The Bossier banner., 1883-05-24
SUSIE'S COMPOSITION.

AolO d piece VI pdpeiF dSket
Susie, little impatiently, as she hur
riedly pulled out first one drawer, ant
then another of her mothers desk. "Oh
dear! never shall get my composition
writtenn'
F" 1t seems to me that you use a grea
deal of paper for your compositions
Susie, said her mother. seOnly las
week / gave you halfa quire. I'm afrait
you waste it. -
+" l don't exactly waste it, mamma
but sometimes have to write one page
over half-a-dozen times before it suit,
me. Then of course there are several
sheets to be thrown away
" Why not write your composition or
your slate first, and then copy it off or
paper? That would be better plan
think; and waste would be avoided. =
But why need I save so, mamma:
Papers so cheap, and so easily made
= How is it made, SusieP''
Susie hesitated for reply.
g don't believe I know exactly" she
said at last. "But I know there is a
large paper-mill at Barrowstown, where
a great quantity is made.
Wouldn't you like to 90 to Barrows-
town and find out all about it?n asked
Mrs. Harvey. II think then you would
not think the process such an easy one.
Come, Susie, you are always at loss
for a subject for composition day. Sup
pose you 60 with me, and find out how
paper is made, and then write it ND. |
am sure your young companions would
find food for a great deal of thought in
such a composition.
go mamma, Ishould be delighted! ''
cried Susie. "Can we go on Satur-
day?n
Mrs. Harvey nodded assent, and then
gave her little daughter couple of
sheets of foolscap, with which Susie be-
took herself to the library, where she
could write undisturbed.
The next morning, as she was walking
to school, her composition on "The
Waste of Time " in her satcbel, she " as
oyertaken by Lulu Walters, her most
particular friend
Lulu, she said, "rm going to have
treat tomorrow. | am going to Bar
Towstown to 60 over the paper-mill..
Tell me, do you know how paper is
udues
"Don't they grind leaves and rags all
up together, somehow?n asked Lulu.
whose knowledge on the subject was ex-
ceedingly vague.
g / don't know exactly" answered
Susie, but I'll let you know all about
it this day week"
BarrowstoWn was about sixty miles
distant from Glencoe, where Susie lived:
but by taking an early train on Satur-
day morning Mrs. Harvey and Susie
reached their destination a little before
ten o'clock.
Mrs. Harvey found the proprietor,
with whom she had slight acquaint-
ance, in his office; and as he happened
to be at leisure, he expressed himself as
very glad to have the opportunity Of
showing them over his mill.
"We will 60 to the sorting-room
first" he said.
The sorting-room was very larpe. and
in it were about thirty girls and women
at work; some picking over the racs.
sorting the white from the eulored, and
others sitting each at a small table hav-
ing a wire network surface and fur
nished with q large vertical knife blade.
the back of which was toward the on
orator. The rags were cut bv drawing
them across this knife, and all hard
as buttons, hooks and ewes.
and pieces of wooden and silk, were
separated and laid aside. Much dirt
and sand fell through the netting.
" What dreadfully dirty work. said
Susie; and she was glad to ret ont IF
the room, for she found the dust very
Now" said the proprietor, as he
led the way along passage, "if you
take a piece Of coarse, soft paper, and
tear off little bit, you can see, bylook-
ing closely at the torn edges, the fibers
Of which it is composed. In writing
paper they do not show sowell. because
they are very fine, and are held together
by the size, or glue, which is put in to
make the paper stronger, and to pre-
vent the ink from spreading in it. as II |
does in blotting paper. It is these |
lbers which are spun together into
thread and made into cloth; and it il |
these same hbers, broken up short and
matted together, that make paper. But
paper can be made of other fibers. be- |
'ides linen and cotton. A vast amount
d paper used for printing is made of |
,orn-husks, and still more of wood |
ibers. Silk makes very fine. thin
md strong paper; and wrapping-paper /
$ made of straw, which, though of /
course not so strong as that made of /
inen or cotton, is still strong enough I
Q answer the purpose for which it is
Intended. Now this throwing open a
ioor, is the wash-room.n y
All Susie could see at first was a thick
loud OF steam; but, venturing a little
urther In, she saw an immense tub. six
eet deep and about ten feet across. out
I which two men with pitchforks were
tipping wetrags. a similar tub, closely
oVered, with a steam-pipe passing
nto it, emitted anoise of boiling water.
'usie found the room very warm. and
vas as glad to get out of it as she had
cen to get out of the sorting-room.
" Now for the next operation. . said
ne proprietor, as he led the way into a
oom where there two long yats, about
'yo feet deep and four or five feet wide,
nth a partition lengthwise through
aeh' but not reaching to the ends.