The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-10-19
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Thers was q panic Of a curious origin
4 about the beginning Of the eleventh
4 century. It was widely believed that
/ tie year 1000 would witness the end OF
the world and this sllpestition caused
very general stngnation Of industry
and commerce. Such panlcs have oc
CURED at irregular intervals ever since.
the last one being within the memory
Of the present generation and inspired
by Mother SYMPTOMS prophecy
The world to. an end shall come
In eighteen hundred e1ghty-0ne.
However, as soon as people became
/ b. GOfnZ to come 10 an end In the year
1000. they resumed their work and
l olay. and the making Of lamps and
eandlesticlSs, like other manufactures,
| entered upon an era OF prosperity.
| Monasteries were famous schools for
: This work, as for all other forms OF
bandlcraft, and paid peculiar attention
! 10 the beautifying Of lamps and cam
dlesticks because OF their usefulness In
church services. During the eleventh
century Dinant, in Belgium. became
famous for its copper work, and some
Of the most beautiful chandeliers OF
this period were made there. At about
, this time the ..cOuronne des lumiereS,"
or circle Of lights hung from the cell
ing. became a common device for light
! ing a church, and some oE these are
exquisite works OF art.
IN this period, too, various devices
for improving and shielding the light
came into use. Our ancestors were
very practical people, and if some OF
their utensils appear to us somewhat
singular It Is because we do not under
stand the purpose for which they were
used. It Is rare Indeed to ind any
cumbersome addition to a lamp or
candIestIck which has motif use The
old time silyerSmfthS and copper work
ers did not spend their strength on
mere decoration.
The sconce and the lantern were In
general use throughout the middle
ages. The sconce was light covered
and guarded from the wind, lifted
down by n handle, and distinct from
the lantern, serving somewhat the
same purpose, but hung by chain
Lanterns in the thirteenth century
were made of gold, silver copper or
iron, according to the means of the
owner. The light In them was shield
cd from the wind by thin sheets of
horn. Lantern making was an impor-
tant Industry In Paris
At this time, too. noblemen and rich
merchants took to having luxurious
little travelling equipments made for
them, and among these were travelling
candIesticks and wash basins In this
fine enameled work, the secret Of
which is now lost.
The custom of having servants carry
nambeaus at festivals also became
general about this time. and strange
mud tragic incident Is connected with
this fashion. At a ball given by
Charles VI. the torches carried by
some careless servants came too near
the headdresses of certain persons
dressed as sayagcs and set them on
fire The unfortunate guests We're
burned TO death. and the king ut the
sight lost his reason, n madness which
had a serious effect on the history OF
Franco.
Magic lanterns were invented In the
time of ISing Francis /. AdevIce on a
somewhat similar plan was used as
sign before shop doors to attract GUS
tom,
Lamps fell into disfavor at the begin |
Ming of the seventeenth century and !
were used only by the poor and in pas
saCes and stables where the smoke |
could evaporate and a great deal OF |
light was needed. Candles had then
reached their perfection and candle
sticks their most exquisite form
of crystal given by Louis
XIV, to La valIIere Is still In existence,
and it was at this time also that the
crystal pendants came into fashion.
Street Illumination was not seriously
attempted In PnrIs until about the mid
die Of the seventeenth century. In the
6rst years OF that notable century the
streets OF Paris were dark, The rich |
were escorted by 'lackeyS bearing
torches, the middle class folk picked
their way, lantern In hand, while the
poor slid along, feeling their way by
the walls. In his edIet of September,
1861, the king provided that candles In
closed in cage OF glass should be
hung by cords at the height Of the first
story OF the house. three lanterns for
every street, one at each end and one
IN the middle. At the sound Of a bell,
struck by a watclIman, they weHS
lighted
Paris was, however, considerably in
advance of other cities of the world Mt
.hIs time. In London link boys stood
about In public places calling out In
ugubrious tones. Gentlemen a light!"
The origin OF the phrase 'hoding the
candle to you IS somewhat doubtful, +
lut some authorities trace 1t to the
.act that. as the small light stand had
lot yet been devised. any onG who de-