We should be glad if G. F. Weller, who was successful with Wiggle 25, and Ben Darrow, Warnie B. Purdy, Churchill Hungerford, and W. J. H., who were successful with Wiggle 26, would each send us his or her address.
Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Dear Little Exchangers,—I have been sick, and could not attend to your letters. I have only answered four, but will reply to more, and will return all contributions that I don't use. I did not expect to hear from so many of you when I wrote for the exchange, and can not supply you all, as I have over sixty letters, but I will return all your cards in good order. I have taken Harper's Young People for four years. Every year I like it better. I hope some of you will see this letter, if Mr. Harper is kind enough to print it, and then you will know that I don't intend to cheat, for I like all the children who take Young People.
Carrie Stone.
C. Y. P. R. U.
How Pottery is Made.—In looking over some old papers I came across this essay, and thought it might interest the Postmistress:
The various kinds of clay used in making pottery are found in nearly all the countries of the globe. There is a particular kind found at Amboy, New Jersey, of a grayish-white color, so caused by the presence of iron.
The first process, after being taken from the ground, is kneading it until it resembles bread in the sponge. After this process, it is thrown upon a slab, where it is taken by a second workman, who places it upon a circular board made to revolve by a wheel underneath it, worked by a treadle.
The second process is the designing of articles, which requires a great deal of skill and patience. After being turned, patted, and hollowed out by the workman, the clay is ready for baking, after sometimes being ornamented with figures cut in the pottery while wet, and painted with blue or some other color.
The baking of pottery is very slow, and requires great care. The articles to be baked are placed on several wire shelves, and when the oven is full, the door is bricked up to make it air-tight.
Below this oven are two sets of arches; in the lower of which a fire is made, which increases in heat gradually.
After twenty-four hours a second fire is made in the upper arches, of still greater heat, which is kept up for twenty-four hours more.
At the end of fifty hours the door is partially removed, and the ware taken out by means of long, slender sticks, and examined to see if it is thoroughly done.
The glazing process was discovered by accident. A workman in a pottery in Germany, some time in the Middle Ages, to spite his employer, threw salt on some ware which was baking, but, to his amazement, found a beautiful glaze on the pottery instead of the ruin he had desired.
C. S. C., C.Y.