Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-25
STOVES FOR YOUR POCKETS.
Or You Can Scatter Them All Over
Your Vital Parts, If You Like.

"Why, how warm your hand isr' exclaimed
young Noodles, upon clasping hands with his
friend Timpkins on street one day during the
recent cold snap.
Timpkins grinned.
You haven't your gloves on, either; and
yet, while my g1oved hands are like icicles,
yours are as warm as toast. Do you carry
around stoves in your overcoat pockets?"
THAT is precisely what do" replied limp
kins, laughing. "Your random guess struck
the fact squarely. carry a stove in each side
pocket of my top coat in this sort of weather
and l find them very comfortable, l assure
you. though there hasn't been occasion to use
them before during this winter. Here is one
of them"
With this Timpkins drew forth and exhib-
tied to view curious little tin box about
inches long by in width and inch in thick
ness 1t was slightly curved in shape and ap-
peared to be covered with some stuff like
glazed calico. When the top was slid off the
inside was seen to be made Of tin perforated
with great many holes. 1t contained moth
ing but round stick of some queer-looking
substance, which was burning at the end with
a bright redness, but without any flame or a
particle OF smoke.
JAPANESE STOVES.
"What do you call it?'' demanded Noodles
wonderingly.
1T is japanese stove-a device that has
been used in Japan very commonly for many
centuries You see, it is simply a tin box with
holes in it, covered on the outside with this
calico stuff to help retain the heat. It is really
quite hot, you observe and 1t will remain SO
for five hours with the burning of a single fire
stick. You can't imagine how agreeable it is
to have couple OF such stoves in your pockets
TO Keep your hands warm. No frozen fingers
Tor me, when can carry my fire around with
me. They are so small and 80 fiat that they
don't even make ones pockets bulge"
But why is the Continuance made with
curve?'
Because it accommodates itself more read
lily to the hand, for one thing. The chief
reason, however, is that it is better adapted in
this shape to other uses. Warming the hands
Is out one Of the services the Japanese stove is
made to perform. 1t is applied also to any
other part of the body that needs heating. /
know man who wears always in cold weather
two OF the stoves on his chest beneath his
shirt They fit admirably and keep him warm
and comfortable for many hours at stretch
He told me that he wouldn't be without them
for anything. have understood that in Japan
they are put over the kidneys or the stomach
Or on any other part where heat is desirable
rheumatic sufferers find their use most bene-
ficiaL''
Il should think they would be good for
grip"
Il have no doubt. Indeed, for any sort of
d
them japanese stoves ought to be excellent.
should think that delicate persons would find
great comfort in cold weather in half a dozen
or SO scattered over the vital parts of the
body. There is no reason why ladies should
not carry, them in their muffs; the equivalent is
done in Japan"
THEY COST MONEY.
care these stoves very expensive?"
"Very. They cost IS cents apiece, and with
each one are thrown in two packages of the fuel
sticks for burning in them. The fuel sticks are
made just the length of the little tin box and
they come in packages put up very much like
hrecrackers. They are made of very finely
powered charcoal and, curiously enough the
burning doesn't give off any perceptible smoke.
II you want great deal Of heat YOU light both
ends of stick-only one ia used at a time
and you get double the warmth for two hours
and a half. An extra amount of caloric could,
of course, be obtained by putting in two or
three sticks at q once lighted; but that would
make the stove too hot for ordinary purposes
1t is easy enough to carry three or four sticks
In your pocket if you are going to be out all
day In the cold, and as soon as one is used I'D
to light another and renew the supply of fuel
You can get as many fuel sticks as you want at
the Chinese and japanese shops where they
sell the stoves