The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-07-03
THE LEAD PENCIL.



lSt Louis Globe. Democrat
As writing became universal and every
one had to write frequently and hurriedly,
need arose for q quicker means Of recording
thought than was afforded by the pen and
writing paper The difficulty was at first
met by seribes carrying with them portable
nk-horns, made OF portion Of the horn OF
some animal These ink bottles were fast
ened to the coat button, and for time the
expedient was successful Bot as greater
convenience was demanded, the ink-horn
became unpopular, and some one invented
the pencil
Pencils were at first made Of the metal
lead, but the lead was worn Off SO gradually
and tn marks made by these pencils were
20 faint that graphite came into use as
substitute for the lead, and the pencils made
Of this substance were called black-lead, to
distinguish them from the Others. No lead
whatever is employed in the manufacture
Of pencils, the material used being graphite
or plumbago, which is almost pure carbon
The graphite used for this purpose
Is found 10 great quantities and Of excellent
quality in Siberia, Austria, Prussia and
several parts Of the North American conti
nent Only the product Of the European
mines Is commonly used for the purpose Of
making pencils, however, as It was found to
be so much superior to all other kinds as to
render the others practically worthless.
One Of the most serious difficulties In the
way Of the manufacture Of pencils from the
graphite was the consolidation of the ma
terial into sufficiently dense blocks to render
it available for the purpose intended. This
difficulty was surmounted by exhausting
the air in the blocks of graphite and then
subjecting them to hydraulic pressure. In
pencils the graphite Is mixed with German
chalk and the hardness Of the pencil de-
pends on the amount Of chalk In the compo-
sition. Tho wood for the pencil Is sawed by
machinery into thin boards, then groved,
then placed in position. the glue applied, the
lead and upper portion laid on and pressed
into place. No computation can be made
Of the pencils annually used In this country,
the number being too vast for conjecture.
An Astonished Picture Dealer.
Chicago Times.l
A carriage drew up at the door Of one Of
the prominent art dealers on Wabash ave-
nue one day last week. and a richly-clad
woman, wearing diamonds and jewelry, de-
scended entered the tho store, walked
through to the gallery in the rear, asked for
the proprietor, and commenced o CRITICAL
examination Of the pictures. For more
than one hour she piled the proprietor with
questions, and, notebook in hand, jott,l
down the answers the Information
given. This picture-what did you say tho
subject was, and by whomi Has the artist
ever been written up in the newspapers
And the price; 81, 5O0i All yes" and down
went the points in the notebook. @And this
marine; o New York artist, chi Was he
well known among the best people therei
Was there q specimen OF his work in the
Vanderbilt galleryr and another note was
made. Thus ID procee led until long list
had been made out, aggrsgating in price
about 80. 900. Visions of sudden wealth be-
gan to dawn upon the art-dsaler. Who was
this mysterious fair one who betrayed such
an interest in art, wanted nothing but the
best, and did not seem to be at all staggered
by the pricesi He grew eloquent, dis.
coursed upon tho merit, Of the paintings
with profupdity of expression and an in
spiration Of language that fairly astonlshed
himself
"Could you have them sent to No. -
Michigan avenue by o'clock tomorrow
afternoonr
EYES," he could, IL he broke his back and
exhausted the resources Of the establishment
in accomplishing the task.
"And what would be the cost Of their use
until the next dayf'
"Ths whatr and the dealers jaw dropped
and his eyes opened to their fullest extent
"Ths price Of renting them for one night
I am going to give a party to some New
York visitors, and ! want tho pictures to
form a private gallery for the occasion.
Would SIS be about rightP
He gazsd at her spsechlessly for mo-
ment, his reason meanwhile tottering on its
throne, and then he turned AMI fed. An
attendant later on informed the lady that
the firm was not in the renting business. and
she left disguised. The dealer has worn a
world-waary look since that day.