Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-12-06
HOME CHAT
Tor THE FARMERS WIFE.
New Comforts and Convenience for
Country Homes.
BY ISABEL RICHEY

One by one the comforts and con-
veniences of the city are being recoe-
nized and adopted in the country.
There is no country any mOte, a. I'm.
derstood few years ago. There are
isolated spots, of course, but, like the
Indians. they are disappearing. There
was time when winter meant weeks
of loneliness and lack of news from
the GU tside world. Now the rural de-
livery brings the paper and the more
frequent letter, no matter how the
wind blows or the snow piles up In the
lane. The old times have passed away.
Not ''goOd old times" as so often
said, but hard, lonesome old times, a.
it seems to me. / welcome the new.
The next most necessary thing is
better system Of lighting for the farm
home. The coal Oil lamp is a relic of
early civilization. 1t was good IN its
day, but it's day Is gone. Ihave given
some little attention to the subject OF
lighting on the farm and it seems to
me that no house is complete without
a gas plant of its own. The very best
and most profitable time of the day is
between and 10 O'Clock at night.
Then all the worries OF the day are
over. The babies are In bed. the older
boys and girls are ever their books or
at their games. Father and mother in
their rocking chairs, are, or should be,
reading the weekly or farm paper or
the new book. All is lovely if the
light Is good and clear and bright, q
disappointment and nerve-rackinQ
strain if the flame is poor and yellow
and the chimney grlmy and dull.
khi4op Do 10 from
calcium carbide and called acetylene.
1t burns like sunlight, and, unlike the
coal gas, it is beneficial to health. The
plant for the production OF this light
is placed in the cellar of the residence.
1t is called a generator. Pipes run
out from the generator to the rooms
where light ls wanted. 1t is the
cheapest kind of light in the world
except sunlight. 1t is safe, too. which
cannot be said of gasoline or even OF
coal OIL Unlike coal gas, 1t causes
house plants to flourish and blossom,
one thing greatly in its favor, as every
woman loves window full of plants
In tho dreary old winter time.
Ii l were building new house OF
remOdeling an old one, should Ger
tainly put 10 an acetylene gas plant
The generators are built to furnish a
certain number Of lights and are more
or less expensive, according to the
numbe furnished. beginning at a very
low price. The quality Of the gar
produced by these plants Is tar super
ior to that furnished by city ga
plants.
1t seems that every year there fl
more work to be done, so why should
we not get ready to do some Of 1t il
the long evening by light that illu'
mlnatesp The house never looks 81
well, anyway, as by clear artificial
light. The daylight is too searching
it has a way of showing every blemish
and that is one of the good reasons
that we like to have company In th'
evening. Then there is the most i'm
portant reason of all-women are
much more lovely by artificial light
except it be electric-that Is fatal tC
good looks. 1t has too blue q cast.
The acetylene light is white, but not
ghastly.
Instead of wearing two pairs OF
spectacles and disfiguring yourself,
Mary Ann, have John put some lights
in the house. Ii you don't get the
benefit of your hard-earned dollars the
second wife will, remember that.
Fifer Bros. of Staunton, are agents
| for Acetylene IN this section and are
putting iu . number of plants In
stores, country homes, and in small
towns everywhere. And they are
kept busy, too.