The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-03-22
JAckkNlFE WORK
Pineers Made OF Mateh--- Balls
Within Balls---AlI Sorts OF Whitfield

Within Ralls---AlI sorts OF Whitfield
Wonders.
(San Francisco Chronicle.
what will You have q pair of pin
GERS, a fan, a GROSS. "a butterknife, chain
or wooden snake? will whittle any
one of those articles out of this match
in fifteen minutes" said the speaker,
and he held up an ordinary parlor match
to the reporters view.
Lets see you make the pincers."
aAll right said the whittier, a red
whiskered and gray-eyed man of about
40 years, whom his acquaintances call
Major Forbes, and he began work in
earnest on his diminutive material with
the small blade of an old knife. The
outside of the match was first smoothly
shaved, the head cut off, and then mi
mute incisions were made about the GEN.
tire of the stick. Twisting, turning and
cutting very quickly, but carefully, the
article approached completion within
the promised quarter-hour, though the
minuteness of the labor and the dex-
terity of the performer rendered the
whole process utterly inexplicable to
the uninitiated beholder.
.There you are," said the whittier,
triumphantlv, and he held up perfect
wooden imitation of q pair of pincers,
capable of as complete working motions
In their operation.
"But that's nothing continued the
major. Look here" and he brought
down little tin box lined with cotton
gauze, which he proceeded to open.
''Now I don't show these to everybody"
remarked the whittier as the lid was re-
moved, but they are the smallest and
most difficult specimens of this kind of
work that ever executed" The con-
tents of that box proved most unique
and interesting. There were ten pairs
of pincers cut out of :. q parLor match,
joined together perfectly, the different
sections opening and shutting in a sur
prisingly neat manner. Another match
was made into four pairs of pincers and
fan, and two others were worked up
into more fantastic but less difficult
shapes.
"Now will show you my ball tree"
and the whittier retired from the room
for moment, leaving the reporter to
look around at the other wooden curl
osities there to be seen. Immense
wooden chains were suspended from
the ceiling or hung around the walls of
the room, while fans of immense size,
figures, canes, belts, knives, nut crack
ers, cups, wine glasses and other arti-
cles were displayed on shelves or pegs
In great profusion.
"Here is the ball tree which I brought
| in to show you." A novel object was
displayed to the reporters gaze. It
was small scrub-oak tree, about two
and half inches in diameter at the
base, having several branches. In the
body of the tree and branches we're cut
seventy five balls. These balls were of
various sizes and were all of dark
color, corresponding with the inner
| growth of the wood and contrasting
with the white outside surface.
A "baQ monument" was also dis
of which could be seen balls of differ
ent sizes. One large ball had six
smaller ones inside of it, each within
the other, the smallest one being barely
visible, so thick were the bars of the in
tervening globes.
"Do you sell the articles you whittle
out?"
"No; do this work for amusement,
though have given away many small
things to friends I wouldn't take a
fortune for the collection I have on
hand at present. The knives use now
are only common ones, though / have
one Sheffield knife that I have used
for sixteen years, and wouldn't part
| with it for $100."