Morning journal and courier., 1884-09-12
THE THIMBLE
The Origin of the Useful Little Ar-
 t1cle.

ticle.
 From the DorcaS Magazine
 The thimble is Dutch invention that was first brought to England in 1895 by one John Lofting, who began its manufacture at lshne- ton near London, gaining thereby both honor and profit. Its name was derived from the words thumb and bell, being for long time called thumble, and only lately thimble. Old records say that thimbles were first worn on the thumbs; but we can scarcely perceive how they could be of much use there. Form erly they were made of brass and iron only, but of late years steel, silver, gold, horn, ivory and even pearl and glass have all been used for making thimb1es. saw some very beautiful ones in China that were exqu1s1tsly carved, of pearl, and bound with gold, and the end also of gold. These pearl thlmbles are quite as costly and far prettier than those made entirely of gold. Usually there is a pearl sheath for the scissors, and dainty needle-book of pearl, edged with gold, to ac- company the thimble, and the whole is in closed in an exquisite little pocket case shaped like a book and bound in satin and red.
 A thimble owned by the queen consort of Siam is shaped ikea lotus bud, this being the royal flower of that country, and almost everything about the court bearing, in a greater or less degree, some impress of the iotus This thimble is of gold, thickly stud ded with diamonds that are so arranged as to form a lady's name and the date of marriage. It was bridal gift of the king, who, having seen the English and American ladies at his court using thimbles, took this method ot introducing them among his own peo- pie.
 In Naples, very pretty thimbles, composed of lava from Mount Vesuvius, are occasion ally sold but rather as curiosities than for f6o ness of the lava, very easily broken. l have also heard of thimbles made of asphaltum: from the Dead sea, and of one composed of the fragment of the old elm tree at Cam bridge, Mass. under which General Washing ton stood when taking command of the United States army in July, 1775; but do not suppose that any of these were intended to be used in sewing.
 In the ordinary manufacture of gold and silver thimbles, thin plates of the metal are introduced into the die and then punched in to shape But in Paris the French have a way of their own, quite different from ours, for making gold thimbles, that are said to be much more durable than those made in the usual way Pieces of very thin sheet iron are cut into disks of about two inches in diameter. These, after being heated to red ness, are struck by means of punch into a succession of holes of gradually increasing depth to give the proper shape. The thimble is then trimmed, polished and indented around it's outer surface with tiny holes. It is next converted into steel by process called concentration, then tempered secured, and brought to blue color. After all this is completed a thin sheet of gold is introduced into the interior and fastened to the steel by a mandrel, while gold leaf is attached firmly by pressure to the outside, the edges being scanned in small groove made to receive them. This completes the thimble that will last for years. The steel used in it's con struction will scarcely wear out in long life time, and the gold, if worn away,is easily re- placed.