Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-04-10
HISTORY AND POETRY.
The Part Played by Pins In the
Works Of Great Authors.
The PIN That 1t Is Sin to steal-A Polish
NoblemAn's Reason Preserved by Pick
Ing Up Pins-Superstitious Beliefs
and Fancies.

AnllQuariduS OlUeT Is 10 the nlSbOfY OF
pins, writes Pamela Macarthur Cook in
Good Housekeeping. We are told that they
are OF modern invention-some writers as
serting that they were invented and brought
into use about the beginning of the six
teenth century. Others tells US that Anne,
Of Bohemia, first Queen of Richard H.,
Q367-1S94) introduced them into England.
But metal pins were used in dressing the
hair Of Greek and Roman ladies', and ivory
pins have been found in some of the ancient
British barrows. But though the precise
date of their introduction into England is
uncertain, there is no doubt that they were
luxury, and for a long time comparative
ly rare. Garments were fastened in many
and various ways-"wlth strings, laces
with points, and skewers of wood and of
metal" Among savage nations, and in
times Of peculiar destitution among civilized
peoples, thorns have taken the place usual
ly filed by pins. Virgil, describing the
wretched Greek captive, Achemen:des,
mentions his clothing fastened with thorns
(eonsertun te0anen sptnGs).
Literature has not disdained to mention
pins, as Shakespeare's pages testify. The
princely Hamlet, fearless of danger, SAYS:
II do not set my life At pins fee"
The afflicted Queen Of England, proposing
to her companions to listen to the conyer.
sation Of the gardeners, says:
MY wretchedness unto q row of pins
They talk OF fstate."-Ricnard Il
A great Shakespearean critic considers
this passage OF value as showing that pins
were put upin the same way three hundred
years ago as now"
Though small, they are by no means un-
important "Dear me! what signifies a
pinp' were the naughty words of the
heroine Of a poem of Jane Taylor's, dear to
generation now past. But she soon saw
the value of the shghted object, when, at
the hour appointed for the pleasure party,
The carriage ratified to The door,
Then ratified fast away;
But poor Eliza was not in.
For want of just q single pini"
Tne story Is told OF O poor young man
seeking business, that having applied for q
situation and been refused he was walking
away, sad and well nigh disheartened, when
he stopped to pick upa pin lying on the
ground The wealthy merchant into whose
service he had just failed to obtain admis-
sion was looking from the window and saw
him. He had himself risen from poverty
by his own exertions; he was struck by this
incident, and, accustomed to judge of char
acter by trifies, he believed the young man
would prove honest and careful He ordered
him to be called back, gave hum employ
ment, and a pin laid the foundation of
wealth and success.
These trihes have done better work.
Many years ago certain Polish noble
man was imprisoned for having, it was said.
spoken insulting words concerning the Rus
sian Government. History has told US of
many captive whose prison hours have
been cheered by the converse of friends and
the enjoyment Of favorite studies; but for
MIN was no alleviation. No companion re-
heved his lone lness, and had he been al
lowed any means Of employment, the dark
ness of his dungeon would Esve prevented
his making use of them. But he discovered
In his clothing four pins, which supplied
that great want, something to do.n Drop-
ping them on the floor of his dungeon he
would search, cropping in the darkness, un-
I'll ne found them, To do this was his sole
occupation, and it was his belief that only
the employment thus furnished had nre.
served his reason. When, after six wears, Z
Imprisonment, the news of his freedom
was brought him, he was on the ground
nuntlng Tor one pin which had been for two
days missing. The four pins, bent and cor
roded, were set in a brooch and worn nv HE
wife, to whom they were more precious than
gems.
superstition has not forgotten the pin.
Like otner pointed articles, it is Ito be lent.
not glven," and we are told in strains en-
bodying equal measure of truth and noetrv.
See pin and pick It up
All the day you'll have good luck"
Law has deigned to notice the pin. Not
long before the close of the reign of Henry
VII. law Was passed entitled IAN Acte
Tor the true Makyng of Pynnes," enacting
that the price should not be ''more than 6s.
3D. thousand" In the days when pins
were rare they were very acceptable
present; instead of the gifts, compensa.
ton was sometimes received in monay:,
tins was called, of course, pin-money. a
Term which has been extended to a sum of
money secured by husband on his mar
riage for the private expenses of his wife -
Addison has recorded his dislike of what no
calls 1.-THE doctrine of pin-money;n sit is.n
he writes in 1711-12, ''of late date, and it is
for the interests of both sexes to keen il,
from spreading" He proposed "needle-
money" as better name, as it 'would have
implied something of good housewiferv >,