The machine stands in a substantial iron framework, five feet by four, within which the mechanism is nicely disposed, so that there may be ample room for the four operations of setting, justifying, leading, and distributing.  In front is a key-board of forty keys, which correspond to two hundred and fifty-six characters, arranged in eight cases.  A single case consists of thirty-two flat brass tubes, standing perpendicularly, side by side, each one being filled with a certain denomination of type.  Seven of the keys determine from which case the desired letter shall be taken.  Thus, the small letter a is set by touching the a key; the capital A by touching the “capital key” in connection with the a key; the capital B by touching the “capital key” in connection with the b key; and so on with every letter.  There are also keys called the “small capital,” the “Italic,” and the “Italic capital”; so that the machine contains all the characters known to the compositor.  The operation of these “capital” and “small-capital keys” is similar to that of an organ-stop in modifying the effect of other keys.

When the machine is in motion,—­and I should here mention that it is worked by steam,—­a curious piece of mechanism, called “the stick,”—­which is about as large as a man’s hand, and quite as adroit,—­plays to and fro beneath the cases, and acts obediently to the operator’s touch.  The spectacle of this little metallic intelligence is amusing.  It is armed with pincers, which it uses much as the elephant does his trunk, though with infinite celerity.  Every time a key is touched, these pincers seize a type from one of the tubes, turn downward, and, as it were, put it into the mouth of the stick.  And so voracious is the appetite of this little creature, that in a few seconds its stomach is full,—­in other words, the line is set.  A tiny bell gives warning of this fact, and the operator finishes the word or syllabic.  He then touches the justifying-key, and the spacer seizes the line and draws it into another part of the machine, to be justified, while the empty stick resumes its feeding.  No time is lost; for, while the stick is setting a second line; the “spacer” is justifying the first; so that, in a few moments after starting, the processes are going forward simultaneously.  That of justifying is, perhaps, the most ingenious.  It is accomplished in this wise.  The stick never sets a full line, but leaves room for spaces, and with the last letter of each word inserts a piece of steel, to separate the words.  When the line has been drawn into the spacer, the pieces of steel, which are furnished with nicked heads for the purpose, are withdrawn, and ordinary spaces are substituted.  All this requires no attention whatever from the operator.  The matter, thus set and justified, is now leaded by the machine, and deposited upon a galley ready for the press.