The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-04-28
SUSIE'S COMPOSITION.

mere piece OF paper! asked
Susie, little impatiently, as she hur-
riedly pulled out first one drawer, and
then another of her mothers desk. "Oh,
dear! never shall get my composition
writtenr' BEL $685.. 7l1a f
cit seems to me that you use great
deal of. paper for your compositions,
Susie, said her mother. Y ssOnly last
week l gave you half quire. Tn afraid
you waste it."
p 81 don't exactly waste il, mamma;
but sometimes have to write one page
over half-a-dozen times before it suits
me. Then of course there are several
sheets to be thrown away"
"Why not write your composition on
your slate first, and then copy it off on
paper? That would be a better plan,
l think; and waste would be avoided"
"But why need save so, mammal
Papers so cheap, and so easily made"
"How is it made, Susie?"
Susie hesitated for a reply. .,,..I
4 81 don't believe / know exactly she
said at last "But 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?" asked
Mrs. Harvey. 81 think then you would
not think the process such an easy one.
Come, Susie, you are always at a loss
for a subject for composition day. Sup
pose you go with me, and find out how
paper is made, and then write it up. 1
am sure your young companions would
find food for great deal of thought in
such a composition. .t ..
"Omamma," / should be delighted! :"
cried Susie. "Can we go on Satur-
day?"
Mrs. Harvey nodded assent, and then
gave her little daughter a 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 1.-The
overtaken by Lulu Walters, her most
particular friend.
Lulu" she said, I'm going to have
treat tomorrow. | am going to Bar
rowstown to go over the paper-mill.
Tell me, do you know how paper is
| madep"
Don't they grind leaves and rags al
| up together, somehow" asked Lulu,
whose knowledge ON the subject was ex-
ceedingly vague.
81 don't know exactly" answered
Susie, &c 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 little before
ten o'clock. It4 -l.t-.I
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. .
ave will go to the sorting-room
first" he said.
The sorting-room was very large, and
in it were about thirty girls and women
at work; some picking over the rags,
sorting the white from the colored, and
others sitting each at q small table hay
ing wire network surface and fur
nished with large vertical knife blade,
IuC DttCh VI Mu1Cll was bOWdlu UuC up
orator, The rags were cut by drawing
them across this knife, and all hard
substances, as buttons, hooks and eyes,
and pieces of wooden and silk, were
separated and laid aside. Much dirt
and sand fell through the netting. aa
"What dreadfully dirty work." said
Susie; and she was glad to get out of
the room, for she found the dust very
unpleasant.
"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, by look
ing closely at the torn edges, the fibers
of which it is composed. In writing
paper they do not show so well, 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 it
does in blotting paper. 1t is these
fbers which are spun together into
thread and made into cloth; and it is
these same fibers, broken up short and
matted together, that make paper. But
paper can be made of other fibers, be-
sides linen and cotton. A vast amount
of paper used for printing is made of
corn husks, and still more of wood
fbers. Silk makes a very fine, thin
and strong paper; and wrapping-paper
is made of straw, which, though of
course not so strong as that made of
linen or cotton, is still strong enough
to answer the purpose for which it is
intended. Now this, )" throwing open a
door, ''is the wash-room." - "A
All Susie could see at first was thick
cloud of steam; but, venturing little
further in, she saw an immense tub, six
feet deep and about ten feet across, out
of which two men with pitchforks were
dipping wet rags. A similar tub, closely
covered, with a steam-pipe passing
into it, emitted anoise of boiling water.
Susie found the room very warm, and
was as glad TO get out Of it as she had
been to get out of the sorting-room.
"Now for the next operation" said
the proprietor, as he led the way into a
room where there two long watts, about
two feet deep and four or five feet wide,
with partition lengthwise through
each, but not reaching to the ends.