The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-07-14

piscards Ancient Quill During Worlc
War ~ First Step In Direction Of
Eeonomy-Hundreds Of Quilts Ar
Still Used Every Day In Westminste'
Palace-soms oldH ashioned Bus,
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 of message with II
goose quill, and instead Of laying on
piece Of blotting paper he sprinklcs
1t with sand to dry the page by absorb
! ing the wet ink. Sometimes the quill
has a 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.
It may be that the quill still sets
down words in some old-fashiOned or
ultraconservative business house in
Europe, and 1t is said that now and
then an author, through veneration
for the past, or through eccentricity or
affectation, uses quill pen. But It
would seem that the quill pens day
has passed, observes a 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 lawmaking." 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 busi-
ness offices and older fashioned gov
eminent departments quill pens were
still writing.
| Penknife Can Fix 1t.
| Not nearly so much has been written
about pens as with pens, but friend
of the quill, writing Of its virtues and
| memories associated with It, confessed
that the cheap steel pen had nearly
1 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 quill pen before quickly de-
. velop affection for 1t. Properly used,
! Ii is not an extravagant tool to the
writer, for it may be mended with q
sharp penknife. hence the word pen
knife and may be used until only
the stump remains"
II In the olden time, before the COM
ing of the steel pen and when all men
4 who wrote used quilts, there was dis
cussion Of the relative merits OF
varieties Of feathers. Swan quilts
were more expensive and Exclusive"
than goose quilts, and eagle feathers
were 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," feather, just as "pen-
ell" 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
link" probably comes through the
French from "encoustum," which was
he red Ink used by Roman emperors
Dickens Quill Sold for $17.
| The collector Of historic pens is az
lctive and as enthusiastic as collec'
4 tors Of other relics, and some pens
used by famous authors have sold fol
high prices at auction. Dickens used
the same quill pen to write lizard
Times" Little Dorritt' and "Bleak
House," and that pen, or what was
alleged to be that pen was sold al
auction several years ago for SIT. The
late Empress Eugene was the owner
Of the quill pen used by the commits
sioners in signing the treaty of Paris
| When a 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 1t is common
4 for men to offer the use Of their GOLD
pen, with the proviso that the per
shall be returned to them. There Is
always demand for the pen will
which the President signs important
A bills, and It has often happened that
Il in order to satisfy a.number Of appli
cants presidents have used several
pens in writing their signature.
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