The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-08


white walls of our snow hut, but in fine
winter time the Esquimaux think \
great deal of their lamp, for it helps TO
keep them warm; with it they melt
snow to obtain water to drink and in
net hung over it they dry their clothes
after being out in the rain and sleet
Then, too, they hang over the lamp the
pot in which they cook their meals
Il shouldn't think they could cook
very well over such lamp" said Bes-
sic.
We'll" said mamma, 'the Fsoui-
maux don't care about having their
meals very thoroughly cooked But
there is much prettier kind of lamp
that is used by the people who live in
the Shetland Islands. Do you remem-
Der where they are?'
No" said Bessie, disconsolatelv
That was always the way with mamma's
stories; there was always something in
them that made Bessie take her geoo-
raphy and hunt out places. But if she
did not find the place she knew she
should hear no more about the differ
ent candles and lamps; so she drew her
geography out from under the pile of
school-books on the lower shelf of the
bookcase, and, after much hunting. the
| Shetland Islands were discovered to be
north of Scotland.
There! Now 90 on, please" said
Bessie, with sigh of relief as she closed
the geography, having disposed of the
troublesome islands.
yes" said mamma, with a smile
''Well, if we lived there on the shore of
one OF the long narrow bays that the
natives call woes, and if we were fisher
people who caught herring and cod
from the ocean, most likely we should
get our lamps out of the sea, too If
we wanted one probably you and
would 90 out to the sea-shore and begin
to dig"
That would be queer place to get
lamp" said Bessie.
yes" said mamma, 'but not very
far down in the mud and sand we should
find a kind of shell about six inches
long, and looking something like quite
a large snail-shell, and we would DIG it
up and take it back home with US.
Next we would take out the little mol
lusc inside so as to save it for our bait
the next time we went cod-fishing, and
then we would fasten cord to each
end of the shell and hang it up. Then
we would fill it with oil and Law wick
through it, and then our lamp would
he all ready for lighting. OF course we
should not need a lamp in the summer
nights any moro than the Esuuimaux do.
for then the sun would hardly 90 out of
sight at all, but in the dark, foggy win
tiers our shell-lamps would be very
useful"
What other kinds of lights are
there?" asked Bessie
"Well," said mamma, "there is the
tallow-tree. The Chinese have that.
The seeds of the tallow-tree are quite
oily, and the Chinese split them and
boil them in water Then the tallow
rises on the top of the water Just as you
have seen fat when we were boiling
meat, and the Chinese woman skins
the tallow off. When it becomes cold
it is just aswhite as snow, and very soft
indeed. Then it is made into candles,
but these are so soft that they will not
stay in shape long; and so the Chinese
woman dips them into some wax, so as
to cover the outside of the candles with
a harder crust and keep them from
melting in the warm weather. Such
candles turn brownafter little while"
"One candle wouldn't give very
bright light, said Bessie.
"No,' said mamma. "Sometimes
they use those bright colored Chinese
lanterns that you have seen hanging up
in the Chinese shops. Many OF those
lanterns can be shut up fiat like a fan.
But one of the queerest kinds of lights
is that that the Indians on the coast of
British Columbia use."
"What is it9" asked Bessie.
at is fish found in the Pacific
Ocean," said mamma, "and it is called
the candle-lish because of its use by
these Indians. 1t is about foot long,
and very fat and oily. The Indians
catch these fish and dry them. Then,
when an Indian wants a candle, he takes
one of these fishes, lights it at the tail,
and it burns brightly. Sometimes the
Indians make a different sort of candle
of the fish by running a wick of woody
threads through it.
Il should think it would give kind
of tishy smell while it was burning"
said Bessie.
perhaps it does" said mamma,
"but | don't suppose the Indians are
very particular about that. But there's
papa coming, Bessie. l wonder if
Jennie has our supper all ready"
"Well. Tn glad don't live with any
of the people that have such queer
lights" said Bessie, I'm sure
shouldn't like it'-and away she ran
to meet papa and tell him all about the
candle-nuts, and the candle-tishes, and
the people who dig in the sand for their
lamps. Mary 3. Barntord, IN N. Y.
Examiner.