decided to make the bottoms of cotton cloth. This cloth is stretched
upon a frame, the dimensions of which are greater than that of the paper
to be dried. The stock of which the frame is made is pine, 1¼ inches
wide, and three-eighths of an inch thick. The corners are simply mitered
together and attached to each other by means of the wire staples that
are commonly used for fastening together pages of manuscript, and which
are called "novelty staples." Eight staples are used at each miter, four
above and four below the joint. Two of the staples, at the top and near
the ends of the joint, are set square across it, and two others, at the
top and near the middle of the joint, are placed diagonally across it.
The staples at the bottom are similarly placed. The joint is quite firm
and strong, and is likely to hold for an indefinite period with fair
usage. The cloth, stretched upon the frame, is fastened to it by means
of similar staples. A dark colored cloth not transparent to light is to
be preferred. A strip of pine, 1-13/16 inches wide, and three eighths of
an inch thick, forms the vertical front of the drawer, and prevents the
admission of much light from the front while the sheet is drying. Two
triangular knee pieces, three-quarters of an inch thick, serve to
connect the front board with the frame, and four small screws with a few
brads are used in attaching them. The lower edge of the front board
drops one-quarter of an inch below the bottom of the drawer. My case
stands in a poorly lighted room, and paper dried in this case and
removed to a portfolio as soon as it is dry does not seem to be injured
by the light that reaches it. With the case in a well lighted room, I
should prefer to have outer doors to the case, made of ordinary board
six or eight inches wide, hinged to one end, and arranged to swing
horizontally across the front of the case. These would more completely
prevent the admission of light. The opening of any one of the doors
would allow three or four of the drawers to be filled, while the rest of
the case would be comparatively dark at the same time.[2]