Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-02-22

to Think That Gas and Electricity Have
Entirely SnufTed Out the Candle.
Now that candles have again come
into use as Il means for lighting recep-
tion rooms where gas is considered too
hot and electric lights too glaring. com
PARSONS are being made with the can
dies Of today and those of the long ago.
He is not u very old man who still re
members the malodorons "tallow dip. ="
six To the pound. that he bought at the
grocery or perhaps may have helped to
make Ill domestic way on Saturdays
when at home from school.
Ii Is but few wears since candle
moldS were very important and neces-
sary part Of every household and yet so
completely are they now banished to
the limbo If forgotten and useless
things that there must be thousands Of
young people to whom pair If snuffers
and n candle mold would prove un-
doubted curioSitieS. They We're ne. very
pleasant TO the nostrils, those old fash
ioned tallow candles. their Illuminating
power was not good, and their need of
constant snuiiine was indispensable and
though the fingers were the handiest Of
snutfers one was very apt TO get badly
smudged i'll the course of an evening
Yet the world stumbled along with
no better light than that for IS cen
turies and accomplished considerable
things on the way. Great scholars were
made by saved mp candle ends. great
volumes written and the world enlight-
ened. even if the writer's and teachers
CROPPED a great deal.
The great performances Of Garrick
and Siddons We're given behind foot
lights of tallow candles. and the candle
snuffer was one of the most important Of
snpers in the theater of the olden time.
without a candle snuffer." says Gold
smith Of a play he had seen, 1.-THE piece
would lose half its embellishments. =
In those days early to bed and early
To rise was Il maxim that had much
more significance, for il was necessary
to get more cat Of daylight than in this
era Of gas and electricity. Candles have
always occupied an important place in
| public worship. In the old times Chris,
mas was called the Feast of Lights, bo
cause many candles We're used at the
feast while the custom Of setting can
die n the head Of dead person after
being laid ont" is still practice
But if people think that candles arc
not much used nowadays they are mis-
taken. There are still several candle
manufactures III New York. 4 very
ss..sI T-.l IL.
~ to the West Indies and Central Amer
lea. In the United States sales are prin-
cipally III 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-
poses. 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 in 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 n
deadly poison.
No branch If industry has undergone
the change that candle making has in
the last 30 years. Formerly il was mere
ly mechanical operation. Anybody
could make candles and almost every
body did
Now it is Il scientific industry. bring
ing to its aid the resources Of chemistry.
Formerly candle was greasy. noisome
thing thar one usually handled with dis
gust; now it is artistic and refined and
can he handled without the least offense.
The wick is so prepared that the COM
bnstiun Is complete. and snufiers have
long been banished. An ancient candle
maker could only work with materials
had u use fats, with all their impuri-
ties.
Tire modern candle maker by chem
ical 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
stcaric wax candles. These are extreme
| ly hard and are sometimes called ada
]
| 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 % candle power. The
standard Is Il spermaceti candle burning
mt the rate Of l20 grains Of sperm per
hour There are candles, too, which are
made Of parafiin, hut no candles are
used so extensively as the star or stea-
rino
The great Improvement i'll the manu-
facturc Of candles dates from tine invcS-
LEGATIONS cf the French chemist, NJ
Chcvreul. He discovered that the fat
Of tallow was separablo from the oil,
and the result Of the process was two
valuable products-stearine and glycer-
in. Those who have used the candles Of
the past can scarcely realize that can
dies can now be shipped to warm eli
mates. In former days merchant
would as soon have thought Of exporting
skates or snowsh1eS TO Havana as car
go of tallow candles. They would have
all melted into an indistinguishabls
mass going across the gulf Of Mexico.
But such candles as are made now can
be used i'll the hottest climate i'll the
world.
Candles, however. are not cheap
light. A box of them Will cost as much
as a barrel Of oil. and yet the barrel Of
oil contains nearly 30 times the illumi-
mating power Of the box Of candles The
only great advantage of the candle is its
safety.
Oil and gas are much cheaper. Where
candles are used danger from fire is re-
duced to the lowest. New York World.
What might be done if men were
wise What glorious deeds. my suffer
ing brother, would they unite i'll love
and right, and cease their scorn of one
another Charles Mackay.
Artificial Eggs barred.
IL wish to say. " shouted that eminent
tragedian. Mr.. Barnes former, that
the fiend who threw that china egg and
knocked me brcathless is nothing but
brute, with the instincts Of an assassin
nm Injured tn ordinary expressions Of
disapproval, but this il more than flesh
end blood can bear rr'--lndianapol
Jonrna
~0 From US.Jowna'er II Yeficias