The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-10-02
THE sCRIMsCHON ART.
Whales Teeth and Wairus Tusks
Made Things of Beauty.

.The scrimschon!" exclaimed round
faced. dark-eyed, black-haired Will
lam Tevis, US he rolled up woodcock
In his fathers old game shop, in the
basement of 408 Walnut street. yester-
day. ''rhe scrimschon is the art
beautiful What is it? Sit down apd
/ will tell you. Not there-Great Ju-
piter! you almost squatted in this pan
OF plovers. Sit down in that armchair.
It's one of dads old chairs, and it's rs
old as-well. all these things round
here are as old rs cuss words. And"
but the scrimschon?"
"Ah! The scrimschon is the art of
engraving on ivory or bone. L engrave
on egg-shells also. but that is q distinct
branch of the engrayer's art. L don't
know where the name scrimschon came
from and as TO meaning, why, you can
only define it by itself 1t is an. art
that is known to few except old sea-
men. They take tn it naturally II they
have patience, steady hand, and II
gift of drawing. All that you need is
a iack-knife and whales tooth. n bill
lard ball. Bit nf wa:rus lusk, or q
piece of ivory or bone OF any sort and
little India INK and Chinese vermil-
lion. You first lay off YOUR design in
lead pencil. Then you take your knife
and carefully etch it and rub in your
coloring matter. The design will last
until the bone crumbles away"
"What do you draw?'
Anything. from bouquet to 4 one
eyed bull. Young sailors sometimes
have their sweethearts scrimschoned
and Young married women have me
scrimschon their husbands ON whale )
teeth. The design does not sink very
dceuly, aud when love changes it is
easy to scratch out tho old picture and
put in new one. A pretty and sharp
widow is one of my best customers.
She came 10 me first about eight years
ago. Sue had just been married. Her
husband was master of II whaling ship
and she had him ScrimSchoncd on Il
walrus tusk. He was lost Mt sea. A
few months afterward the woman was
married again. She came back with
tho tusk and had No. l scratched out
and No. scrimschoned in. She wept
sadly rs piece by piece No. l was whit
tied away. But all the same she in
sisted that l should touch up No. 2 SO
much that the picture didn't look bit
like the original. She came back one
day and angrily told me to scratch of
No. 2 mighty quick. What's the mat
ter?' says |. Divorced, says she, the
odious creature l didn't see her
again for several months. Then one
dark day. in the midst of a dismal
drizzle, she came tripping down these
steps and into this cellar with little
bit of u fellow rs fragile as soft-shell
crab. My husband, SIR says she,
proudly. Glad to meet you, sir, says
/ he. in voice like the sound of tight
tiddle-string. Can you scrimschon
from nature?' says she. Yes, 'um,
says |. Then would like to have you
scrimschon my dear husband says she
| i want to have his face where l know
it will last forever and forever DID
l scrimschon him? Oh, yes. But
poor man. he only lasted a couple o
months.
lit was less than six weeks after
had heard of his death that my Gus
toner and the walrus tusk were bach
again. She was dressed up scrump
tiously. She saw that | was surprise,
not to find her in mourning. II an
married again! she says. with
giggle. And if you would be SO kind
as TO scratch out this-this picture an,
put in the picture of my-my presen
husband. whose photograph l nav,
here, l will be oblig to you SucI
change and scratching of husbands
had worn hollow in the walrus tusk
and l was longer than usual in @ettin:
along with No. 4. just as l was put
ting in his left ear my attention wa:
called away by scraping of feet ant
a rustiing of silk. l looked up an,
/ there was my customer tiouncing dow
the steps. | was not aslonished; moth
ing that she could do would surpris
me. 'Wel.?' says l. She paused
moment 10 take her breath and gath
er her words. Then she said: 'IIo,
far have you got with that scrimschon?
just putting in the ears SAWS
We'll. make the ears big. enormous
make them dOnkey's ears she said
and on the forehead scratch the word
beast and fraud Great heavens
ma'am.' says !. what's the matter?
He has gone back on me, she scream
ed. Your husband?' says I lie WAS no
my husband. she answered; Il was to
previous. He was only engaged TO me
and now he has broken the engagement
and they do say he is going 10 MARI
another. But I'll sue him for breach q
promise, sir. He'll find that he can
lacerate my heart with impunty.
Did you finish the scrimschon &C
cording to Order?"
! M" lis unfinished yet. I'm expect
ing 10 see that woman come in her
any day fast married 10 No. 4. She Sc
out TO get him and she'll succecI."-
Ihitadelphia Times.