Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-17
The End Of a Candle.
CLEMENT SCOTT.

The title of my story suggestive, and
l doubt not that it may appeal to boys
minds in various ways. Allow me, how
ever, to preface my little anecdote with
the grave assertion that what follows is
connected in no way whatever with
what, in schoolboy phraseology, is tech
nically known as ga SELL" l have been,
thank goodness, a schoolboy myself; and
l am happy to say that the old fashioned |
tricks were, as they should be, played up
on me in common with nv fellow crca- |
lures.
What | have to tell has, however, moth
ing to do with tricks in tallow or pilfer-
ed lights. My story treats Of real bona
fde candle, not one of your modern com
posite inventions with fiuely.tapered
enu patented and warranted to fit every
conceivable candlestick, and wick thai
never wants shutting, but dies away into
a dissipated fiery end.
You must go back with me to the old
days, when patent candles were not in
vented or thought Of, and when silver
snutfer-tray and pair of silver shutters
were brought in and deposited by the
side OF the candlesticks in great stare.
According to my present ideas of life,
don't think that | should consider Staun-
ton altogether lively place; but Staun-
ton IN the days when I knew it was to
me paradise. My two maiden aunts,
were exceedingly fond OF their nephew,
and as their nephew was not altogether
mischievous lad, and possessed the Won
| derful gift of being able to amuse him
felt, it need not appear extraordinary that
the owners Of certain WITHHOLDING,
clean mansion in Main Street of Staunton
and the pale-faced visitor at the said
mansion cotton very we'll together.
| My first insight into life and its mys-
ferrous ways, dates from my first visit to
Staunton, where [ was Just as happy
watching the market-carts come into town
and put up at the Tavern over the way
as was playing at stage coach, and every
other conceivable variation of coaching
expedition, all by myself in deserted
out house, the only property to render me
assistance being tumble-down and rick
ETY. old phaeton.
had been mlld, doclIe lad, amusing
myself in my quiet, urassuming manner
thoroughly contented with my own socie-
ty and that ofmy respected aunts. Charley
Clode was the means of revolutionizine
my lite. He had lots of adventures and
tales to relate to me; he first fired me Will
the enthusiasm of public school life, tolo
me OF his adventures and deeds of daring
OF the heroes Of the school that he wor
SHIPPED and the sneaks whom he despised
and altogether thought Charley Clode s
most enjoyable companion, and cultivat
ed his society accordingly.
He was q capital fellow was Charley.
father, and would often come out and have
turn with US at ball, or whatever gam,
we might be playing. He was a doctor
AND. great at all sorts Of experiments, will
which he used to delight US in the even
lngs. According to Charley's account
there was no one who could make sucI
fireworks as his father, and though i
was the wrong time of the year we wer,
promised miniature display on the law,
the very first dark night that came.
One evening" shall never forget it
| was over at the Globes house, and the
: doctor, who had nothing particular to do
was working for us little steam-engin,
he had lately made. The doctor had ;
, workshop in the basement floor of thu
house; and adjoining this was dark
gloomy-looking cellar, wherein were de
posted all sorts Of odds and ends---olt
empty bottels from the surgery, packing
cases, and rubbish of every kind. Tn,
7 workshop and its adjacent lumber-cellal
had always been forbidden us boys, fo
the doctor rather mistrusted Charley's ca
liabilities of resisting the facinations O
l the lathe; and though not particular,
tidy in his own work, had that peculiar
method in his tintidiness that he knew
exactly where to lay his hands upon ev-
erything he wanted, and was by no mean.
anxious that any Of his work should be
spoiled by careless handling or delayed
by sudden impulse Of boyish mischief
On the particular night to which am al
luding, Charley and were sent off from
the drawing groom, in which the doctors
family asiassembled, to hunt up the re-
mains of an old tramway which the
doctor had made years ago, and which
was to be called into requisition or the
special occasion on which the doctor hao
promised all of us that he would work
the miniature engine on which he had ex
J pended so much time and trouble, in full
assembly.
The wreck Of the tramway was repor.
ted to be among the old lumber which
} lay in a helpless and confused mass in
the dreary dark cellar which adioined
the surgery on the basement floor.
We must get a CANDLE" said Charley,
for it is pitch dark now, and we shall not
besable to see yard before u.s.
"All right old boy; but let us be quick
about it, for your father seems anxious to
work this engine, and all the ladies are
: impatient"
We made our way into the kitchen, and
don't think they were quite prepared
I for our sudden appearance OF the ener-
} getic appeal Charley made for a candle.
& In 9 little room adjoining the kitchen
maid was washing up plates and glasses
by the light of the very smallest portion
of tallow candle, whose wick was at
that moment Of a portentous length, and
dimmed considerably the uncertain rays
which the candle threw upon the melan-
cl.oly party.
Here, this will d." said energetic
Charley, selling the scrap of candle, and,