"Have any of you boys ever been in a printing plant and watched the process of turning out papers?" asked Uncle Ben.
Almost every boy raised his hand instantly in answer to this question, for what boy had not stood at the village printer"s yearning to set type or run one of the fascinating presses?
"Fine!" smiled Uncle Ben. "And now how many can set type or do small jobs on the press?"
Very few could do this, but the Starr boys and Jinks often helped Ned with printing the _Chirp_ on his small press, and a few other boys knew something of the work.
"Well, I"ll have to explain to you what kind of work is required of a firm that prints papers or publishes a magazine. You may think this has nothing to do with your organization, but you will soon see," said Uncle Ben.
As the speaker turned to take up several sheets of paper, a noisy chatter was heard outside the house and in another moment all of the Blue Birds, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Talmage, Mrs. Catlin, and Miss Selina, entered the room.
"In pa.s.sing, we heard the harangue going on in here, and found out from Mr. Talmage that a secret meeting was under way. We would love to hear the motive and perhaps suggest an idea now and then," laughingly said Mrs. Talmage.
The Bobolinks looked at each other, and Uncle Ben said, "Members, shall these intruders be ejected, or shall this organization extend the first courtesy to one we hope to a.s.sist in the future?"
The boys giggled, for the manner of presenting the case appealed to every one of them, and eliminated any feeling of intrusion from the Blue Birds.
"One item to be written in our by-laws must be: "Consider the ladies first,"" announced Ned, standing.
"The visitors are welcome!" said Uncle Ben, making a ceremonious bow.
"But please remember, visitors, this is a business meeting, not a social function, so I must ask the ladies to find their own seats and not disturb the gentlemen," said Mr. Talmage.
The ladies were soon seated in a corner where Ike placed some boxes, and the Blue Birds squatted upon carriage robes spread out on the floor by Simon. When all was orderly again, Uncle Ben proceeded with his discourse.
CHAPTER V
UNCLE BEN"S BUSINESS TALK
"Ladies and gentlemen!" said Uncle Ben, bowing politely to each group; "You may not know that I have always had one hobby--something like my nephew here--and that is still, printing. My present position as editor of a magazine does not satisfy my craving for the printer"s workshop, but it is as near as I can come to it, so I have bided my time until an opportunity like the present one offers.
"Before I confide to you what the present offer is, I wish to explain somewhat the working of a magazine plant. I believe it is necessary to tell you how much hard work is attached to the business, and some of the enjoyments when the magazine is ready to go out.
"The first thing is to have the right kind of a story, or article. To find this it is necessary to read many, many ma.n.u.scripts. We employ "readers" for this work of selecting what we can use. The ma.n.u.scripts we cannot use are returned to the writers. After the first reader pa.s.ses on a story, another reader goes over it, and if it seems suitable, it is handed to the editor. The editor decides whether or not to accept it. If accepted, he has to go over it very carefully. Sometimes words are changed, lines inserted, or whole paragraphs cut out.
"If the story needs ill.u.s.trating an artist is sent for. If a soft-toned ill.u.s.tration is desired, the artist makes a "wash drawing"--meaning a black and white painting done with brushes, as in a water color. The "wash drawing" is then sent to the engravers and a "half-tone" plate made for use in the magazine. "Half-tones" are made of copper sheets with the picture photographed upon them.
"Sometimes we want an outline to ill.u.s.trate the story. A pen and ink sketch is required for this, and is made about twice as large as it will appear in the magazine. This is reproduced on a zinc plate, and is called a "line cut."
"Then the story is given to the linotypers. A linotype machine is very interesting. It has a key-board almost like a typewriter. When a letter is struck on the board, a piece of bra.s.s containing the impression of that letter moves into place just like a soldier starting to form a line. When the next letter is struck, the corresponding bra.s.s soldier hurries into place beside the first one. This continues until a whole line has been "set." Then the operator touches a lever, the line of bra.s.s pieces moves to a new position, and molten type-metal is poured into the mold which the bra.s.s pieces help to form. The lead at once hardens, and the whole line is ready for printing, in one solid piece.
All of this is done very fast--much faster than I can tell you about it.
It is hard to believe that a machine can do all these things so quickly and so accurately.
"When the linotype work is completed the printer places the lines of type on a "galley." Then the type is covered with ink, a piece of paper is laid on, and a heavy roller pa.s.sed over it. This impression is called the "galley proof." If the linotyper has made any mistakes in spelling or printing, they have to be corrected.
"After the "galley proofs" are corrected, the dummy--a blank-page book just the size the magazine will be--is made.
"Before us, are all the pictures and reading matter to be used. These are arranged and pasted into the dummy in the order in which they are to be printed. Sometimes a page has a little s.p.a.ce left at the bottom, and this must be filled with a neat ornament or a verse. Sometimes an article is too long, and then it must be cut down and made to fit the allotted s.p.a.ce.
