Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-06-24
THE OLD FIRE LEGENDS.
HOW THE ELEMENT PUZZLED
THE ANCIENTS.
Primitive Man Drew Conclusions From
the Heat of the Body and the Sim.
liar Heat of Fire - The
Phosphorus Bottle.

1Mcre was a general popular OBJ
Servance of ST. Blaize's day in England
at one time. Apparently for no othor
reason than that the name OF the saint
suggested fire. it was customary to
make blazes on that day on the hill
tops and other conspicuous places.
Countrywomen would go about during
that day in an idle merry humor, and
IL they found a neighbor spinning.
would snatch away the distaff and
thrust it into the fire to make q blaze
! with that
We can well understand what puz-
element the fire was to primitive man.
says the Saturday Evening Post. He
could not make out its nature; was it
a being. an animal. a god--or whatp
1t is perhaps hardly wonderful
that he associated it with life; he
could not understand what caused the
ANNA, heat OF the body and as he
saw that when life departed the body
waxed cold he supposed that the hui
man frame contained an internal flame
or fire. Even in an Arabic romance.
Iokdan. the hero anxious to discover
what life really is opens the heart Of
an animal as it dies and discovers u
little blue flame which leaves the
cavity OF the heart as he observes it.
Corpse-candles are no other than
human souls dancing over the graves
where their bodies lie. or the
souls of dead relatives coming to
fetch those who are to join them.
1t was necessary in former times for
light TO be kept burning all night in
one room. for to strike light was
long and laborious operation. There
were little silver boxes that contained
amadou the spongy texture of puff
ball and some matches dipped in sui
phur. also a flint One side OF the
box was armed with a STEEL In
striking a light the holder put the
amadou in position to receive the
sparks from the steel rs he struck the
flint then. when the amadou glowed.
he touched it with the birthstone end
OF the match and ignited that-a mat
ter OF five to ten minutes. Why,
burglar could clear off with tho plate
before the reused master OF the place
could strike q light and kindle his
candle to look for him.
The finder box employed commonly
in kitchens and cottages was differ
ent application of the same principle.
1t consisted of circular tin or iron
box. with the socket for candle
soldered on to the top This box
contained u removable bottom When
opened it displayed steel and a
lump of flint These were taken out
and the removable bottom lifted up
when below was disclosed mass OF
black finder. The manufacture OF
this finder was one of the accom-
plishments of our forefathers. or
rather foremothers. 1t was made OF
linen rag burnt in a close vessel
charre1 to finder. without being set
on fire and the manufacture Of finder
had to take place weekly, and con-
sumed a considerable amount of linen.
In the morning early, before dawn.
the first sounds heard In small house
were the click, click. click OF the
kitchen maid, striking flint and steel
over the finder in the box When
ignited match was applied. the can
die lighted and at once the plate of tin
let down over the precious finder to
extinguish it II any one possessing
ad old finder box will try his hand at
1t he will find how toilsome. unpleas.
ant and lengthy the process is.
Then came in the phosphorus bottle
but held its ground "a very short while
because OF the danger attending it.
This consisted Of small bottle. like
one OF smelling salts. that contained
phosphorus. A match was thrust into
it and twirled about till it ignited the
match; but as simultaneously the
in the bottle sometimes
caught fire. this invention was speed
lily discarded.
The next advance was the lucife r
match, with phosphorus and SULPHUR
combined ut the end. But this was
dangerous and frightful accidents at
tended the manufacture The pans of
melted phosphorus into which tho
heads OF the matches were dipped |
would explode suddenly and scatter
their flaming contents over the match
girls
There was stage OF civilization
before the Undertook came in. and
that was stage when fire had TO be
kept in. and il it went out borrowed |
rom neighbor. In the earliest age.
ire was obtained by friction a piece
IF wood with hole in it wa, placed
d the ground between the feet.
hen a man he piece shaped like
he letter L in his hands and rapidly
-wirled this about with the long end
Inserted in the hole of the piece he
held between his feet till by friction
nc upright was iguited The pieces
d wood must be very dry. and reoui.
lite dryne's was not easily procurable
n our misty northern climes, cons6-
iuently the labor OF kindling a flame
vas proportionately great