The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-05
A Wonderful Piaything.

A Wonderful Plaything.
"Dio," said Bella, ''spell hard water
with three letters
. 1t can't be DONE" said the young
gentleman.
"That means you can't do it. Do you
give it up9"
'tOf course do"
"I-c-e ah ha %
"Pshaw !'' said Dio.
''Now it is my turn, % / said. "What
causes this change, and makes the water
become hard-or ice 2"
"Cold," said Dio ''it freezes"
81 heard of wee little girl who said
the water stayed out in the cold and
went to Sleep Well, can you tell me
what the difference is between ice and
water 2''
"Why, ice is hard and cold," said
Bella.
eff you will listen I viii give you
little lesson, and if you will remember
the lesson I will tell you little story.
There is power or force in nature which
causes the little particles of matter to
stick together. All bodies, everything
is composed of tiny PARTICLES, and you
know how they cling to each other, Like
the atoms of fruit, or wood, or stone.
This force is called cohesion. Some
particles attract each other much more
strongly than others. Iron or lead cling
closer than wood, wood closer than fruit,
and the particles of fruit hold more
strongly together than water. The par
ticles of water attract each other but lit
tie and are easily separated. In many
instances heat destroys this cohesion.
You know fire will melt lead and make it
liquid instead of solid-it partially
destroys the cohesion. And SO heat viii
separate the particles of water, and
makes them steam or vapor. When wa
ter is exposed to sufficient cold it de-
stroys the heat in it and makes the par
ticles cling close together-and you
know the cohesive attraction of ice Is
very strong-but the heat will separate
the particles and melt it back to water,
and still more heat will convert the water
into steam. Now, if yon will remember
what this power in nature is, called CO.
hesion, it will deserve the story.
tThe poet Cowper wrote Great
kings have great p1aythings.' viii tell
you of one which Catherine, the Empress
of Russia, had to amuse her. She or
dered splendid new palace built for her
| and it was to be made in silence. Think
of i'll No sound of cutting stone no
noise of saw or hammer no nails held it
| in place and yet it stood we'll joined and
clear ice were laid together, and then the
workmen daslfed water ON the places and
it froze them together hard and strong.
They colored water blue and red and
green and many colors and froze it, and
with this they ornamented the palace.
They carved many devices from the
colored ice, and made beautiful wreathe
of flowers and hung them around the icy
rooms. Ice flowers ON walls of ice."
ga remarkable ice-house," said Dio.
eyes" said Bella, "quite a nice
house."
"When the gorgeous palace was
finished they furnished it.
"With mahogany and rosewood, vel
vet and satin l''
"Oh, no there were ice chairs and ict
4 tables, ice fire-places and ice sofas, anc
beautiful ice throne that was fairly
dazzling. All was ice within and with
out Then the Empress gave a grea
ball in her playhouse. And at nigh
when they made fires on the icy hearth
and lighted candles in the icy candle
the icy walls, and the light shone on tn
: icy furniture and icy flowers, it was
wonderful and brilliant scene It wa.
all sparkling and dazzling like precious
stones, and the palace looked as though
it were made of millions of diamonds
But ah, 1t was stream, and soon woult
glide into stream again.
" It must have been perfectly elegant,
said Bella
cit must have been slightly shivery,
said Dio.
"Well, an Empress can shiver as mucl
as she likes in her own playhouse.
Playing school.
It was fifteen minutes after o'clock
, and yet Miss Warren had not commence,
school. She was not even in sight Q
the school house, for several of the girl
had been standing ON g Gravel Hill " fo
the last ten minutes Watching for
| glimpse of her. Matte Lowell had
, bouquet of pansies in her hand, and he
little sister had q red apple In be
, pocket, and Jane Tanning had a bunc
!, of grapes and some asters, and ther
! were various other offerings awaiting th
little schoolmistress as soon as she shoul
. appear in sight. Ten o'clock, the
, turned with heavy hearts toward the oil
red school-house and one of the large
boys was delegated to go and see whl
! was the matter with the teacher. IL
: soon returned with the news that Nil
! Warren had a severe nervous headach.
! but she hoped to be able to be in echoc
. In the afternoon, and suggested tn.
Il
those who had brought their dinner ha
better remain and Study till o'clock.
After some consultation among tt
" older pupils it was agreed that MAJ
!. Bailey should ring the bell, call Il
i school to order, and, in the teachers al
) sence, occupy the desk, and they woul
d play school. Mary Bailey considers
: herself, and In fact was generally CO..
8 sidered, natural born teacher. Sl
had played school all alone by herse
o many time ON the wood-pile. SeIec
; ing sticks of wood that were of sufficiel
n dimensions to stand alone, she wou
I place them before her, give them suitab
n names, and discipline them to her hear
content, till her skilliin training the po
senseless things became lsCer1y exhaul
t. ed. So Mary was unanimously elect
as the teacher pro tenn. At first q