to the man who improves his output beyond the
task of the moment; and that success is waiting, not for him who works
because he must, but for him who works because he may.

Acknowledgment is due to the Diamond Match Company, Hood Rubber
Company, S. D. Warren Paper Company, The Riverside Press, E. Faber,
C. Howard Hunt Pen Company, Waltham Watch Company, Mark Cross Company,
I. Prouty & Company, Cheney Brothers, and others, whose advice and
criticism have been of most valuable aid in the preparation of this
volume.

EVA MARCH TAPPAN.

CONTENTS

I. THE LITTLE FRICTION MATCH 1

II. ABOUT INDIA RUBBER 6

III. "KID" GLOVES 16

IV. HOW RAGS AND TREES BECOME PAPER 25

V. HOW BOOKS ARE MADE 36

VI. FROM GOOSE QUILLS TO FOUNTAIN PENS AND LEAD PENCILS 46

VII. THE DISHES ON OUR TABLES 56

VIII. HOW THE WHEELS OF A WATCH GO AROUND 64

IX. THE MAKING OF SHOES 73

X. IN THE COTTON MILL 82

XI. SILKWORMS AND THEIR WORK 92

THE INDUSTRIAL READERS

BOOK III

MAKERS OF MANY THINGS

I

THE LITTLE FRICTION MATCH

I remember being once upon a time ten miles from a store and one mile
from a neighbor; the fire had gone out in the night, and the last
match failed to blaze. We had no flint and steel. We were neither
Indians nor Boy Scouts, and we did not know how to make a fire by
twirling a stick. There was nothing to do but to trudge off through
the snow to the neighbor a mile away and beg some matches. Then was
the time when we appreciated the little match and thought with
profound respect of the men who invented and perfected it.

It is a long way from the safe and reliable match of to-day back to
the splinters that were soaked in chemicals and sold together with
little bottles of sulphuric acid. The splinter was expected to blaze
when dipped into the acid. Sometimes it did blaze, and sometimes it
did not; but it was reasonably certain how the acid would behave, for
it would always sputter and do its best to spoil some one's clothes.
Nevertheless, even such matches as these were regarded as a wonderful
convenience,