Nebraska advertiser., 1879-03-06
Wonderful Candle.

you the truth, never thought about
1t at all; but 1t happened that one
evening not long ago, was made
very much ashamed of my stupidi-
ty.
I received an invitation to spend
the evening with a learned professor
and his beautiful wife, who live in
large house on Madison avenue, in
New York, and to witness some elec-
trieal experiments.
What delightful and sensible invi-
tation! I knew 1 should meet not
only the best, but the most cultivated
people; and I anticipated far greater
enjoyment than if it had been an or
dlnary evening party. In this pleas
ant expectation was not disappoint-
ed.
After the company had assembled,
they were invited to go to the top of
the house. We marched up the stairs
In procession, the ladies having taken
the arms of the learned men. We
were ushered into large room, from
which all the furniture had bee n re-
moved. Camp-chairs were arranged
In rows, and were quickly filled. This
room opened into another, which also
was filled with camp chairs. Between
the rooms was high table, on which
were mysterious scientific-looking
Jars, out of which came small copper
wires in fine coils. The tops of these
seemed to be connected together by
finer wires. On the table, besides
these, were a gas drop-llght, com.
mon talIow candle. a little bronze
boat containing oil, with a wick at
one end, a rather shabby-looking
dark candlestick, or what looked like
one, and some other things, the uses
of which did not know.
Fastened against the wall was a
large square, made of three colors of
silk, broad stripes of blue, red and
green, surround by wide yellow bor-
der, and 1 wondered to myself If it
were banner, and to what nation 1t
belonged.
After we were seated, there was q
momentary silence of expectation.
and I family heard something that
sounded like the muffled beating of a
steam-engine. saw 1t afterward in
the back room, pretty little engine,
hard at work NOT boiling water, to
generate or make steam-but petrol
cum engine, burning petroleum oil,
to generate or make an electric cur
rent which was carried through pipe
to the table between the rooms. The
professor said that this cunning little
engine consumed only one drop Of oil
a minute, and yet it was "a horse and
half power" I called it horse and
q colt power. You all know that the
power of all steam engines is thus
gauged or measured that is, each one
has the strength and can do the work
of SO many horses. The engine of an
ocean steamer is Of many hundred
horse power-a giant in strength and
resistance against the mighty winds
almost resistless power, to
''Cleave path majestic through the food.
As II she were goddess of the deep"
And now that have quoted this
elegant compliment to the steam en-
gine, will tell you what the profes-
sor said about light.
"Iu very old times" he began,
people went to bed with the 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 of burning wood. At
ter while, some observing old fellow
noticed that when grease fell into the
fire, the blaze became much brighter;
30 he dipped a reed or rush into oil
and set one end on fire, and thus rush
lights came into fashion. Old books
and songs tell about the farthing rush
lights. They were sold four for pen.
~, and very dismal illumination
hey must have made. Then people |
'egan to put oil in cups, preparing a g
ind of pork to set In the oil for a wick I
nd burned that. The great feasts of j
he Romans, in the old classical heath {
n times, before the birth of our Sa-
ior, must have been most dingy af. q
airs, for all they had for lighting up o
heir tables were these lamps" And 81
ere the professor put out all the gas IL
ghts. and applied a match to the p
'ick at one end of the little bronze
.oman boat. &c
1t was highly classical and very ell III
yant in shape; but the light 1t gave +"
as so utterly dismal that all the &C
'mpany uttered funny little grosn &C
I'd a handsome old gentleman, who NJ
{ next to me said: eli
well after that specimen of old So
oman brilliancy, I am quite recon- oe
ed to paying my big gas-bills." Ia
ha
+, candles were invented. To A'
0y yeg wha. i the l.s Jlg irst Sa9s ones were
lie. IL should evolve or unfurI the
'shroHd' in the light, and ~. ~,
otherwise disagreeabIe; but this - -
,, am afraid. will be far more re- Nv -"
ctable and well behaved than the ~
ow candles of our ancestors" &c
lere he lit the candle, and another an
nal groan saluted the forlorn vel sC
iUhk Tt IooHod