. AS soon as the visitor went
away he came back with his pen knife in
his hand. Where is your pen, Miss
Mariana he asked, in his stern voice. [
told him that bad not had it. But I
certainly left it 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 or four others
that he had had in his hand keeping it
company"
II don't wonder the scholars
laughed said Tom; "but Eve found
out something: that's why they call
them pen-knives, because they used
them for making and mending pens. 1
never thought OF that BEFORE
"But what kind of ink did they use
in old times, Aunt Mariana asked
Grace, 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. cit is
thought that in the early ages common
ink was made of water and pulverized
of gum. The ink used by the ancient
Romans was dark purple liquid OBJ
tanned from a species of fish; and the
Chinese and Japanese from very early
times have used the preparation which
fine brushes. In Japan the children
carry to school box containing camel
hair brushes and a cake of this ink, and
when the copy is written, the copy
book is hung up to dry. 1t is the GUS
tom in their homes to see who can be
up in time to write the first copy on New
L
the one who is first is sure to become
great scholar, so there are some early
rsers among the japanese little folks on
New Years morning
81 don't think I'd Ike writing with
brushes said Grace; sit would be too
much like painting"
Il should think they might just as
well use pen and ink said Tom; ''any-
body can make ink We hoys made
some once of elderberries, and put up a
dozen bottles to sell.
land what did you get for them9''
asked Aunt Marian. taking up one of |
Toms quilts and beginning to shape it |
into pen.
Nothing" said Grace, with teas
ing little laugh.
Eyes we did, said Tom, meekly; !
1--WE got scolding when our cuffs and !
came out of the wash.''
L Christian IatelJsgcncer.