The New York herald., 1879-12-31

Y
pure or not. they must use foreign substance 10
make it hold together. George. bring me stick OF
carbon and filament'
He put the little flament under the microscope
and it looked like cake of COAL Then he broke Oil
piece OF the carbon stick and heated il with blow
pipe to show the impurities under the microscope
A WRESTLER IN PHYSICS.
"You said while ago that books and authorities
were detriment; that seems very strong to me.
"Remember how qualified it. But tell you Ia
rather know nothing about thing in science nlne
times out of ten than what the books would tell
me-for practical purposes for applied science. the
best science. the only science. I'd rather take the
thing up and go through with it myself. ia ma
out more about it than any could tell me. and
I'd be sure Of what knew. That's the thing. Pro-
fessor this or that Will controvert you out of the
books, and out OF the books that it can't be So
though have it right in the hollow Of your hand
all the time and could break his spectacles with It,
never take anybody's word that anything can't be
done. If as much suspect it can. I showed you
in that book over there how they trip each other
up
zone day some professors came here and one said
certain oxide could not be treated in certain way;
another said it could. One of my boys, raw Ver-
mont lad. said it couldn't because 1t was basic
oxide and he was right. We, call him Basic ever
since. That is hard working young fellow. He
wrote to me from Vermont that he wanted to be q
chemist and that he would come and work without
pay. and he persistent that told him to come
right along. He came and worked like q Green
Mountain boy. He lives here in the laboratory. You
may say. altogether g.
"Where is hep"
'He's of now spending the Christmas holidays
with his folks. 1t was he helped Batch there to get
out the iridium told you wanted one night, and
he was fresh hand then. He's not afraid to burn
his fingers. Where's that lunch. Francis?"
THE INoumING NOSE.
''It's coming. hope" said Francis. very gloomy.
We had to make phosphorio anhydride for the
vacuum pumps. and that's job. We light the
phosphorus and The vapor of it is terrible. but
it's nothing to osmic acid. You remember great
Partisan scientist held up vial of 1t and said
there enough to sufocate the entire population
Of Paris II they were passed through In
file. thought that was too strong. took just
little sniff of it once. and tell you it terrible
the worst / 1t stung my nose.
caught me in the throat and made me spit blood.
"The book was right that time"
''rhat was the right kind of scientist"
CARBON AND RED HERRINas.
1t was we'll after midnight now. and heard some
of the boys tramplng upstairs. while Edison now.
with the peculiar nocturnal Frightening of the
human OWL talked In unbroken string about the
strange metals with unfamiliar names he had had
ruch apparent fun in reducing. gleefully did he
talk about chromium. osmium. rodium. the plati-
mum group and know not what. We got back to
the electric light. and said he:-
"I think the Almighty made carbon especially for
the electric light. What's this for?'
George held something in o brown paper out be-
fore him.
'Herrings." said George; 'smoked herrings."
Edison looked around glnmly. els this the best
you can do?" His eye lighted on the bench where
another brown paper full of crackers. while Van
Ceef taking bottles OF lager beer out of basket
Francis was seated stool. herring in ono hand
cracker the other his mouth full of cracker and
herring and his whole face beaming with satis-
faction.
''He's happy" said Edison. as he took herring.
''Help yourself we don't entertain in this way"
s'Pot luck" said the HERALD correspondents, as
cheerfully circumstances would permit. "Iring
me some water" said Edison. and somebody
brought up tin cup and o glass full of the clear
fuM. And then and There began ropast 1ssth
shall be memorable to at least one hum
BILE participant He was hungry. perhaps not
quite SO hungry Francis. but hospitality imposes
within reach let him MUNICH his herring with Edi-
son ho would were he sharing with Socrates his
philosophy and his pottage; aye. even with the
scolding Xantppe thrown in. Immortal progi I
shall place those smoked herrings biscuit and cold
water high shelf. very high shelf. in my MEM
ory; my stomach may never forget them.
MERRY SUPPER.
Everything agrees with me-" said Edison. So
the repast wen. on. We were merry crowd Of
seven there at in the morning. Tie inventors
face beamed with good humor, and he joked with
the boys Who such pleasant footing with
him, intimate in expression. but 1t always a
pleasure to the respectful alacrity with which
they looked after him at all times; just now they
were looking for tender herrngs for him. Francis.
from smiles and laughter gradually assumed
more settled expression indicating that tho pro-
cess of digestion rapidly taxing place. and In
very short time he was asleep on the edge OF of
the benches. with the Dictionary of Soublities for
q pillow. One by one they dropped of. George
actually went to have a look at his vacuum pump
before curling up n bench. and Ellison and the
HERALD man. with just ono other who, however,
took three sleeps meantime sat talking till four
O'Clock. What did ho talk of? Well, who
could tell. Like q fresh-hearted city boy
out In tho fields for holiday. he ran through tho
gardens Of science in way at once fascinating and
surprising. "reminiscences Of old times when he
was telegraph operator logged elbows with disser-
tations chemistry. electricity, light heat, dynam
les, states. He told. for instance, how. in his
search for platinum he had como hidden
gold than Monte Cristo or Plutus himself ever
dreamed Of From his "reminiscences let mo toll one
story not concerning himself. which is too good to
bo lost
WARMING.
During tho war;" said he, telegraph operators
were the most independent men in tho world They
wero Indispensable; they knew 1t. and it demoral-
lied thom. Tho companies wanted them and the
army wanted them. Turned out of one place
they were Of another, and hence they
wero very seldom turned out just to
show you. Down in certain Southern
city, fellow-a first class-got under tho
weather night. Ho was terrible fellow, and
got crazy when he meddled with liquor. Ho
into the oflcc night. knocked over the stovo
pulled down the wires from the board, went into
the battery knocked the coils, that tho acid