The Cairo bulletin., 1906-06-03
Miss Polly and the Arts,

| per. Cut a circle the size OF IL, Will
crazy, enormous shears got a, girl
with big hands and ever so strong to
cut mine for me after found out how
hard 1t was to cut. Think Of cutting
out copper circles, Tommy, with scis'
sors. like piece Of paper. Then you
sit down and pound 1t all over with
big hammer"
| What for?" inquired Tom, practical.
ly. -twirling the brownish copper bowl
on his thumb. Then he looked with
sympathy at the hand which Polly held
out to him. "Where?" he asked.
| Fright there" Polly said, dolefully.
pointing with her other hand. II Bills.
| tered 1t perfectly dreadfully the first
lesson. 1t took six lessons to make
this bowl and my hand has never had
| chance to get WELL"
| "Six afternoons"
Eyes. only SIX" Polly fared, en-
pbatically. you simply show how ig-
norant Of art you are, Tommy. when
you speak that way. For you have to
pound It all over, twice, on silly piece
Of wood that's followed out and
makes the copper dent down. Why?
Because Miss Hoffman tells you to
that's reason enough, If you'd only
hear her say 1t. Then you have to heat
| it redhot with a funny bellows thing
that you work with your foot like a
sewing machine. Then you cool 1t I'M
der water, and then take 1t back and
pound it some more, till 1t begins to
sort of cup up. Why do you heat it?
Because Miss Hoffman tells you to,
that's why It's lots of fun to see 1t
getting redhot, with little crinkles of
color over it,"
You've explained the how right
enough. Polly" said Tom. "but the
why?"
Then, resumed Polly. somewhat
hastily. you take a funny-looking
round piece Of wood and big mallet
and whack it down in the center of
your bowl, to make the bottom of 1t
level and not puffy. You've got to find
the exact center, and it's hard, and
every time you say you cant Miss Hoff
man says; Why, I've had children In
the third grade manual training do Ii
perfectly That makes you feel silly.
of course. But never could do figures
and tape measure scares me worse
than a COW. So / get the girl with the
big hands to find my center for me and
do any. cutting with the big shears
She doesn't mind, even II Miss Hoff-
man does. Then, after you knock the
bottom in, you have to knock 1t In
again, every time you heat it. Why?
Because Miss Hoffman says So"
"But the 'wtry?" Tom demanded,
hanging the compact little bowl on his
left ear.
Polly flushed slightly and hurried
resolutely on. And then you take |
some queer little iron things and fas. |
ten them into clamp or something
q yise-that's 1t, Tommy. Then you
pound that old bowl over the iron
thing and make it curve over. You
have to pound and pound and pound !
till your arm almost comes off at the
shoulder. The copper wrinkles UP and
scares you to death, for fear It is going
to crack and you have to heat 1t and
heat it till finally you can't heat it any
more. I'm sure don't know why. Then
at last Miss Hoffman says IT'S curved
enough, and after you file the edge
down it's done"
But the why Polly?" Tom per-
sisted.
Polly flushed more deeply. well"
she said. haltingly. Il know you're
perfectly sensible, Tommy. and won't
mind and the way you ask makes me
think you know, anyway, so I'd better
tell. You see, Clarence Maurice is just
home from London. He makes those
lady dye things and stains woods and
Just faints over pottery and brass can
ilesticks. Carrie Masters joined
class In woodwork a month ago, Just
because of him, and ! didn't know
about it till she'd had five lessons. SO
/ made me furious. ] happened next
lay to pass a studio place where lot
If crazy-looking copper things were.
10 I walked right In and asked If just
ordinary people could possibly make
hem. The woman there told me about
Mss Hoffman's class. SO Joined it
light away.
you know" explained Polly, its
lot that care a thing about Clarence
Maurice, but then the idea OF Carrie
dasters saving wood for him, Now,
here's something | want you to do.
Tomorrow night want you to go to
zee Carrie. Just mention this bowl to ,
Ter, very incidentally, and about my
lass. Then come and tell me what
he does and says. Did you suspect
Tommy" {
Tom looked wise. you sort of :
crambled whenever said why" he I
emarked. carefully. Don't you think ,
Jolly, that perhaps heating IT softens
he "copper"" n
Maybe" said Polly. 81 don't care |
that it does. ! want you to be sure q
0 see Carrie tomorrow night, Tommy. d
know she'll be mad when she finds Z
ut that I can hammer copper bowls" @
Chicago Daily News. r
Stamp to Brighten Tramps. h
1-ho rf.lurr oounfw Aptrir, 49, y