Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-18
Ghe family Cirtlr.
King AIfrNd's Lantern.

King AIfrod's Lantern.
Did you ever try to imagine, when you
were studying the beginning of English
history, what kind of people the old Anglo
Stxons We're, and how they lived? They
were our far. off ancestors, and our Ian
guage for the most part was made from
theirs; in fact, we are called Anglo
Saxons ourselves; so we ought TO be inter-
csted in them.
They were Il rude people in many
respects, and lived in rude way compar-
ed with ours, How would you like win
dows which had no glass in them very
small windows, tuo-but had oiled paper
or sheets Of horn instead? OF course the
rooms must have been dark and dismal,
you will say. And what would you think Of
houses without chimneys, or anything we
should call chimneys? But matters were
really not much better even in king
houses, about ten hundred years ago.
The most important room in those days
was called the hall; and it was large
enough to accommodate the family, the
great company Of servants, and all the
quests who chose to come. They ate there
sat there, and most Of them slept there, on
rough benches, or rolled up in skins Oh
the floor. 1t was open to every chance
traveller, to the wandering harpers, TO beg
CARS, and everybody else.
The fire was built against II clay or
stone arrangement, answering for Il fire
place, at one end. or on an immense stone
hearth in the middle; and the smoke,
after floating up overhead found its way
!, lind ,,ft
in the root. AT dark they heaped high the
logs and Egots; and happy was he who
on Il stormy night could get near the
| blaze. When supper time came, servants
stood behind those at the table and held
torches over their heads I'LL the meal was
over; and when bedtime came, the guests
who had any other place than the hall to
sleep in were lighted to it IN the same
way.
As for the king, he was more privileged
than that; though Just what they first
used for lights, and Just when lamps be-
came common among the Anglo.SaXons,
it is not easy to find out. We see in some
very old pictures Il simple little lamp.
shaped pelhaps like Il saucer, hung by
chains at the side Of the room, and holding
no doubt piece Of wax or some kind OF
OIL, with strip OF cloth IN 1t lor WICK.
Sometimes, in the royal chambers, for a
vely long time after King Allrcd's day, a
light was kept by means of cake OF wax
in Il silver basin.
They knew how to make candles, how
ever; but instead of putting one IN Il
candlestick, it was put on it. The candle
stick had II point at the top, called spike
and the candle was made hollow at the
bottom, and slipped down over the spike
one so fixed was known as 4 " prickct.'
There is, among some illustrations OF
old customs, u picture of II candlestick,
which is very queer though very elegant,
and looks like Il little piece OF furniture.
1t is "a tall stem rising from thrce-footed,
three -cornercd stand, very much orna-
mcntcd; it comes to point at the top,
and II little way below is Il plate to hold
the tallow or the WAX that might ran
down We do not know that King Alfred
had anything like this; but he had what
nobody had ever seen before in that
country, for he invented it himself, and
that was It itAtcrH.
Til, good king was Il very busy man
the people around him might be willing
to idle away their days over the fire
listening to the harpers, telling stories
and PLAY ing with The hounds, but he felt
hat he had u great work to do. He want
cd to make his subjects more civilized, tc
teach them useful arts, and ne had not IN
honr TO waste. He built towns, he built
ships; he read, and studied, and wrote
and that WAS wonderful, indeed, in those
DAYS when there were but few books, and
when even princes could not write lheiI
own names. lie WAS the best, the wisest
and the most learned king that the Saxon,
had ever had.
He used t., carry in his bosom memo
raudum leaves, in which he made collec
tons from hi, sludies," and this iourna
he was in the habit of examining 50 mucl
that {" he called ii his htad bgob." And