Cases should be kept out of the dust as much as possible, as dirt accumulates in the boxes very quickly, and is hard to clean out. It is therefore a good plan to tack cloth or heavy wrapping-paper to the back, sides, and below the top of the rack, and provide a curtain to hang over the front when the cases are not in use. When the boxes do become dirty, the dust should be removed by means of a pair of bellows.
Fig. 152.—How to Hold the Composing-stick.
In composing, or setting type,
A Composing-stick is necessary. This should be held in the left hand, as shown in [Fig. 152], while the right hand picks up the type one by one and drops them into the stick, where the left thumb shoves them into place. It will be seen by looking at the illustration that the type are set upside down and read from left to right. This may seem awkward at first, but with practice you will soon become accustomed to reading the letters in this position.
A Composing-rule, similar to [Fig. 153], should be cut out of a piece of brass rule. In typesetting, the rule is first placed in the stick, and the type then placed against it.
Fig. 153.—A Composing-rule.