Good Invention - Or What???

December 19, 1868 (at the newspaper office)
An old Irishman came into our office a few weeks ago, with an invention he wished to have patented. It consisted of a fine long steel blade of a pen knife and whose handle terminated in a lead pencil.
“Yes”, we said, “it’s a good pencil, but what’s the blade at the other end intended for?” “Oh”, replied he, “that’s where the merit lies. Don’t ye see, it’s to sharpen the lead pencil with, when it gets dull.”
We directed him to the patent office, for such an inventive brain ought to receive its just reward.