The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-07-14
MAGGIE DARNLEY's EXPERIMENTS.

bits of paper, and string, and clippings
of cloth which she had been collecting
from all over the room with her broom,
kept drifting back persistently when she
tried to sweep them out at the door.
''Why don't you try the other door,
MaggieP" asked her brother Jack, who
sat by the window.
THAT is just the queer part of it,"
said Margaret: "Itried the other door
first, and it is just as bad there. The
wind emit blow in exactly opposite di-
rections at once, can it?''
"May be it shifted while you were
sweeping the dirt across the room, "
said Jack.
"Well that aoould be funny" said
Margaret, "but I'll try it again. 1t will
be a sort of niXperiment, guess.
"a sort of wbat?n asked Jack.
ga niXperiment, said Margaret. Il
listened to your fosophy-teacher the
other day, and Mr.. Baird said that
everything in science had to be-some-
thing by niXperiments."
Verified by experiments, - said Jack,
laughing. Eyes, that's so; and now
ell see if there's any philosophy about
this dirt.
So Margaret swept the dirt carefully
across the room again, while Jack
looked on.
"Therer' exclaimed Margaret; " look
at thatr'
Jack did look, and had to confess that
it was too much for his philosophy.
"Stop,' said he, II II see which way the
wind is really blowing" Margaret shut
the door and sat down to wait. The
poor little arms were quite tired by this
time, for Margaret was only ten years
old.
Its the stillest day we've had this
season. cried Jack. bursting in. "Thc
weather-cock turns tail to the south, so
whatever wind there is comes from the
north. Let's try the south door again.
To the surprise of both Jack and
Margaret, the dirt, which had been so
perverse and contrary, went out this
time without making much trouble.
That's 1.-THE wind shifted, don t
you see, Maggie?' said Jack, with a
wise look. THAT'S the way with sci
ence. Science believes nothing till it
has thoroughly proved it. That's what
experiments are for, and that's the
beauty of science
''Open the draft, Jack, and put in
some more wood. What makes this
room so cold?' called their father from
Il small adjoining room, which he used
as a study. whats thatyou were say
ing about science?" he added, with q
quizzical look.
Jack, with a very grave and scientific
look, explained their experiment in nat
ural philosophy
"Ahp' said his father, "the wind
shifted, did it? How many times?''
"Why, four times, father said Mar
garet. "Just as quick as lightning
almost" she added, seeing her father
raise his eyebrows. Il swept the dust
from one door to the other lust as quick
as | could, but by the time l got there,
the wind got there, too, and blew the
dirt back every time"
Suppose we try the experiment
again, said Mr.. Darnley.
80, I've swept all the dirt out now, -
said Margaret.
"Well, here are a few feathers which
gave you the slip, little Pearlie," said
her father, 1--WE can try the expert
| ment with them. Put in some more
wood and make the room pretty hot. -
''What for, father?n asked Jack.
cit is necessary to our experiment. -
| Jack put in the wood. This was
mysterious and interesting.
Nov, Maggie" said her father,
| when the room was comfortably warm,
''sweep out these feathers"
(Which door, father?' asked Mar.
garet.
at makes no difference" said hel
| father.
Shall l look at the mediterranean
| said Jack.
ut is not necessary" said his father,
smiling.
Margaret tried again, but the feath.
ers all blew back, some entirely across
the room.
There they are, Maggie, close to the
south door, said Mr.. Darnley. at
shut this door, and you may SWEEP
them out at that one"
But Margaret had no better success.
than before.
''Isn't it curious!" said Jack. ether,
must be witches at the door, blowing
the feathers back"
"This is what ignorant and supersti
tious people would have said years ago
Jack, said his father, ''but science shall
teach us better than that"
Now" continued Mr.. Darnley
''let us make two piles of the feathers
one near the south and the other nea
the north door. Jack, get another
broom for this pile. Now, both SWEEP
in opposite directions at the same time
That will show us whether II is caused
by the shifting of the wind"
Jack and Maggie tried faithfully, bu
the feathers went every way but out o