The Portland daily press., 1893-01-25
THE HOME.
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT NEEDLES.

CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT NEEDLES.
Asa matter of fact the art of needle
making was kept secret until about 1850, |
when it was revealed by Christopher
Greening. In the little town of Red
ditch, few miles from Birmingham, the
needle-makers still ply their trade for all
the world Twenty thousand people
make over hundred millions OF needles
a year. From the ugly pig OF iron to
the fairylike needle are manifold process
ses, probably the drilling of the eye is the
most interesting of all. The experts can
easily perforate hair, and thread 1t
with it's own end the steel wire IS cut
into the length of a bristle. and the need
les are born as twins, heads together,
feet furthest apart. In the old days the
ends were sharpened at cost OF Tie that
made this industry more deadly than
war; The grinders asthma by winch
strong mems lungs were inwardly ground
to pieces by inhaled particle OF STEEL
slew tens of thousands of strong men.
Now, blast of air away from the
grindstone makes grinders life first
risk for insurance companies. Temper
ing, annealing, and polishing are all
worth seeing in the process.
1t was the yankee who made the needle
turn a somersault All the world since
the first fig-leaf-sewers threaded the
needle in one fashion. 1t was the yankee
who discovered that it was thl eaded at
the wrong end. He declared the bust
ness end of needle to be. like that of a
bee, farthest from its head. Either
Elias Howe, OF the other man, who did
not win the lawsuit, was the flrst man
who. like the hero in Greek mythology,
held the 'seye'' in hi hands, and put
it where he would. He drilled the need
lie and inserted the thread at the other
end, and set it in arms of steel, multi
plying its potency. AS Americans gave
the world the sewing machine and new
kind of needle, so they manufacture this
sort and this only. At Springfield Mass
achusetts, the National Needle Company
make and finish every year thirty million
machine needles.
In English literature how often the
needle shines! The open book OF London
street names = a volume of English lit
erature in itself tells of Threadneedle
Street. There were three needles in the
arms of the Needle-makers' Company of
London, but ''the Old Lady of Thread
needle Street. is the Bank of London.
All England took up Cobbett's epithet,
which stuck to this Mrs. Partington OF
his time. Does not DR.. Marigold call a
bank-note ia liver curl-paper which l
myself took off the shining locks of the
ever beautiful LADY,? From great Shake
speare to the poet of " Sunset and Eve
ming STAR the shining inch or two is
often mentioned. Even in politics and
controversy an act of Parliament is only
| s'the needle to draw in the thread OF the
| new measure. Proverbs also and folk
! lore locate the needle in strange places.
Was the swain popping the question
| when the haystack was made the symbol
| of useless search? Is there not more OF
panganism than of Christianity in the
| name g devil needle' given to the dra-
comfy? Are not our first parents and
| their limitations pictured in the term be-
| slowed upon the thorns and fibres of the
| vuccaplant, of 6 Adams needle and
thread" while another velvety leaf is
| named "Adam's fanner'? = W. E.
! Griffis in Harpers Bazaar.
| THE NEWSPAPER IN HOUsEwORK.
It sometimes seems that many people
| do not know how much work may be
saved by the use of newspapers. Perhaps
it has been necessary to rip the seams of
a dress. wrap or other garment; a num-
her of newspapers spread under and
about the chair in which the worker sits
will save all the litter of thread and lint
from the carpet. They are easily re-
moved and the threads are shaken off
readily. One may wish to stew pumpkin
for pies: it will be much more comforta-
| BILE to sit while pairing and cutting, so put
a folded paper on the kitchen table on
which to place the preserving kettle, then
draw the chair near, and there's no harm
done, for if the paper is blackened, that
will not prevent its burning. There
are few windows to be washed, and
connie of papers ON which to set the pail
of water save the carpet if there should
be a spatter. On sweeping day, if there
are not covers enough for those pieces of
furniture that cannot be removed from
the room. number of papers spread over
the writing table, bookshelves OF pictures
answer a useful purpose.
There are flowers to be arranged, the
sweetest things in the world; but they
will make litter unless placed on this
LARGE naper.-a bright idea, for now they
NAV be taken to any part of the house
and arranged more leisurely. The silver
mnst he polished, but let us not stand.
Snread some papers on the table, move
the chairs near; now everything is pro
tected. the papers can be burned if soiled
by the whiting, the rubbing or the wash
ing. But please do not use newspapers
to wrap about anything eatable. Draw
the line closely, too; it does not pay to
save work at the expense of wholesome
ness.-Good Housekeeping.
TEACH GIRLS HOW TO USE MONEY.
Would it not be wise if some exercises
in the mysteries of money were added to
the curriculum of every girls studies?