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Printer?
The extreme to which an amateur printer sometimes goes to obtain a desired effect is amazing. As an example take my February issue. It contained the Abraham Wood article about history that happened a long time ago.
As I prepared to do the printing I found that I was short on paper as well as cash. A thorough search of the shop, the house, and the trash pile finally revealed a couple of reams that I bought in 1933. It wasn’t a fine handmade paper but it was a genuine left-on-hand paper.
It then struck me that the article and the paper had a lot in common. So I used it as I had no other and I was afraid that I would waste the ink that was already on the press.
Now isn’t that incredible – I aged that paper 37 years just in order to give it the antique appearance necessary for the printing of the Abraham Wood story.
Surprise
Have you ever been flabbergasted? Well I have. It happened the other day when my brother and his wife Mary, came visiting for the first time in over a year. Mary said, “We are letting you in on a secret. We have a new baby.”
Boy, what a bombshell!! It took me some time to conclude that this was not fantasy but the real thing.
After the shock-wave had passed it became clear to me what a wonderful thing had happened. There was a fine healthy baby boy named partly after me.
When I first saw the little fellow he was asleep. Later he opened his eyes and began looking around. It wasn’t long before he looked up at me and smiled. There was no question about how I felt as my chest began to expand. I was the proudest uncle in the whole world.
Eureka!
Saturday, January 5, 1889 – 12:20 P.M. At this moment I have seen a line of moveable type spaced and justified by machinery! This is the first time in the history of the world that this amazing thing has ever been done. Present:
J. W. Paige, the inventor;
Charles Davis
Earll
Graham
Mathematical assistants & mechanical experts.
Bates, foreman, and S. L. Clemens. This record is made immediately after the prodigious event.
On that day Mark Twain set down the above memorandum in his notebook.
It all started in 1880 when Clemens bought $2,000 worth of stock in a typesetting machine that he had never seen. Some time later he was invited to the factory where he was amazed by the performance of the machine. It set type at the rate of 3,000 ems an hour and the distribution was automatic. He invested $3,000 more.
What he saw was the Farnham machine invented by James W. Paige. If they had placed it on the market at that time, instead of waiting for the inventor to devise improvements, it might have been a success. But Paige was a dreamer and visionary who was never content short of absolute perfection.
As Paige tore the machine down and tinkered along with his improvements, Clemens put up more money as time went by. Rumors of the Rogers machine and the Thorne machine and the Mergenthaler linotype were laughed at. Finally an offer from the promoters of the Mergenthaler to exchange half their interest for a half interest in the Paige patent was declined. They turned down a golden opportunity.
It seemed like success was always a step away and could be attained in a short time with a little more capital. In 1891 Clemens realized that the dream was ended. He was financially exhausted and could not raise the necessary money. He had spent about $190,000 on the machine that he had referred to as a “cunning devil knowing more than any man that ever lived.” He used to say that the Paige type-setter would do everything that a human being could do except drink and swear and go on a strike. He was wrong – the machine went on a permanent strike.
I saw a snowbird today
Neither of us spoke any words
With icy winds he knew I thought
This weather is for the birds.
While making a study of The History of Sinking Ships by Awna Bottom, I found no mention of anyone ever saving an anchor. Seems like they all went down with their ships.
Take Notice
Part of the text taken from a recruiting poster of Revolutionary days.
THAT Tuesday… attendance will be given by Lieutenant Keating with his music and recruiting party… for the purpose of receiving the enrollment of such youth of SPIRIT, as may be willing to enter into this HONORABLE service.
The ENCOURAGEMENT at this time, to enlist, is truly liberal and generous, namely, a bounty of TWELVE dollars, an annual and fully sufficient supply of good and handsome clothing, a daily allowance of a large and ample ration of provisions, together with SIXTY dollars a year in GOLD and SILVER money on account of pay…
… embrace this opportunity of spending a few happy years in viewing the different parts of this beautiful continent, in the honorable and truly respectable character of a soldier, after which, he may, if he pleases return home to his friends, with his pockets FULL of money and his head COVERED with laurels.
GOD SAVE THE UNITED STATES
Calm Yourself
It is old and world-wide knowledge that frustration breeds aggression. In Japan, the Matsushita Electrical Company has set up a “human control room” into which an angry or frustrated employee is urged to go. There he takes a bamboo pole and beats effigies. The effigies are labeled with the names of supervisors.
I came along in the nick of time.
Otherwise I may have turned out
To be another Easter egg.
For those who like a new taste in a cigarette: After lighting up, try putting the wrong end in your mouth.
Set & printed by Howard G. Radcliffe
Petersburg, Va. 23803