Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-04-04

OF a quantity Of lard in a saucer, in
which bit Of cotton cloth was partly
submerged to form a wick in imita-
ton of the ancient Egyptian lamp.
Preparation for the important event
of candle dipping began on the even
ing before the great day, by getting
out the "candle rods" twenty-four in
number, and placing the 'Wicks"
thereon. The candle rods' were
whitfield out of straightforward pine,
and were about three-eights Of an inch
in diameter and eighteen inches in
length. A quantity of Wicking was
wound about a bake tin, and this skein
on being cut gave enough wicks of the
required length when doubled to form
: the candles-one hundred forty-four in
number A candle rod was now
placed beneath the knees and a length
Of wick loOped around it and the ends
sWisted slightly. Five more were
added in the same way, and the bal
ance Of the rods also received six
Wicks. Candle dipping day was day
Of great physical discomfort for me,
for it meant an extra early rising in
house filed with the nauseating 0d0r
Of melted talI0W, a slim breakfast, a
warmed over dinner and lunch for
supper. But luckily it only happened
once a year The bunch Of Wicks was
! first dipped in the melted tallOW all
! together, then the surplus tallow was
squeezed out and each one straight
! ened and placed about two inches
from its neighb0r on the rod. The
rods were then placed on a rack CON
sisting Of two light poles supported
on chairs in the back room" Mean
while the wash boiler had been pre-
pared near by full of warm water and
was now placed near the rack. On
the surface Of the water quantity of
melted tallOW was poured, and every
thing was then ready for the dip
ping" This consisted in taking the
rods, one at time, and lowering the
Wicks into the melted talloW, with
drawing them at once, not too quickly
that they might receive a thin coating
of the same. This process was repeat
ed until about 4 o'clock in the after
noon, and then the lower ends of the
yet immature candles, having assumed
q pointed shape, were dressed up to
q blunt shape with the shears. Dip
ping was then continued until along
in the evening, when the candles were
tried in a candle stick and when large
enough, were removed from the rods
nd nj o NY
and all evidences of the days labor re-
moved, after which very tired WON
an went to bed with a supreme feeling
Of satisfaction, that she had provided
her humble home with light for. an
other year, at the trifiing cost of a
few cents for wicking and tallow
1t was by this humble light that
mother spun the yarn from which our
clothing was made, and sewed and
mended the same by it's feeble rays.
1t was by this light the thrilling tales
in the old New York Ledger" were
read aloud by some member of the
family during the long winter even
iEgs, while the others were busily en-
gagged in sewing and knitting. 1t was
a light fitted to the humble home we
occupied, but with my mothers death
the light was eXtinguished forever.
OLD-TIME RAIMENT
In the old days l knew but very lit
/ tie Of what was worn by the people in
town, as | seldom visited there. But,
Of the garments worn on the farm, 1
had full knowledge, and have yet q
vivid recollection. The garments, 9th
er than head and footwear, were of
! home manufacture almost entirely.
For the men and boys, the outfit, from
! the ground up, consisted of cOwhide
boots, wool socks, bagging trousers
that is, trousers made from a cotton
grain sack" hickory" shirt, vest and
coat Of some heavy material, and a
hat or cap, according to the weather.
! Ii straw hat, it was usually braided
! by some old lady who had the knaCk
of doing this work. The trousers
| doubled strips Of Hickory" though
sometimes knit from wool yarn and
| finished with cloth tips. The socks of
wool were also home knit. The only
union suits" those days were, when
cold weather approached, a union"
was formed by the addition of a sec
J end pair Of trousers and shirt for
warmth. A huge knit wooden comfort
er or scarf for the neck was thought
| Indispensable in the winter, as was
| also pair of home knit wool double
mittens." AS there was no cast iron,
! steel spring seats in those days, to
wear mans trousers, the knees were
the parts that first gave out. When
! this occurred the first time, the break
was patched. But, as the patches be-
| came worn, the legs of the garment
were amputated above the knees, the
| knees, the lower parts reversed and
sewed on again. This gave double
wear, and even after that was ac-