water with the stick she did so and found that whenever she touched it the water would jump up as termed it to the stick and rise in a little ridge all around it but this ridge was very small indeed what makes it do so mother said i don t know said she don t you know mother said he with surprise was always somewhat to find any limits to his mother s no said she i don t know what water makes it i knew that it would do and i knew several other facts to it i knew what name the philosophers gave to them all but do not know of any cause for them said musing and looking a little at a loss yes that is similar in their nature for instance said she look here � all around the edge of the water in the bowl looked and saw that there was a ridge of water raised against the side of the bowl exactly like that around the stick he asked his mother what the reason was of such a strange appearance she answered that she could not tell what the reason of it was she could only tell what it was called she said it was called attraction what is attraction mother said attraction is together whenever two things tend to come together each drawing the other it is called attraction the the little needle which you hold up towards it that is they tend to come together but if you roll two balls water toward one another upon the carpet though they come together they are not attracted because neither of them has any influence on the other they do not make each other move at all you together listened to all this very attentively and then looked upon the bowl again he did not exactly understand how his mother s explanation applied to the case of the water his mother saw that looked perplexed don t you understand said she not about the water s jumping up he replied why water any thing that is brought very near it � very near indeed so when you bring the stick down close to the water it rises up a little all around the stick which you call jumping up well what makes it attract said i don t know said his mother you must ask your father to night at tea and perhaps he can tell you he knows a great deal more about it than i do carried his bowl down stairs carefully and poured back the water into the sea when he had done so he looked into the bowl and found as he might expected that it was wet still some of the water remained on the inside of the bowl running around in drops as he turned the bowl in his hands he stopped to look at it it seemed to him strange though he had never thought of it before that the water did not all go out and leave the bowl dry just then came out of the kitchen to the pump with her in her hand to pump some water she saw standing still and looking into his bowl with an appearance of great attention and said well what have you got now did not answer he was watching the little currents of water running round the inside of the bowl as he turned it over and over what are you looking at she inquired again o i am looking at this bowl see said he i turn it down and yet all the water does not run out why yes it does said she no said there is some left about the inside of the bowl see he pointing � how wet it is it is only wet au the water has why does the water drop off � page out only the bowl is wet a inside she replied away into her but is not water said yes said i suppose it is then all the water does not fall out of the bowl when i turn it down persisted why you silly child that s nothing i tell you it always does so but why doesn t it all drop out said as she took oflf her from the nose of the pump and walked towards the house see he continued following her with the bowl in his hands i hold it bottom upwards why doesn t the water drop off � all of it r answer me that answer me that but paid no attention to his question she went into the house and shut the door the truth was she would have found it somewhat difficult to answer him that and she seemed to think it most prudent not to attempt it soon got tired of alone and went to sailing ships again determined to ask liis father that night at supper at length the sun went down the day drew near to its close and found him self seated in the ready for tea � � the setting sun shining beautifully m at tho windows his came in and they al took their seats at table but had for some time no opportunity to bring forward the subject which interested him so much for his father and mother were very busy talking about something else would not interrupt them but kept looking from time to time towards his father his father at length observed him and said have you got any thing to say to me yes sir said i want to show you an experiment and have you explain it to me then said he wanted to go out and get a bowl of water and bring in to show his father what he meant but his father after hearing him describe it said he thought he could show the experiment just as well with his cup of tea 