glue. Now put on three more coats of paper. Now it must be left to dry for twelve hours. When it is so dry you couldn't squeeze a tear out with a hydraulic ram, draw out the inner coats of paper, leaving the muslin and three outside coats. I ought to have told you that only one-half of the urn is made in this way at a time. When both halves are ready, trim down the edges carefully and sew them together with stout twine. Cover the seam with a thin coat of paper, and then you are ready for the painting. First give it a coat of whitening. Then sandpaper it well. Now you may apply the final color. You can get up a handsome blue and gold vase by the use of blue paint and gold leaf. Bronze is imitated very closely by a coat of bronze powder, which you can get at any paint store."
Impressions can be taken of inscriptions, old brasses, etc., by first oiling them, and then pressing wet paper thoroughly into every indentation. Such impressions are called "squeezes," and are used to obtain fac similes of inscriptions. By diligent use of the sand bag, papier maché can be rendered very hard. The extreme lightness of objects made from it is a great advantage.
Members of amateurs' theatrical clubs might find it advantageous to practice this art somewhat, as it might sometimes aid them in making needful properties.
Helmets, shields, swords, etc., could be fashioned with comparatively little difficulty.
Papier maché is extensively manufactured in Birmingham, England. At one time it was largely employed in the interior decoration of houses in place of stucco.
Many fine buildings are thus adorned.
In Birmingham, articles made of this material are coated with successive layers of asphalt varnish, which being dried by oven heat leaves a surface capable of receiving a high polish. Mother of pearl is much used in their decoration, for which purpose, when several
