Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-25
Kerosene Lamps.

THIS is the season when nearly every
paper we take up relates some horrible
casualty from the explosion OF a kerosene
lamp, or the like, and women and chill
dren are either killed outright or terribly
burned and SCARED for life. 4 simple
knowledge OF the inflammable nature Of
the fluid would probably put an end to
nearly all the accidents. First, no lamps
should ever be filled after dark by the
light of a candle. Always do this work
after the breakfast dishes are put away,
and then not only fill them, but wash the
chimneys, for if they are dim and smoky,
you cannot expect to have bright light.
Take the chimney in one hand and breath
through it; then draw large wisp of
paper up and down it, and all the blur
will be removed. If the chimney is black
ered with lamp smoke, turn warmish wa
ter through the tube, and then wipe out
with paper in the same style as before. If
The lamps are glass, and they become
Clouded with a deposit from the kerosene,
| take lime water that is milky with the
lime and shake it up in the lamp. Do
this with two different washings and all
| the deposit will be removed. A little
| chloride of lime, dissolved in warm
| water, and left in lamp or can which
has held kerosene, will deodoriZe it very
soon. Lamps must be filled every morn
| ing. THIS as an imperative duty for every
housekeeper to see performed, for as the
oil burns down in lamp, there is created
| highly inflammable gas, which gathers
| imperceptily over the surface, and as fast
as the oil is consumed this gas increases,
so when the oil is nearly out of the lamp,
the slightest jar of the table will set the
| gas on fire, an explosion follows instanta-
neously, and bombshell would not be
more destructive, for its touches are
deathly. But if the oil is burned only
half way down in your lamp, the gas is
not of sufficient power to do any injury
therefore let me beg of you never to deter
the operation of lamp-filling to another
day, but see yourself that it is done.
! When | read of deaths occurring from
trying to light fires with kerosene, al
ways think the verdict of the coroners
jury should be, "SerUed them rig7t,' for it
seems impossible to believe that any NOR
tai could be so foolish as to tamper with
such a highly inf1ammable liquid Better
try to kindle fires with powder can well
filled than with the contents of your kero
sene can.-Daisy Eyebright, IN Count1a
Gentleman.
In his recently published diary, Mos
cheles records an amusing instance of the
perplexities which slang causes to learn
ers of English. To-day" he writes, 81
was asked at dessert which fruit of those
) on the table l would prefer. Some
; sneers,' l replied, ingenuously. The com
pany first of all were surprised, and ther
, burst into laughter when they guessed tht
process by which | had arrived at the ex
5 preston. |, who at that time had to con
: struct my English laboriously out of dia
f logue books and dictionaries, had fount
r that mot to care a fig meant to sneer a
9 person. so when | wanted to ask TO
J. figs, fig and sheer | thought were synon
ymous."
JoHNsoA. who is now confined in tn,
e New Haven jail for numbering his board
ing mistress, doesn't seem to be yer,
f rugged He writes his counsel that h
t has rheumatism, heart disease, dyspep
e STA, frequent fits in my sleep, my heat
: troubles me, too, and sometimes l reall7