Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-10-25
AN EARLY wR1TING-pAPER.


Many centuries before Christ Numa left
writings upon the papyrus, whence our
name, paper, is derived. This plant,
which was revefsd as sacred by the old
Egyptians, grows abundantly in shallow
streams and marshes in upper Egypt and
Syria. Bruce found it growing in the
River Jordan, and noticed curious fact,
that it always presented the sharp, angu-
lar side of its pear-shaped stem to the
swift current The stem is eight or ten
feet high, two inches in diameter, and
crowned with fringe of hair-like leaves,
which circle blossom of slender spike
lets Beneath the brown sheath which
envelops the root-stalll of this dark brown
plant lie other sheaths which are very
transparent. These, when split into thin
leaves and dried in the sun, were glued
together and formed the roll of papyrrls,
on which many of the ancient writings
have come down to us. This paper was
both flexible and durable. Specimens
from Pompeii can be seen in the museum
at Naples. In the fifth century papyrus
paper, of which many varieties existed,
was largely manufactured at Alexandria,
and ranked high in the commerce of ma
tions. Its use continued until about seven
or eight centuries ago Charles Z. Bolton.
a PENITENT BOY.
You would have felt sorry for him if
YOU had seen him as he wandered into the
police headquarters last week. He was
dirty, tired, hungry, and miserable, and it
was all his own fault He had run away
from home he lived in San Francisco,
which YOU know is on the Pacific coast
and this 13-year-old Emil had left his
bright, sunny, comfortable home last June,
to do-what do you think? Fight In
dams And he had not seen one in all
his travels. He had no money when he
left home, but he stole ride on a train to
Omaha, which he reached very hungry
and very tired from there he begged his
way to Chicago, walking nearly the entire
distance now and then train hands allowed
him to ride free. He begged a ride in the
cars from Chicago to Cincinnati, where he
hoped to find an older brother, but he did
not find him. After working about the
city for few days, he again began begging
his way and stealing rides on the RAILROAD
trains, and last Friday he reached New
York. He wandered about the city all
day, without anything to eat, and late at
night came to the police station completely
worn out, and begging to be sent home.
You see, Emil was one of those smart little
BOYS who thought he knew great deal
better than his father and mother what it
was best for him to do; he thought himself
a very much abused boy because he was
not allowed to follow every inclination.
-bs. hoe fntru.It b,,,1 n Iacsn,
and when he received word that he was to
he sent back he was a happy and thankful
boy, and says that when he reaches home
he will show his father and mother how
sorry he is for the anxiety and trouble he
has caused them these last months
IChristian Union.
CULTIVATE A SWEET VOICE.
There is no power of love so hard to
keen as Il kind voice A kind hand is deaf
and dumb It may be rough in flesh and
blood, yet do the work Of a soft heart. and
do it with a soft touch. But there is no
one thing it so much needs as a sweet voice
to tell what it means and feels, and it is
hard to get it and keep it in the right tone.
One must start in youth, and be on the
watch night and day, at work and play, to
get and keep voice that shall speak at all
times the thought of kind heart. But
this is a time when a sharp voice is most
apt to be got. You often hear boys and
girls say words at play with a quick, sharp
tone, as if it were the snap of a whip. If
any of them get vexed you will hear a
voice that sounds as if it were made up Of
a snarl, a whine and bark. Such a voice
often speaks worse than the heart feels. 1t
shows more ill-will in tone than in words.
1t is often in youth that one gets a voice
OR tone that is sharp and sticks to him
through life, and stirs up ill-will and grief,
and falls like drop Of gall on the sweet
joys at home. Such as these get a sharp
home-voice for Use, and keep their best
voice for those they meet elsewhere, Just as
they would save their best cakes and pies
for guests, and all their sour food for their
own board. | would say to all girls and
boys, use your best voice at home. Watch
ii by day as a pearl Of great price, for it
will be worth more to you in the days to
come than the best pearl hid in the sea. A
kind voice is lark's song to a heart and
home 1t is to the heart what light is TO
the eye Jewish Messenger.