The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-01-06
A USEFUL WIZARD.
The Classmates Has Picturesque
Trade.

Trade.
The glassworker is the wizard of
useful arts Before his stand at the
county fair the caution to look out for
pickpockets, often reiterated on the way
to the annual gathering, is swallowed
up In the wonderment aroused by the
astonishing marvels wrought by his
deft hand and a blowpipe. Here
touch and there a pat, and then sud-
denly the tiny champagne glass seems
to fill with film of rosy wine. "WhO
will have this? Only centsw cries a
glassblower, holding the little stemmed
bowl upside down to show that like
the pitcher Of old, hospitable Philemon
and Baucis, it can never be emptied.
| A nickel is thrust up by some one in
exchange for the little souvenir of the
wizards art, and it is next seen stand
| ing on parl0r mantel many miles
away from the fair grounds serving as
memento of the fair and sample of
the wonder beheld that day.
In his workshop the glassworker and
his crystal liquid become more fasci-
mating. The roomy building is full of
| the mystery of an ancient alchemists
laboratory. The glow from the mouths
of many furnaces dazzles the eyes.
Here and there men with mighty
wands tipped with white hot masses
swing them deftly about or, putting
them to their lips, conjure the gleam-
ing tips until they do their bidding, ex-
panding into great cylinders or disks
or growing into delicate globes.
| Here is a man standing before the
fiery mouth of furnace. He has in
his hand long rod, and his face is
shielded from the smuggling heat and
| the glare by shield which he holds In
place by a plug grasped between his
teeth. He dexterously t,aists his blow
pipe in thewhite hot gummy glass until
lit has collected on its end an ovoid mass
weighing from twenty to forty pounds.
Revolving the ball in the glowing pot
I for a moment until 1t becomes sym
\ metrical, he lifts it forth and plunges
it into a pear shaped mold. Then the
blower, the master workman of the
place, takes the mass and begins to
play with, it. He blows big bubble
l VI ull AiitO bAAC glass anu @ACh aAACs@NA
and another until the solid sphere is
swelled into great decanter. Now
swinging the white hot bulb like giant
pendulum in the depths of yawning pit
beneath his feet, now blowing through
| the tube, now thrusting it again into
the furnace, at last the mass becomes
a thin shelled cylinder as long as the
man himself. After being cut and
rolled as one would cut and roll a
sheet iron cylinder into fat piece of
metal, and annealing, this piece of
glass will be cut into window panes.
In another workshop a work. an Is
rolling and smoothing coil CT the
sparkling fluid at the end of his blow
pipe on polished slab. Then he blows
through his magic wand, and sphere
begins to blossom from the tip. 1t
grows and flows from the point of
contact over the shining surface.
A row Of keen edged grindstones are
turning swiftly in another room. Be-
fore each stands a workman with his
shirt sleeves rolled to his armpits. A
long apron protects his clothing. In
his hands he holds a heavy piece Of
glassware. Lightly, but firmly, SO that
the veins stand out on the backs Of
i his hands, he presses it upon the edge
of the stone. With sureness of pres
sure he deftly carves the glass, facet
upon facet, jewel upon Jewel, until the
whole piece has become massive set
ting of cleaning diamonds which some
day will simmer on the table Of
fine house.
And to his art the glassworker adds
something Of the alchemist's art. Mix
ing little gold with the glass, he
turns it into the richest Of rubies, vio-
lets and an amber that is solidided
sunshine. He adds little iron and
draws from his glowing furnace glass
furnished with all the colors of the
rainbow. All in ALL he is one Of the
wonder workers of the twentieth CEN
tury.-New York Tribune.