The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-15
MODERN CANDLES.
THEY APE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS
OVER THOSE OF FORTY YEARS AGO.

The Unit or Light Has Reen of Inessima-
bio Service to Mankind-It Is a Mistake
to Think That Gas and Electricity Have
Entirely Snufed Out the Candle.
Now that candles have again como
into use as a means FOR lighting recep-
ton rooms where gas is considered too
hot and electric lights too glazing. COM
PARSONS arc being made with tho can
dies 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 have helped to
make in a domestic way on Saturdays
when at home from school.
1t is but few years since candle
molds were very important and neces-
cary part of every household, and yet SO
completely are they now banished to
the limbo of forgotten and useless
things that there must be thousands Of
young people to whom pair Of shutters
and 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 smiling was Indispensable, and
though the fingers were the handiest of
snuffers one was very apt to get badly
smudged in the course of an evening.
Yet the world stumbled along with
no better light than that for Is cen
turtles and accomplished considerable
things Oh the way. Great scholars were
made by saved up candle ends, great
volumess written and the world enlight-
ened, even if the writers and teachers
CROPPED a great deal.
The great performances Of Garrick
and Siddons were 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 candle snnffer,' says Gold
smith Of play he had seen, "the piece
would lose half its Embellishments.
In those days "early to bed and early
to rise" was 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 in
public 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 q can
die ut the head of dead person after
being "laid out" is still practice.
But 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
ly to the West Indies and Central Amer
lea. In the United States sales are prin-
cipally in the western states. The min
ing region takes large quantities, for 10
light but candies 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 hero. shnn oil as they would q
deadly poison.
No branch of industry has undergone
the change that candle making hns in
tho last 80 years. Formerly it was mere