Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-03-02
Moving the World.

Mr., Perkins told Us at scnOol, to-day
Why, he told US there was man who
made machine to move the world He
could Mt move it, though, could he?
+ And Ellsworth Marcy, with face flushed,
and catching breath as he spoke, betrayed
no little excitement, as though he really
Imagined something dreadful might happen
if any one should move the world He
was a bright-faced, inquisitive little boy
Of six or seven years of age, very timid
snd tender-hearted, and quite girl-like in
features.
And what do you suppose jamie Day
aid when Mr. Perkins asked the scholars
what they thought about it p he kept on.
rot waiting for his mother to reply. Why
he said, it moves itself; don't it?
\ His mother was reading a book called
The Reason Why and was just where it
I tells the reason why a lady's hair drops
cut of curl Just before a rain-storm,' and,
without finishing the paragraph she looked
up, for she knew it would Mt do to put him
4 Of without notice in such mood.
/ We'll, what Of it, my darling ? she
said gently, cycling him tenderly.
Would Mt it be wrong for any one 10
move the world when God has fixed it just
Nssrs he wants it , And then it might be
Ame harm, you know
u He was afraid, L strongly suspect, that
rowing the world might throw it off the
/ tack, like cars on railroad, and then
there would be an awful smash-up. Wis
ions of falling houses. food fields, and man.
ged bodies, I'll warrant, danced somehow
strangely through his excited brain.
My darling must ask papa about it,
when he comes home. He viii tell you all
about it, He always does, you know, said
Mrs Marcy.
This expedient worked charmingly, for
Ellsworth ran out at once TO feed his pets,
and his mother went on reading.
When Mr. Marcy returned in the eve-
ming, Ellsworth was ready and eager He
was too eager to begin at the beginning.
and so broke out. as his father approached
the doorstep, Papa, would it smash the
earth to pieces to move it p
| guess not said his father, taking his
hand. What are you thinking about, my
child?
Why. Mr. Perkins told all the school
to-day that ever so long ago somebody made
machine to move the world with, and
mamma said | must ask you about it,
Yes after little said his father
So after Mr. Marcy had dressed for tea
he came into the sitting-room, and taking
Ellsworth on his knee told him about the
wonderful man who made the machine to
move the world.
He lived, said he, in Sicily, in the city
of Syracuse, about three hundred years be-
fore our Saviour was born. He was a
great student, and found out many secrets
very strange in nature. He was ALWAYS
trying to do something with wheels, and
pulleys, and levers, and he did very won-
derful things. Once he said, speaking oil
the great power of the lever to move things
+ Gre me a place to stand upon, and
tciH more the earth And this is what
the story of his making a machine to move
the world comes from.
But he did MT find a place TO staad on
Hid he p exclaimed Ellsworth, his eye.
Frightening with triumph.
-S~&o
Il am glad he did mt, for do MT want
any one to move the earth. What wa:
his name, papa =?
! 1t Is long name, and hard for little
folks to speak. 1t is Ar-chi-me-des. Some
other time I'll tell you more about him
and the deeds that made him famous
There is the tea bell
Papa, you don't think any one car
move the earth, do your" loath to quit the
subject even for tea.
Il will tell you what one of my teach.
eys once said about it. He was aprofessor
in college, and like the great Archime-
des, philosopher-that is, one who loves
to know. Talk of moving theIearth,' said
he, ANY one can do that Every time
you step you move it :"
Only think of it Move the earth by
stepping on it
How the grand army of the school
children, as it goes
Tramp, tramp. tramp"
must make the world move!