Lighting Up Charleston Harbor

We havo heard a story of an old womau who eoniplained bitterly of high prices when she wcut to purchaso a pound of candios during.tbe war of 1812. The shopkceper attributed the increased cost ot the "dips" to the war. " Why," queried she innocently, "do they fight by eandle light ?" The old lady, iu her simplicity waa ouly soniewhat ahead of tho age, for fifty years later her idea found practical application, aud figbting is now going on literally by lainp-light. Charleston harbor is now lighted up nightly for the grand perfonuaucea in progresa there, and tho way it is done is thus described by an ingenious newspaper correspondent who is statioued in that interrestiug locality : " The rebel design of building a covered way and erecting a stockade upon the sea-face of Fort Suiupter has been frustrated by General Gillmore. The Calcium Light of Prof. Grant is kept upon the ruius all uight aud the rebel working partios are fired on wheu they appuar. Two Calcium Lights plantod in Fort Putuain (forinerly oalled Oregg) make a local illujuinatioa four times as Drilliaut as the fuil moon on tho cleareat night. '! The Ironsides, besides her protection of rafts which surround her on all sides to fend off torpedoes aud cigar steamers, is supplied with the Calcium Light. - This is kept revolving all night. As it sweeps the horizon for two miles in every direction with a wide belt of lisht, it looks like the flaming eye of some huge Cyelop, or like the preseuoe of Uua in the bosky woud, whom she "Made a sunshine in a shady place." "No Nereid or Triton, no dolphin or mermaid, could pass uuobserved across such a path of light. Venus, when she arose from the sea, could not havo been more dazzüng to the beholder than is this illuuaiuating power. It seems to penétrate the waters, and reveal the seerets of the ocoan caves. But it is useful in a higher degreu than it is beautiful, for it precludes the success of blockado running, out of, or into Ciiarleston ; and t keeps off devüs, who like other eecessiouists, 'love darkness better than light, because their deeds are evil.' A natural suggestion occurs, why are not all blockaders furnished with the calcium light ? It is cheap and efficiënt.- Blockade runners depeud on dark, thick oleudy uiglits to aid theni. Let us'show them a light," aud invite them to 'walk into the parlor,' etc."