Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-09-22
News on Handkerchief.

The present shortage Of paper Is
bad enough, but it has been worse.
During the American Civil war,
often neither love nor money" could
procure a sheet Of white paper to feed
the presses. Thus, during the siege
of Richmond, the Confederate Journal
made its appearance printed in red
ink on handkerchiefs. with this
preface in large type: "If this hand
Eerchief were as boundless as the
globes expanse it would not serve to
staunch the federal blood yet to be
shed"
Two days before the fan Of vicks-
burg, Miss, the Daily Citizen made
its last siege bow to the public,
printed on one side Of sheets of wall
paper, the other side blatant with
green foliage and yellow flowers. And
there are still treasured copies of a
blockade issue of the Charleston
Courier, consisting of two sheets of
canvas daintily tied together at one
corner with red ribbon, and bearing
in large letters the defiant words:
War to the Death!"
During the siege of Paris one news
paper appeared in the guise of brown
sugar paper until the supply failed;
another was printed on flaming GRIM
son paper. while third masqueraded
in wash leather, which its readers
were asked to preserve. ITO stimulate
unslumbering revenge against the
hated enemy.
A generation earlier Paris was for
some years familiar with a news
paper with the title of The Political
Pocket Handkerchief, which was
printed on squares Of white linen, In
order to avoid the exorbitant duty ON
paper. And not many years ago a
we'll known Spanish newspaper made
similar appearance for some time.
with the editorial suggestion. after
it has served its purpose as messen-
ger of news, the handkerchief can be
sent to the laundry, and thus be re-
stored to its normal USE"
When the supply of white paper
ran short In Trinidad some years ago
the newspapers tlossomed into oolors
as variegated BE Joseph's coat. Thus
one issue Of the Port of Spain
Gazette was printed on mauve paper,
and had supplement of vivid yell
low; another was a brilliant green in
hue. 'fn honor" as the editor humor-
ously explained, "of Ireland's great
patron saint; and this emerald issue
was followed by one of cerise. with
magenta supplement.
Even in the blacklist days OF the
siege of Lucknow the residents had
their daily news. written by one or
other of the ladies on sheets OF note
paper: and at Suaken. during the
early days of the Soudan campaign.
a brown paper single sheet was pub
lished every morning.
But the most amusing 81 all these
unconventional newspapers was one
published some 20 years ago In Me-
braska, printed on wallpaper. with
the following editorial note: Having
run all our white paper through. We
are using up ali the wallpaper. given
us. which Is about exhausted, and
only the ONCE towel IL left. So we
ask our brother printers to consider
our situation. with q family to sup
port, and with nothing coming in:
and we know their ever. generous dis
position will see some way to con-
tribute a little paper to keep our
journal going for the good It viii do
the outside world in telling them how
this afiiicted. drought stricken dis
ttrict il getting along: also to enable
us to get shoes and proper wraps for
our wives and our children"