The Natchitoches enterprise., 1922-11-23

mated me, and many we're tn
Questions l asked my grandmothe
and the older generation abou
their use. When l was a bit Older
l learned that the making of bay
berry candles was easy, and very
, lucrative. You know, in the east,
as in other places, on the beach,
! on the sand dunes and farther in,
; land in the woods, the bayberry,
or as some call it, the waxberry,
flourishes. with its dull, ob!one
leaves, so queerIy rigid, and resin.
GUS and aromatic, when crushed
giving OUT an odor much like bay
or laurel. The ripe berries which
cling so closely to the stem look
very white when the leaves drop
off, but the whiteness can be
scraped off, and the berry is really
very dark colored underneath, and
wrinkled. the white waxy sub
stance lying in these creases.
This wax was used by the
early colonists, who boiled great
quantities of the berries, and
when the melted wax foated to
the surface, saved it for the can
dies which were their cherished
lights. The candles are pale
green, you probably know. and
when blown out, they exhale
delicious spicy odor; l learned to
make them for holiday gifts, and
later, needing money while at
school, established a thriving
trade in the handmade bayberry
candles. packing them with bits
of the New England wood men,
ories-berries, moss, ground pine
and the like, and finding a ready
market in the gift shop which
flourish in the east.''
Our CandIe-lady smiled.
That's ALL" she said. Il came
west and, of course, was especially
attracted by the Mission influence
here. The old flavor of chapels
and churches,9 the wrought-iron
candlesticks, the heavy Mission
clusters. the rings set with candle
holders. with chains to suspend
them from the ceiling-.-they all
interested me and / wondered Why
an enterprising person did not
make candles peculiarly adapted
to the west. There are thousands
of tourists who are Impressed as l
was, and who would like such
to take home for souvenirs.
Then. in their easy eastern or mid
western or southern living rooms
they may light the California can
lies and in the fragrance exhaled,
bring back memories of the Mis-
sions in the old gardens.
1T did not take me long to dis
:over that aromatic candles pecu-
iarIy western could be made here.
Did books. old legends. old Indian
ore can be invaluable ia digging
,ut such homely western secrets,
ust as my grandmother, and ira
litions, diaries aud the like yield
Il up the eastern secrets to me.
started out very modestly. III
made candles specially for the
ourist trade. and found a steady
market for them through the
mall gift shops connected with
ertain hotels. Now / could en-
arge my plant but why should IL
do not wish to install machinery
or the hand-touch is what makes
~ candle unique. I make scent
d candles, those which exhale
ertain odors and incense chapel
and many gift candles.
'ou know there has been q decid-
d revival in the popularity of
andlelight of late. People realize
3 lonesome influence. Faces
'ound q cleaning board are soft
ned and mellowed by roslly-
1aded tapers. while the golden
2ht OH silver. glass aud linen Is
ktremely intriguing. Candle
ght in the living room, from
,rcheres, or from sconces is hos
table and cozy OF coursel
lere are electric effects in candles
hich are very clever, but how
luch more human is Z candle, and
hen pleasing perfume is ex-
sied, how much alluringl
with the popularity of candle
icks, handmade candles are q
scessity. The great wrought
on sticks. floor siza and others.