Evening star., 1948-08-13
Shining Silver

whether Revere's work was any finer
than that Of his contemporaries, but
he became an outstanding person.
age during the SO years of his life.
A lasting monument to his zeal for
the betterment of his fellow men re-
mains today in the Massachusetts,
Charitable Mechanics Association,
which he was active in founding
An amusing incident connected with
his famous ride is told by his de-
scendants, although omitted in the
poem. When he and his fellow con-
spirators were on their way to the
Charles River, they suddenly re-
allied that their oars might attract
the attention of the British on the
boats anchored there. IT'S said that
Paul Revere reused the household of
a friendly patriot as he passed and
from the second story window a
woollen petticoat was thrown down
to him, with which to muffle their
oars.
AS the Silver Age fourished in
England, each colony began having
its own style of silver made here,
much of it quite similar to that
of the homeland.
In. homes of wealth and at court
there was but slim supply of silver
tableware so it was customary for
each guest to bring his own knife
and spoon to a dinner, and later
after forks were used that piece of
tableware too. Gov. Winthrop
of Massachusetts, owned the first
silver fork in the Colonies, it being
sent to him in its own leather case
from a relative in England early in
the eighteenth century, as they
began being used in England perhaps
fifty years before. Meat prior to
that time, though served often from
a silver platter, was held by one
hand and chunks hacked off by the
guests own knife as the servants
passed it about. Even after silver
forks replaced the first two-tined
steel ones the populace jeered at
their use insisting, fingers were
made before forks" as of course
they were!
Silver is in use all over the world
and some curious customs have
arisen in connection with ceremo-
NAL occasions. Malaysians have an
ornate cup called the bethrothal
cup, which when filled with betel
leaves is sent by suitor to the
maid of his choice. If, in the pres
ence of witnesses she chews some
of the leaves, she announces her
acceptance of him as her future
husband. In CZarist Russia when
a toast was made, its proposer
turned his silver cup upside down
on his head to show his sincerity.
Salt was believed to keep witches
away and even in homes of great
poverty if one had even a small
open, silver saltcellar on the table,
The witch, Impressed perhaps by
such splendor) never bothered that
home.
Today about three-fourths of the
worlds silver comes from North
America, almost half of it from
Mexico although Idaho, Colorado,
Montana and Nevada have large
prosperous mines too; these with
few in Canada supply the rest of
the silver from this part of the
world
In addition to its use for table
ware and jewelry, there is a con-
stantly growing demand for this
metal. Most of the worlds coins
are made of it, all, the wire used
in surgery and surgical instruments
as well as the silver Qiterally) films
of the motion picture industry.
Sterling silver, which actually means
925- -l00ths silver, improves with use,
given the most casual care, and
lasts indefinitely, making of it a
priceless gift and heirloom.