The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-06-30
Miss Polly and the Arts.

hrst one. Then you cut Il out Of cop
per. Cut a circle the size OF It, with
crazy, enormous shears. I got a girl
with big hands and ever so strong to
cut mine for me after I found out how
hard 1t was TO cut. Think Of cutting
out copper circles. Tommy. with scis-
sors, like a piece OF paper. Then you
sit down and pound it all over with
big hammer"
What for?" inquired Tom, practical.
", 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.
Right there" Polly said. dolefully,
pointing with her other hand Il blis-
tered it perfectly dreadfully the first
lesson 1t took six lessons to make
this bowl. and my hand has never had
chance to get we'll"
six afternoons"
'Yes. only six" Polly iared, EN-
phatically. you simply show how ig.
norant Of art you are. Tommy, when
you speak that way. For you have 10
pound II all over, twice. on a 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. II you'd only
hear her say it. Then you have to heat
II redhot with a funny bellows thing
that you work with your foot like q
sewing machine. Then you cool It un.
der water. and then take It back and
pound II some more. till 1t begins to
sort Of cup up. Why do you heat II?
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
Then. resumed Polly. somewhat
hastily. you take a funDy-loolking
round piece of wood and a bic mallet
and whack II down in the center OF
your bowl. to make the bottom Of Il
level and not puffy. You've got to find
the exact center. and it's hard. and
every time you say you can't Miss Hoff-
man says: Why, I've had children IN
the third grade manual training do II
perfectly That makes you feel silly,
o. course. But never could do figures
and a tape measure scares me wOsse
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 Hon
man does. Then. after you knock the
bottom in. you have TO knock II in
again. every time you heat it. Whyl
Because Miss Hoffman says So"
"2ut the 'whyY" 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 a clamp or something
vise-thats It, Tommy. Then you
pound that old bowl over the iron
thing and make 1t curve over. You
have to pound and pound and pound
till your arm almost comes on at the
shoulder. The copper wrinkles up and
scares you to death for feai Il is going
to crack and you have u heat II and
heat It till finally you can't heat 1t any
more, I'm sure l 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
mind, and the way you ask makes me-
think you know. anyway, so I'd bettel
tell. You see, Clarence Maurice is JUS
home from London. He makes thos'
fady dye things and stains woods anC
just faints over pottery and brass can
dlesticks. Carrie Masters Joined
class In woodwork a month ago. jus
because OF him, and l didn't know
about It till she'd had i've lessons. s.
it made me furious. happened mex
day to pass a studio place where a 10
Of crazylooking copper things were
so walked right IN and asked II Jus
ordinary people cotAd possibly max
them. The woman there told me abou
Miss Hoffman's class, so l Joined
right away.
you know" explained Polly, at
not that I care thing about Clarenc
Maurice, but then the idea Of Carri
Masters saving wood for him. Now
there's something I want you to Dc
Tomorrow night I want you to 60 {
see Carrie. Just mention this bowl Z
her, very incidentally, and about nj
class. Then come and tell me wha
she does and says. Did you suspec
anything. Tommy"
Tom looked wise. you sort o
scrambled whenever said why" b
remarked, carefully. Don't you thin
Polly. that perhaps heating It soften
the copper?"
Maybe" said Polly. Il don't car
what It does. I want you to be sur
to see Carrie tomorrow night, Tommy
know she'll be mad when she find
out that I can hammer copper bowls.
Chicago Daily News.