The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-08-11
STILL USE QUILL
Pen IN EUROPE
Old British Houses Spurn Modern
Writing Implement.
COMMONS" FIRST TO BREAK

Oiscards Ancient Quill During World
War as First Step in Direction Of
Economy-Hundreds Of Quilts Are
Still Used Every Day In Westminster
PaIace-Some oId-Fashioned 6usi-
ness Houses Still Employ Them
Some Historic Pens.
The quill pen still fingers on the
stage. The actor playing the part Of
a statesman, prelate or notary of the
Eighteenth or Seventeenth or earlier
century dashes off message with u
goose quill, and instead Of laying on
a piece Of blotting paper he sprlnkles
it with sand to dry the page by absorb
ing the wet ink. Sometimes the quill
has place on the shiny, new desk.
made in representation Of old furni-
ture, and which stands in lady's
chamber 1t is only an ornament
there, unless the lady likes to show
her friends how resolutely she prac-
tees the manners and customs of the
olden time.
1t may be that the quill still sets
down words in some Old-fashiOned or
utraconservative business house In
Europe, and it Is said that now and
then an author. through generation
for the past. or through eccentricity or
affectation, uses quill pen. But 1t
would seem that the quill pens day
has passed, observes writer In the
New York Sun.
During the World war word came
from London that After preaching
the need Of economy to the nation
the house Of commons made Its first
start in this direction by substituting
steel for quill pens, which have al
ways been associated here with law
and Iawmaking." 1t was later written
that despite this revolutionary over
turn Of the quill pen in the house Of
commons, the palace of Westminster
was still large user of quill pens
and that hundreds Of them were laid
out every day in the writing rooms,
and that in some old fashioned bust
ness offices and older fashioned gov
eminent departments quill pens were
still writing.
Penknife Can Fix It.
Not nearly so much has been written
about pens as with pens, but friend
of the quill, writing Of it's virtues and
memories associated with 1t, confessed
that the cheap steel pen had nearly
ousted the quill from the favor Of
men, but he said, 1T is significant
that members of parliament and
journalists who have perhaps never
used a quill pen before quickly de-
velop affection for it. Properly used,
1t is not an extravagant tool to the
writer, for it may be mended with a
sharp penknife, hence the word pen
knife and may be used until only
the stump remains"
In the olden time, before the COM
ing of the steel pen and when all men
who wrote used quilts. there vas dis
cussion of the relative merits Of
varieties of feathers. Swan quilts
we're more expensive and Exclusive"
han goose quilts, and eagle feathers
we're used by persons of wealth and
fashion. and often in the signing Of
important state papers the eagle-quill
pen was used. Queen Elizabeth always
used eagle quilts.
The word 'pen" should remind you
Of the quill, for 'pen" comes from the
Latin 'penna." a feather. just as 'pen-
Gil" is derived from the Latin "pen-
cillus," which was little tail or
brush. And this should also be a
reminder that the Romans called their
black ink backing, while our word
ink" probably comes through the
French from "encoustum," which was
the red ink used by Roman emperors.
Dickens Quill Sold for SIT.
The collector Of historic pens is as
active and as enthusiastic as collec-
tors of other relics, and some pens
used by famous authors have sold for
high prices at auction. Dickens used
i the same quill pen to write Hard
Times" "Little Dorritt" and "Bleak
duu IAlul pen, "a "A"I "s>0
alleged to be that pen was sold at
auction several years ago for SIT. The
late Empress Eugene was the owner
Of the quill pen used by the commits
sloners in signing the treaty of Paris.
When q state paper which 1t Is
| believed will become memorable Is
signed there is always rivalry among
pen manufacturers to have one OF
their pens used. Also it is common
| for men to offer the use Of their gold
pen, with the proviso that the pen
shall be returned to them. There is
! always demand for the pen with
| which the President signs important
bills, and 1t has often happened that
| in order to satisfy number Of appli
cants presidents have used several
pens in writing their signature.
/ ~~,R