St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-01-10

AUNT JULIA,s PENCIL STORY.

"And so the rain drove you in, did it ?"
said Aunt Julia, as two children, boy OF
ten and girl of seven, came painting up
stairs into her pleasant sitting
"Im sorry it's so droppy," she added.
what, ma'am? ?" said Will, looking
blank.
Aunt Julia laughed. "Droppy is what
our Keswick landlady used to say when
she meant showery. There! that reminds
me that haven't given youyour pencils;
! had them marked for you in Keswick.
knew you would find use for them since
you are both in school now"
Seven-year-old Madge, who had just
commenced school, looked important at
this, and Aunt Julia went briskly off to
get the pencils.
While she is gone let me introduce our
two children as Will and Madge Norton.
Aunt Julia is not their real aunt, but
kind friend who loves children and has
hosts of adopted nephews and nieces.
She is a great traveller, and has been
spending the summer in England.
When she came back with the pencils,
the children were delighted.
Wills was pale green, with pretty
bone tip, and William Norton" in gilt
letters on one side.
Madge's was light pink with the same
tip and lettering, only that the name was
margaret Norton"
On the side opposite the name each pen
Gil was marked off into inches, quarters
and eighths.
"That'll be fine for drawing maps"
said Will.
eyes, won't i'll" said Madge, though
she hadn't dreamed of drawing maps yet
at school.
"I'm glad they please YOU" said Aunt
Julia. And now that you're kept in the
house, shall | tell you story?"
ooh, yes, yes!" shouted both children.
Fairies, said Madge, please, Aunty."
Fairies, if you like. had thought Of
telling you useful story about pencils,
but il that's too grown up"
"Id like it better" said Will eagerly.
And so would l, too" put in Madge,
who loved to be thought grown up.
Here it is, then" and, holding Wills
pencil in her hand, Aunt Julia began.
you think a pencil is a small thing
and dare say you lose dozen month
there Madge looked guilty.. You may
be surprised to hear that it takes great
many machines and persons, as well as
considerable time, to finish single pencil
like this one.
zone rainy afternoon last summer, when
was in the little village of Keswick, in
northern England, went to visit the busy
factory where pencils are made. First
we crossed rapid stream, which turns
all the machinery Of the factory, and
found ourselves at the door. Then our
guide, an English workman, with blue
eyes and a paper cap on, showed US a
great lump of lead"
"Oh, but, excuse me, Aunty, they don't
make pencils of lead, broken Will. "Our
teacher told us at school. It's not what
they make bullets of; it has another name
-grat-grap-what is it, now"
Graphite, said Aunt Julia. you're
quite right, and I'm glad you knew that.
This was a chunk of graphite, called lead,
just as 1t came from the mines. Another
name for it is plumbago tits sometimes
in coarse powder, sometimes in chunks.
"They mix it with water and other
substances, and into a mortar it goes to
be ground for six weeks. 1t comes pour
ing out of the mortar in a thick fluid
thicker than 'molasses in winter, as we
say, and blacker, too. AS fast as it comes
out a workman stands ready to pour it
back in, till, after six weeks, all the grit
is ground smooth, and it is ready to use.