Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-19
wonderful Work y Belfast Man With Pen
). IL as.ae aMQ LAX.

{ = Il ~ iak.
Most men when they acquire some
Accomplishment in which they excel all
rivals. are generally well known and
read about by people all over the coun-
try and receive due credit for their
wonderful achievements. In Beifass,
however. there lives an exception 10
this rule in the person OF Mr. Rlla XII
fridge, who at the advanced age or 81
years, can even now produce more
minute specimen Of chlrography than
any other living man or woman.
You sometimes hear Of men who
have placed the Lords PRAYER in an
exceedingly small space. but the works
OF these all fade into insignificance
when compared with the work OF TINS
aged penman. All of Mr.. Kittridge's
work is done with an ordinary steel
pen and ink, in a hand which is stead
Ter than that of many Of half his. age,
and with eyes helped only by spec
tacies ordinarily used by men of his
advanced wears and which were pur-
chased in one of the Belfast jewelry
stores. No magnifying glasses or in
struments made for the purpose are
used in his work. ="
Mr.. KittTdge was born in Brattle-
boro, VT, in 1872. In 1865 he came to
Belfast and went into the crockery
business in which he has continued up
to the present time. He is an early
riser and can be found at his place of
business every morning at $50. His
love for the practice of miniature
l1;c >hx, IN his rly
life, and he says he has gone without
his dinner many time rather than
leave unfinished piece of work which
he had commenced. He was, however.
never induced to his utmost skill until
about II years ago, when one OF the
local papers received postal card on
which the sender had crowded Gas he
termed it) 600 words and defied some
one to beat it.
This was - ugh TO influence Mr..
Kittridge to tax his skill to its utmost
| A few days after he placed in the hand
| of the local editor a postal card with
| 1000 words on it, and this being beaten
he produced one with 5000 words.
Nobody beat this one. but Mr.. Kit
! fridge did not relinqush his efforts but
continued to crowd his letters into
smaller and smaller space, 5000; 10000
| 20. 1000 words were placed upon a postal
card by this wonderful writer. His
very finest work equal to $1,000 words
on our postal card of today or all the
words US1,O00) of the New Testament
on four postal cards, was accomplished
| ten years ago. He has repeatedly writ
ten the Lords prayer eight times in a
1nv. hop ,c,;lx Ava
| piece and has written it on space 3-16
| of an inch in circumference. Messages
and speeches of Presidents and emil
| nent statesmen have been written by
him on postal cards, and for the copies
| sent them he has received many COM
mandatory letters.
One of w. +. Gladstone's famous
speeches was written on postal card.
by him and sent to that great English
statesman from whom he received a
very fine letter highly praising his Won
| derful work. The most wonderful part
of his work is that it is done with ordi-
nary pen and ink and common eye
glasses. though most people find it
necessary to use magnifying glass
with which TO read them, when the
words come out clearly and distinctly.
| His work is marked by it's beauty and
artistic arrangement and the uniform
| ity of the letters. Every letter is
! separate and distinct by itself. and his
best work is mounted and framed.
some of it having been sent to the
Paris exhibition.
Mr.. Kittridge greatly enjoysh the
practice of his art and works at it
every day. He claims chat his eyes nat
urally magnify and that pin laid be-
fore them will seem to fiatten to about
* of an inch. The wonderful steadi-
ness of his hand is remarkable for
man of his advanced years. Every
time this hale old gentleman hears of
some fine engraving done by some per-
son he smiles. because he knows as
| we'll as do those who know him. that he
can do finer and more artistic work
with ordinary pen and ink. and ord-
nary glasses than any other living
man with their engraving tools and
magnifying glasses and that he stands
alone in his art as champion micro
SCOPE postal card writer of the world