Some Interesting Discoveries 99 



It took considerable Ingenuity to make the can- 

 dles, even after he got enough wax, but they were 

 finally molded in small bamboo joints, with wicks 

 made from wild cotton, lace-bark, or split rushes. 

 When the rushes were used whole, the wax couldn't 

 get through the outer skin as it burned, so the en- 

 tire rushes were used only tor making small rush 

 tapers. 



The tree that furnished the berries was the wax 

 myrtle or candle-berry tree, having fragrant leaves 

 and small, rounded fruits. The wood of this tree is 

 useful only for fuel, but the wax has been much used 

 for candle-making. 



The candlesticks were made in various wavs, the 

 simplest being of bamboo, with a wooden bottom. 

 Edna had to use her scissors for snuffers. 



Making Soap 



The children didn't know when Sunday came, 

 but they tried to keep clean just the same; although 

 it was sometimes rather hard to do it without soap. 

 Edna had been quietly saving all the old grease she 

 could and one morning she announced that she 

 would make some soap if the boys would furnish 

 the lye. 



This caused Henry only to stare; but William be- 



