Steel Pens and Writers' Cramp

1895

"These steel pens," said a rugged and ruddy octogenarian, "are an abomination. They give one writers' cramp. Do you know that writers' cramp was never heard of before steel pens were invented? I use a quill at home, and I never feel the cramp when I have a good quill between my fingers."

"It is a little hard to buy quills in New York, isn't it?" asked the listener.

"Buy 'em!" said the octogenarian. "I don't buy 'em. I shoot 'em, wild geese and swan, at my summer home out west, and I always have a good supply of just the right kind. I have a special knife to make my pens. You can get such knives down town." — New York Sun.



No Time to Lose

Mamma — What has become of the bottle of mucilage?
Little Dot — I haven't seen it, but I guess maybe you'd better look in the nursery. The boys is getting up a dime museum, and I heard Johnny tell Ethel she might be the Circassian girl. — Good News.