Milford chronicle., 1896-03-27
: MODERN CANDLES.
THEY ARE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS
OVER THOSE OF FORTY YEARS ago.

rnt,re,v suufcd out the Candle.
Now that candles have again come
into nse as a means for lighting recep-
ton rooms where gas is considered TOO
hot and electric lights too glaring' COM
narisous are being made with the can
dles Of today and those of the long ago.
He is not very old man who still re-
members the malodorous "tallow dip.
six TO the pound, that he bought at the
grocery or perhaps may bave helped to
make in d domestic way on napufoayS
when at home from school.
1t is but few years since candle
molds were a very important and neces-
sary part of every household, and yet so
: completely are they now banished 70
the limbo Of forgotten and useless
things fhat there must 30 thousands OF
voung people to whom pair Of shutters
and a candle mold would prove I'M
doubted curiosities They were not very
pleasant to the nostrils, those old fash
Toned tallow candles, their Illuminating
power was not good, and their need OF
constant shutting was indispensable, and
though the fingers we're the handiest OF
enuffers one was very apt to get badly
smudged in the course Of an evening
Vet the world stumbled along with
no better light than that for 10 cen
furies and accomplished considerable
things on the way. Great scholars were
made by saved up candle ends, great
volumes written and the world enlght-
ened, even if the writer's and teachers
CROPPED a great deal.
The great performances Of Garrlck
and Siddons were given behind foot
lights OF tallow candles, and the candle
snuffer was one of the most important OF
supers in the theater of the olden time.
"Without candle snuffer, says Gold
smith of play he had seen, 1.-THE piece
would lose half its embellishments
In those days ''early to bed and early
70 rise' was a maxim that had much
more significance, for it was necessary
to get more out Of daylight than in this
era of gas and electricity. Candles have
ALWAYS occupied an important place il
publio worship. In the old times Christ
mas was called the Feast Of Lights, be-
cause many candles were used at the
feast. while the custom of setting can
die at the head of dead person after
bsiua "laidout'' is still practice.
Bnt if>people think that candles are
not much used nowadays they are mis-
taken. There are still several candle
manufactures in New York. A very
large export business is done here, CHIEF
" to the West Indies and Central Amer
lea. In the United States sales are prin-
oipallv in the western states. The min
ing region takes large quantities, for no
light but candles is used in gold and
silver mining.
Candles are also used for church pur-
noses. at country hotels, and to some ex-
tent in families. Many Of the people OF
the east side. newly come to the coun-
try, use candles il preference to oil, be-
ing accustomed to candles and afraid OF
the oil. Although it is not great while
before they are won over to the use OF
oil. there are always thousands of others
who. for the first few months of their
being here, shun oil as they would q
deadly poison.
No branch of industry has undergone
the change that candle making has IN
the last 80 years. Formerly it was mere
" a mechanical operation. Anybody
could make candles and almost every
body did.
Now it is a scientific industry, bring
ing to its aid the resources Of chemistry
Formerly a candle was a greasy, noisome
thing that one usually handled with dis
gust now it is artistic and refined and
can be handled without the least otfense.
The wick is so prepared that the COM
bustion is complete. and snuifers have
long been banished. An ancient candle
maker could only work with materials
already provided by nature, so that he
had to use fats, with all their impure
ties.
The modern candle maker by chem
zeal process removes impurities, which
leaves him nothing but the hard and
white far for his candles. Fat changed
BY this process is called stearine, and
from this material are made the star and
stearic wax candles. These are extreme
" hard and are sometimes called ada
mantine, do not grease the hands and
give a soft and pleasing light. Sperma-
ceti and wax candles are also made.
The candle has ever remained the unit
Of light Sometimes you hear of light,
say gas, being of 20 candle power. The
standard is a spermaceti candle burning
at the rate of 100 grains Of sperm peF
hour. There are candles, too, which are
made Of parafiin, bnt DO candles are
used so extensively as the star or stea-
rine.
The great Improvement in the manu-
facture of candles dates from tine inves-
tipations of the French chemist, M.
Chevreul. He discovered HAT the fat
of talio,. was separable from the oil,
and the result Of the process was two
valuable Notwithstanding and glycer-
in. Those who have used the candles or
the past can scarcely realize that can
dies can now be shipped to warm eli
mates. In former days a merchant
would as soon have thought of exporting
skates or snowshoes 10 Havana as a car
10 Of tallow candles. They would have
all melted into an indistinguishable
mass going across the gulf of Mexico.
But such candles as are made now can
be used in the hottest climate in the
world.
Candles, however, are not a cheap
light. A box of them will cost as much
as a barrel Of oil, and yet the barrel Of
oil contains nearly 80 times the illumi-
mating power of the box Of candles. The
only great advantage Of the candle is its
safety.
4 Oil and gas are much cheaper. Where
candles are used danger from fire is re-
duced to the lowest New York World
Dinner Wines.
In serving wines with course dinner
sherry should be served with soup. With
the fish chablis or sauterne is nearly al
ways served, and with entrees have
claret. Champagne, hook or moselle
comes with the roast. Port wine is us
ually served with the cheese course and
.r.f44 I ~