The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-23
THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.


Living Silver.
The gronnd was covered with snow, and
now it had begun raining. There was no
prospect of a change in the weather, which
made Fred's face rather gloomy as he looked
out of the window. Harry was turning
over the leaves of a story book You could
see they were both disappointed that the
morning was stormy; for when they came
to grandpa's in the winter, they expected
bright days and plenty OF fun.
'sWhat shall we dor said Fred.
Lets go into the garrett" answered
Harry.
This plan evidently suited both of them,
for they made rush towards the door. AT
this moment Aunt Carrie came into the
room. They wished it had been grand
mamma, for she never had any restrictions
on their sports but smiled on every request
and allowed them to do exactly as they
pleased.
Now. boys" said Aunt Carrie, where
are you going?'
.0nly into the garrett, Auntie'
'sBe sure you leave things exactly as you
found them she replied with laugh and
little groan.
ave always do, Aunt Carrie"
Away they went, with the dog Gyp ct their
heels.
sit is no wonder the garnet is never in
order" SAID Aunt Carrie, '.but the children
must enjoy themselves"
''Of course they must, Carrie" said grand
ma from tne U6pbnS VI Qef ueeIt-
Fret the boys pulled out box OF old
books and papers, and buised themselves
reading the queer names and advertisements
of old times Soon they turned from these
to shelf of chemical instruments Most
OF them were In perfect order, and they knew
they must keep their hands off. for the bulbs
and tubes of glass were too delicate to be
touched by unskilled hands.
Here is an old broken fcrrometer," ex-
claimed Harry. Lets ask grandpa If we
can have it."
"You mean thermometer, don't you?n
SAID Fred.
What can we do with it?'
Don't you see, there is q great deal of
quicksilver IN this glass ball, and We can
play with it. I'll show you how. And
away they went down stairs to find their
grandfather,
.Grandpai can we have this?''
Mr.. Lenox looked up from his newspaper.
Let me see it moment. What do you wish
to do with it?'
1--WE will break it and take out the quick
silver, and then will show you: Let me
ask Ellen for dish to catch the Drops
Not quite so FAST wait a moment
Harry" replied Mr.. Lenox; 81 wish you to
notice something about it first. The top of
the tube is slightly broken, which makes it
of no exact use, for to measure heat or cold
the quicksilver must be entirely protected
from the air. If you had noticed 1t when
you first came in you would see that the
warmth of the room has caused it to rise in
the tube. This is shown by the marks on
the plate to which it is fastened. Now, ii
you will hold it close to the steve the quick
silver will rise still higher. Let 1t stand
outside the window moment and it will
sink"
By this time the boys were much inter
ested. But what makes it do SO, grandpa?'
they asked.
Quicksilver isvery sensitive to heat and
,, ~,
room it is in is warm, it expands-swells
out-and SO rises in the glass tube, as you
have seen. The least GOODNESS in the air
will cause it to contract, or draw itself into
smaller space; then, of course, it sinks in
the tube. The thermometer is another
instrument in which quicksilver ia used.
It is intended to measure the weight of the
air, therefore the quicksilver in it must be
exposed to the pressure of the air. Common
barometers have it enclosed in a small
leather bag at the back of the instrument.
This we do not see but only the tube which
is connected with it. When the weather is
pleasant, the air, contrary to the general
idea, being heavier, presses against this
little bag and the quicksilver rises In the
tube. When the atmosphere is damp. the
pressure being less, the metal sinks"
Grandpa said Harry, when you think
of it. isn't quicksilver funny word?''
Eyes; it was SO named by people who
lived great many hundred years ago. They
called it living silver, also. 1t is the only
metal formed in a liquid state; and so many
strange changes did it pass through under
their experiments, that it seemed to them
really a living thing. If they tried to pick
it up it would slip out of their fingers
When thoroughly shaken it would become a
fine powder. They boosted that il had the
faculty of swallowing any other meta.
while powerful heat caused 1T to disappear
entirely. 1t is now known among metals as
mercury.
s'Can you tell me, Fred, some of the
metals?'
ooh. yes, sir, There are gold, silver, lead
and copper"
THAT is right; but you know all these are
hard; some of them can be Clipped with 9
knife, but they can not be dipped up in
pals unless they have first been melted Ye,
mercury can be frozen so hard that it may
be hammered out like lead, and sometime:
1t takes the form of square crystals. Yet il
can be made to boil, and then sends off q
colorless vapor."
"Grandpa." said Fred, who had scarcely
listened to the last words. IF mercury can
be dipped up in pals it must be very easy
to get it. read somewhere that gold and
silver are SO mixed in with the rock that ii
takes great deal of time and money to sep
arate them"
THAT is true, but mercury is not AWAY.
obtained easily. 1t forms part of . soft
red rock called cinnabar, composed of mer
cary and sulphur. The cinnabar is crushed
and exposed to heat, when the metal, in tn,
form of vspor, passes into vessel suited t,
the purpose. where 1t is cooled. Then, be
ing reduced to Its liquid state, it is pure ant
fit for use. When men working in thu
nines heat the rocks, the quicksilver viii
sometimes roll out in drops as large as
pigeons egg, and fall on the ground in mil
lions of sparkling globules. Think how
very beautiful 1t must be. the dark, rec
rock glittering on every side with the ivinl
silver, while every crack and crevice is fillet
with it! Visitors to the mines of Idria ar,
shown an experiment. that think wouIt
interest you boys In large iron kettle
filed with mercury are placed huge stones
and these stones do not sink"
why, grandpa; hcr can that be? Dir
you not see wood floating on waterT'
Yes, sir; but that 10 different; but the