Evening journal., 1913-10-17
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
ThOreau as a Pioneer
Lead Pencil
Maker
By Holland.

IN ono Of Thoreau's books he writes
as follows: "How can / who am pen
ell maker upon earth hold, communcas
tion with the godsgv When first read
this sentence J thought that II was one
Of the characteristic paradoxical utter
anccs OF which Thoreau in his earlier
life was very fond and which he em-
ploycd TO give emphasis TO what he
wrote. Some years later ] learned that
Thorcau included among his other ,o-
cations that of a maker Of lead pencils
and that II was business in which his
entire family, excepting his mother,
took part. As 1horcau was also a sur
ycyor and at times carpenter as well
as writer, critic. mystic and philoso-
pher, il seemed TO me that his time
must be pretty well employed
! had opportunity several years ago
while spending a day or two at Concord
Mass, Thorenu's home. TO confirm by
visible demonstration ThOreau's state
ment that he was pencil-maker upon
earth. had made acquaintance with
James Gull, a citizen, who, while hc
never knew Thorcau he went TO Con.
cord TO live about three years after
1horeau's death, in 1852 became well
acquainted with Thoreaus sister
sophia
This sister, at the time, of her death
about fourteen years after. the death
of Thorcau. was the surviving member
OF the entire family. She discovered
that Mr.. Gull was fond of talking with
her about her famous brother. aud not
50 much about his books rs his haunis.
his personal habits and his hermit life
by Walden pond
asked Mr.. Gull ii he had ever
spoken to Sophia Thorcau about her
brothers work as q pencil maker.
"Oh. yes" he replied. "mahy times.
She oncc told me that her brother was
rcgardad by the merchants OF Boston,
who sold his pencils. as the most expert
maker Of lead pencils in the world.
She Furthermore told me that her father
had discovered process Of making
lead pencils by using preparation OF
graphitc. and that the process was Sc
cret in the famlv All Of them used
10 busy themselves at times. and their
father constantly, in the manufacture
Of lead pencils"
asked Mr.. Gull if Thoreau's sister
had ever told him why after rhoreau's
fathers death. they practically gave up
the lead pencil manufacture. Ia reply
he saids "lcs, she told me that the
business Of making lcud pencils by hand
had been ruined through the introduc.
tion of lead pencils made bv machinery.
They could not compete with machine.
made pencils.
"Onc day Sophia 1horcau.'" Mr.. Cull
continued. told me that she. would
show me some specimens OF her brother
lienry's skill as a pencil maker. She
went out Of the parlor where we were
talking and ! heard her step on the
stairs. knew she was going to an
upper chamber to lind something which
she kept there.
"By and by she came into the parlor
and showed me three or four lead pen.
ellis. They were rough-looking thing.
compared with the modern lead pcncil
but Sophia told me that ,shc thought
amy ono who knew them would iin'
them better than the best OF machine
made pencils.
There arc only few Of these left
she said, and ! am treasuring then
carefully. These were made by Henry
and were among the last batch that h,
made
"Shc gave me three or four Of thes,
pencils and ] knew she did that bc
cause she appreciated my interest il
her brother. ] will give you two Of th,
pencils because you seem so greatly in
terested in Thoreau"
Mr. Gull went to his home and a lie
te later brought me two lead pencils
They were of cedar wood. unvarnishod
nor had they been sharpencd
] have them now and they arc visible
evidences of the handicraft OF Horny y
Thofcau.
Copyright, 1918, by r J. Edwards Al
rights reseryedl.
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell o
"An Instance Of William H. Wander
bilts Generositv." a