"Thus, the whole magazine is "dummied" with pages of cut-up galley proofs and picture proofs, until it looks more like a child"s sc.r.a.p book than a magazine model.
"This dummy goes back to the printer, who picks out the galley-type and measures it off to compare with the pages of the dummy. This done, he places the type in a form the size of the page, places the numeral of the page at the top or bottom, with the name of the magazine at the top--this is known as the "running head," as it runs along the top of each page throughout the book.
"The printer next makes a page proof. That is, he makes a proof of each page. These pages are sent into the editorial room again, and are gone over carefully and compared with the galley proofs; if everything is correct each page is "O.K"d." If, however, there are errors, note is made of it in the margin on the page proof.
"When all the pages are "O.K"d." the page forms are "locked up"
together, sixteen, thirty-two or sixty-four, in one big form, and arranged so that when the sheet of paper is printed and folded, the pages will come in the right order."
So Uncle Ben continued his talk about magazine making. He explained the workings of different kinds of printing presses, how some print directly from the type "made ready" on a flat bed, the paper being fed into the press in flat sheets, and how some of the big presses print from curved plates that fit around a big roller, the paper running into the press continuously from an immense big roll as wide as the press. He told about the wonderful folding and st.i.tching machines, and many other interesting things.
During Uncle Ben"s talk, everyone had been so interested that not a sound was heard. When he concluded, however, the tension relaxed and his audience began asking questions.
"This is most instructive, but I can"t see where it helps the Bobolink Boys in their organization," said Mr. Talmage, quizzically.
At mention of the name "Bobolink Boys" the Blue Birds looked at each other, and then at their elders for information.
Uncle Ben saw their wonderment, and laughingly explained the plot. The girls were delighted, and had so much to say to one another that it seemed as if no further business could be attended to that day.
Uncle Ben, however, rapped loudly upon the box.
"We have many important things to attend to," he said, "and all are requested to sit still and listen. I am going back to New York in a few days, and in the meantime I should like to help start the boys on the right road to success. Now, what you all want to know is, "How does my talk about magazines help the Bobolink Boys?"
"Well, this is the way: For the past half-score of years or more, I have longed to issue a magazine for young folks that could reach out into every plane of life; for the poor children in inst.i.tutions; for the slum children; for rich children, for children in the city and children in the country--for every one of them!
"I would like to give so much instructive reading matter on its pages that the schools will circulate it among the pupils; I would like to have the pictures of the very best; I would like it to inspire boys and girls to read better books, and make them ambitious to make the most of their chances; I would like it to teach them to make things and do things for themselves; in fact, I would like to make it the best and finest magazine ever published! But I haven"t had time to experiment with my hobby and being an old bachelor I am afraid I do not understand children well enough to know how to write for them. The plan that I have been figuring out seems to fit most beautifully with the Blue Birds" and Bobolinks" work."
Uncle Ben hesitated a second, but not a sound was heard. Then he continued:
"Mother Talmage asked me last night about how much it would cost to send circulars to people who might be interested in the farms next summer. I propose that we start a children"s magazine and use its pages whenever there is an announcement of importance. If you want donations of money or help of other kinds, ask for them through the pages of the magazine.
"With the Blue Birds to write articles each month telling other children what they are doing, or how to make the things they are being taught to make, and the Bobolink Boys to write the experiences of their daily work and play, and some of the grown-ups to contribute poems and stories, of course it would be necessary to have contributions also from some of our best writers, and I know I can get them for you."
The idea of such a stupendous undertaking made the children gasp, but Mr. Talmage said, "All you have said is fine, Uncle Ben, but who will set type, buy paper, print, bind and circulate such a magazine?"
"That"s just the thing! Don"t you see? My very great interest in this plan will compel me to help in every way and all the time, and the boys will be kept busy at profitable and interesting work. When all the ma.n.u.script is in, and turned over to me I will see that it is set, and the proofs sent back to the children. The Blue Birds will enjoy making the dummies, pasting in the pictures, and arranging the pages; and the Bobolinks can proceed to print the magazines. If you don"t expect to use this carriage house for anything it may as well be turned into a print-shop. With all these boys to work, the printing ought to be great sport and not much trouble to get out a magazine."
The Blue Birds were clapping their hands in excitement while the Bobolinks jumped up, and in their eagerness, crowded about Uncle Ben, overwhelming him with so many questions that he was quite overcome.
Then Miss Selina stood up in the road-wagon, and after silencing the noisy crowd, made an announcement.
"I"ll pay for the paper that will be needed for the experiment the first month!"
"Hurrah, hurrah! for Aunt Selina!" shouted Uncle Ben, and the rest joined in with such good will that Aunt Selina sat down and held her hands over her ears.