FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 130, 26 February 1887, Page 2

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

HOW THEY MAKE SLATE PENCILS. In the northwestern part of the town of Castleton, Rutland County, Vfc., ia the only manufactory in the United States of white Blate pencils. The stone as it comes from the quarry is first sawn into blocks from four to Beven inches wide, according to the length desired for the pencils. These are split easily with a chisel into slabs a little thicket than the finished pencils— say 5-15 inch. These are passed through a planing machine aud over an emery belt to make them flit, smooth and of a uniform thickneee of about 3-16 inch. Next they are pushed into the jaws of a "crocodile,'* which consists of a pair of steel plates, in the under one of Tehieh are six rowa of curved knives, each set so as to cut a little deeper than the one that went before it. Those plough out parallel grooves half way through the Rlab, which a man then turns and lays upon a steel plate having ridges which just fit these groovos. This slides back udder the six rows of teeth of a second " crocodile " lying in wait alongside, which cut the grooves on the other Bide Lastly, they are broken, and rolled for an instant, to point them, upon an emery belt. A man. can give this last touch to about 8,000 in a day. The average daily output is 30,000, and the mill gives employment to some 25 hand^ The old plan was to saw out square pencils from the slabs with a circular saw, one by one. These were boxed and distributed among poor families, who whittled them rDund by hand at from a quarter to half a dollar per thousand. The s< crocodile " has spoilt this business.

NOT AFRAID IN THE DARK. The litole ones were playing happily in the nursery one eveniag all by themselves, but they were not afraid, for the room was brightly lighted. It looked just like daylight in there. By-and-bye Albert wished for a toy he had left down ptairs, but was afraid to go after it Thero were those long eta* re and a dark hall to go through, and he cjuM not bring up hie courage to run such a "risk." It would have been hard tv Tell ivhat he wag afraid of in that quiet, orderly house, but I suppose it was just the dark. Did you over hoar of the dark hurting finyotie ? Albert would not go, but he kept on wishing for the toy mcr<- than all the other things he had. •• I'll go," said 3-yoar old Louie bravely ; "I'll gef it, Albert!" So he stepped out resolutely into the hall, and the children listened at the door to the step?, and they heard him say over again. >( Lord, are you thoro? Lord, are you there ?" Ho came back through tho eilent hall with the treasure, and said, *• I wasn't afiaicl, for tho J.ord was there?" That wus the way Lonie kopt up his courage. If he had been 60 years old he could not have done better.