The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-03-28

people went 10 Deu Wltn Uut
chickens when the sun had set
When they wanted to sit up a little
later, all the light they knew how
to make was from the blaze ot
burning wood. After while, some
observing old fellow noticed that
when grease fell into the fire, the
blaze become much brighter; sc
he dipped reed or rush into oil
and set one end on fire, and thus
rushlights came into fashion. Old
books and songs tell about the
farthing rush-lights. They were
sold four for penney, and very
dismal illumination they must have
made. Then people began to put
oil in cups, preparing a rlnd of pork
to set in the oil for a wick, and
burned that. The great feasts OF
the Romans, in the old classical
heathep times, before the birth OF
our Savior, must have been most
dlngy affairs, for all they had for
lighting mp their tables were these
lamps" And here the professor put
out all the gas-lights, and applied
a match to the wick at one end of
the little bronze Roman boat.
1t was highly classical and very
elegant in shape; but the light it
gave was so utterly dismal that all
the company uttered funny little
groan, and II handsome old gentle
man, who sat next to me, said:
" Well, after that specimen of
old Roman brilliancy, | am quite
reconciled to paying my big gas
bills"
"After this" continued the pro-
fessor, candles were invented.
TO show you what the first ones
were like, | tried to get as bad a
one as possible. 1t should evolve
or unfurl the traditional 'shrouG
in the light, and be otherwise disa-
greeable; but this one, am afraid,
will be far more respectable and we'll
behaved than the tallow candles of
our ancestors"
Here he lit the candle, and an.
other dismal groan saluted the for
lorn yellow light. 1t looked rs if l.
had lost all its friends. 1t sputter-
ed and guttered tallow tears ran
down it's greasy sides, and very
soon it became, if not il broken
hearted, certainly a broken-backed,
tallow candle.
"It was not so many years ago"
said the professor; 1" that candles
were in general use. though greatly
improved in quality for the next
invention-the argand burner, or
astral lamp-coltld only he afforded
by wellto-do people. The flame
was fed by the oil made from the
blubber of the sperm whale, which
was rather expensive; but the
lamp made a great Improvement in
artificial light. Many of us can
remember the astral lamp, which
gave a soft, pleasant, steady light
under its glass shade, quite sufii-
cient to render a room of ordinary
size cheerful al d cozy. Gas had
been discovered, and utilized in
places of business long time be-
fore it was introduced into our bet.
ter houses; and then it was that
petroleum or kerosene took the
place of candles in poorer locali-
ties, and it is still in universal use.
"You may think that there is
nothing better to be desired than
gas; but if the ladies present
would consider how this light
changes and Injuries many delicate
colors, and how unbecoming it is,
they would rejoice in that restless
spirit of invention that is ever cry
ing 'Excelsiorp and is now using all
its resources to bring the exquisite
ly beautiful pure, white electric |
light into common use. Let me
show you the effect Of light still |
more yellow than gas light on those
colors hanging up. 1t is sodium
light, and sodium is only common
salt prepared for burning"
Here the professor applied
match to one of the things on the
table of which | told you | did not
know the uses. A dull, deep yel-
low fame. sprang up. All the blue,
red and green in what we will call
the banner vanished utterly-no-
body knows where-leaving three
ugly gray aud leaden colored
stripes, while the pale yellow bor
der had an attack OF yellow iaun-
dice Immediately, and became
orange color. The professor held
his hand against the flame, and it
changed to a CHASTITY gray hand,
and as to us, we looked like dressed
up ghosts. ne
/" You see now," said the profess
sor, show great an improvement a
white light ought to be. / am told
that when ladies purchase silk for
an evening dress, they request to
have it shown by gas-light. Some
of the larger stores have a little
room lighted only by gas for this
purpose; and it is surprising to
notice how a silk, beautiful in day
light, will alter and become dingy
in color the moment the gas-light
flashes upon it."
Aud now the professor, putting
out the hateful sodium light, touch
ed hidden spring. 1naB instant
like the winking of an eye-a tiny,
but most glorious, star, or, what il