The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1889-11-02
HISTORY AND POETRY.
The Part Played by Fins in the
Works OF Great Authors.
The Pin That 1t Is n Sin to Steal-A Polish
Nobloman's Reason Preserved by Pick
Ing Up Pins Superstitious Beliefs
and lancies.


Ing Up Pins -Superstitious Beliefs
and Iancies.
Antiquarians differ as to the history Of
pins, writes Pamela Macarthur Cook IN
Good Housekeeping. We are told that they
are OF modern invent ion-solne writers as
sertng 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 Richarl H.,
C367-l394) introduced them into England.
But metal pins were used in dressing the
hair Of Gre, k and Roman ladies', and ivory
pins have b,cn found in some Of the anci Mt
British barrows. But though the precise
date of their introduction into England is
uncertain, there is no doubt that they were
luxury, and for long time comparative
ly rare. Garments were fastened in many
and various ways-'.Wllh slrngs, laces
with points, and sktwo of wood and OF
metal" Among savage nations, and In
times OF peculiar destiulion among civilized
peoples, lhorns have taken the place usual
ly filed by pins. Virgil, describing the
wreched Greek captive, Achemenides,
mentions his clothing fastened with thorns
(conscrtum tc0am'n pin
Literature has not disdained to mention
pins, as Shakespeare's pages testify. The
princcly Hamlet, fearless OF danger, says:
4 do not set my . at ~ PMS fee."
The file cd Queen Of England, proposing
to her companions to listen to the conver.
satlon of the gardeners, says:
My wretcnedness uuto q row of pna
Tney,.l lax OF ate r cnarl IL
A great Shylkespearean critic considers
this passage Ut value as Showing that pins
were put up Ill the same way three hundred
wears ago as now "
Though small, they are by no means un-
important. "Dear me! what signifies q
pinf' were the naughty words of the
heroine Of ~ poem of Jane Taylor's, dear 10
generation how past But she soon saw
the vaue OF The sighted object, when, at
the hour appointed for the pieasure-parly
Tine Car ilge ratt.eI 10 lie door,
Il en- iat.leI fast away;
But loorE "a w.s n t in,
For want OF Just single lia!"
The story is told of a poor young man
seeking business, that having applied for
situation and been refused, he was walking
away, sad and well nigh dlsheartened, when
ne opped To pick up a pin lying on the
ground. The wealthy merchant into whose
service he had Just failed to ob;a ain admis.
sion was looking from the window and saw
him. He had himself risen from pover.y
by his own cxertions; he was struck by this
incident, and, accustomed 10 judge of char.
acter by trifles, lie believed the young mun
would prove honestand careful. He ordered
him to be called ba k, gave hun employ.
ment, and PIN laid the foundation of
weal,n and success.
These lrltls have done better work.
Many years ago certain Polish NOBLE.
man was Imprisoned for having, it was said,
spoken insuling words concerning The Rus.
sian Government. History has lold us Of
many captive whose prison hours have
been cheered by The converse Of friends and
the enjoyment of favorite stuuies; but for
him was no alleviation. No companion re.
lieved his loneliness, and had he been al.
lowed any means OF employment, the dark
ness OF his dungeon would have prevented
his making use Of them. Eut he discovered
10 his c.olhing four pins, which supplied
that great want, ''some lliing 10 do" Drop.
ping them on the floor of his dungeon he
would search. groping in the darkness, un.
I'll he found th.m. 10 do this was his sole
occupation, and it was his belief that only
the empltyment thus furnished had pre-
served his reason. When, after six years'
AAhPA ASSAAAShct Guo ASWS Ol MS freedom
was brought him, lie was on the ground
hunting for one pll which had been for two
days missing. The four pms, bent and cor.
roded, We're set in brooch and worn by his
wife, to whom they We're more precious than
gems.
Superstition has not forgotten the pin,
Like other pointed articles, it is ito be lent,
not given," and we are tod in strains en-
bodying equal measure of truth and poetry:
"Se, a pm and PICK 1t up,
All the day you'll h We good luck
Law has de gned to notice the pin. Not
!ong before the close of the IN of Henry
VII. lawwas passed entitled "An Acte
Tor the true Makyng Of Pynnes," enacting
mat the price should not be "more than 6s.
od. thousand" In the days when pins
were rare they were very acceptable
present; INSTEAD Of the gifts, a compensa
Won was sometimes received in money!
uhs was called, Of course, pin-money, a
.efm which has been extended 10 sum Of
%oney secured by q husband on his mar
I,age Tor the private expenses Of his wife"
~uolson has recorded Lis d.siike OF what he
As "the doctrine If pin-money;" ".t is,n
lswrltes in l71l-l2, ''of late da.e, and it is
w. Tue interests Of both sexes 10 keep 1t
mO o@ SPREADING" He proposed ''needle-
imn,sy as better name, us it ''would have
&pAlkd sOrna al hin er ~ .,o. la.zo,,;f.sx,