Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-19
Some Small Things.

From Harpers' Bazaar.
We often wonder how many of us are con-
scious of our advantages in living at this stage
OF humanity's achievements rather than at an
earlier one. How much more cleaniy and con-
venient is life now that we eat by the helm of
forks than it was two hundred and fifty years
ago, when forks were unknown, and fingers
were Gaubed with whatever there was with
which to daub them! How much more agree
able Is life now that the newspaper is the COM
mon visitor of the poorest house! What was it
that our fathers and mothers suffered when the
tallOw dip and the whale-oil lamp, whose failing
wick had to be picked up every now and then
with pin, made darkness visible rather than
dispelled II! One marvels in remembering it not
only that they did not become blind Themselves
but that we also were not all born blind. What
teuium was that which these same fathers and
mothers, and all their ancestors before them
for many years, endured in the long Journeys
when the hardships of the saddle and bride
path were succeeded by the passing luxury of
the stage coach, in which, damned in together
and with no matter whom, the day and nights
journey numbered along in a misery of which
nobody dreamed OF naming the positive extent
Till the railway car replaced it, and what sus-
pense and anxiety and grief, dying a thousand
deaths in one, did they not have to encounter
before the telegraph arrived to make converse
ton as swift and easy as thought!
Moreover, what avenues of culture what
possibilities of excellence and eminence are
open now to the average woman since the cot
ton-'nll has taken out of ner hands the neces-
sily OF passing her days as a slave at the spin
niDg-wheei, and bending her back at the loom
SO that there was hardly time in her life for
Spelllny out u chapter In her Biblei But these
affairs bring US upon the great things OF liie
and TO return TO the smaller Things OF which we
began 10 speak, can any OF us imagine how in
the world We got along before needles were as
common as grass Spires and pins put careless
sewing at premium, and W hen thOrns were i'm
domestic demand Tor iastners ot slig bit materials
How did our young aunts make themselves look
pretty when calico prints were sold at eighty
cents yard instead OF at six and tour cents as
they are to-day? And how did they dare meet
an aGmirer In the muddy street when the hid
eous, sEapeless Indaruober oyershoe was worn
in place OF our delicate and wel-shaped gossa-
mer sandal?
Perhaps we were just as well off before tea
was added TO our diet, although then we drank
beer that fruitful mother OF many diseases;
perhaps honey was healthy for our cse as
sugar Is; perhaps We are no better for the potato
that takes Its revenge for being robbed of its
wlidness by producing various maladies of in
digestion; surely many OF us would almost be
glad II America had never been found III SO to
bacco could also have remained undiscovered:
perhaps We were better of before gunpowder ad.
ded Its diSintegrating power to the universe
But W no OF Us all could do without patches now
that We know of them? Years ago. when the
chemist or the physician kept his Phosphorus
shut up in bottle that it might lend him light
on swift occasion, when everybody had the tim
on tine Kitchen mantel, when nobody Thought
any more OF letting the lire on the hearth 90 out
than the Vestal would have suffered her lamps
Name to die, but raked it up and covered it
with ashes, TO be scattered and reveal the live
coal In the morning; when, If the shock
ing catastrophe did take place, an iron skill
let full of Goals or else burning brand had To
be run for and borrowed OF u neighbor and run
back with IN mighty hurry; when Iamp-light-
ers bristled on the shelf, and one lighted pine or
candle, oftener than any other way, by blow
Ing on the red Goals held in pair Of tongs till
The fire flashed up fitfully for the necessary
second OF time. Years ago, when all this mad TO
take place, under the stress too, OF inex KLAUS
tole patience, would not people have looked
on our little lucfer-match and all its congeners
as emanating from Lucifer himself and have
pursued, as witch and wariock were pursued
the man who carried the savage's fashion OF
I nfyv
made fire 10 its highest power by first dipping
the pieces Of wood into explosive and infam.
mable material, SO that fire was always in the
house siumberins in the disguise OF these tiny
chips:
What there is left for coming generations to
discover in order still further 70 alleviate life
and make home happier is past conjecture.
Electricity has It's treasures in store to be sure
and doubtless by its means some other our
successors will be looking back on Us with pity
for ali We are now deprived OF, and thinking
how hard was our lot that we could not make
morning calls among the planets nor harness u
comet To our phseLons Tor an afternoons sweep
ing among the fixed stars.