The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-07-21
MAGeIE's EXPERIMENTS.

MAGGIE'S EXPERIMENTS.
"Thcre," said little Margaret Darn
ley, in despair, rs she stood. broom in
hand, at the north door. The dust. and
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.
"sThat is just the queer part of it,
said Margaret; "Itried the other door
first, and it is Just as bad there. The
wind can't blow in exactly opposite d-
rections ut once, can itp'
MAY be il shifted while you were
sweeping the dirt across the room"
said Jack.
We'll, that pould be funny" said
Margaret, "but I'll try ii again. 1t will
be sort of nixperiment, guess
"a sort of whatp" asked Jack.
"A nixperment, said Margaret. 81
listened to your flosophy-teachcr 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
we II see II there's any philosophy about
| this dirt. T"
So Margaret swept the dirt carefully
across the room again, while Jack
looked on.
"Therep' exclaimed Margaret; j" look
at that"
| nd ho1 - .F.a I. 4
| it was too much for his philosophy.
Stop said he, IT 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.
It's the stillest day we've had this
season. cried Jack, bursting in. "The
weather-eock turns tail to the south, so
whatever wind there is comes from the
north. Let's try the south door again. y
10 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, Maggiep" said Jack, with
wise look. .That's the way with sci
ence. Science believes nothing till il
has thoroughly proved it. That's what
experiments are for, and that's the
beauty Of SCIENCE
'Opcn the draft, Jack, and put in
some more wood. What makes this
room so coldp' called their father from
q small adjoining room, which he used
as a study. What that you were say
ing about sciencep" he added, with a
| quizzical look.
Jack, with very grave and scientific
look, explained their experiment in nat
ural philosophy
"Ahr' said his father, !" the wind
shifted, did itp How many timesp''
"Why, four times, father said Mar
garet. 'Just as quick MS lightning
almost" she added, seeing her father
raise his eyebrows. 81 swept the dust
from one door to the other Just rs quick
as could, but by the time / got there
the wind got there. too, and blew the
dirt back every time. A
Suppose we try the experiment
again. said Mr.. Darnley.
20, I've swept all the dirt out now"
said Margaret.
"Well, here are few feathers which
gave you the slip, little Pcarlie," 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?' asked Jack
"lt Is necessary to our experiment. "
Jack put in the wood. This was
mysterious and interesting.
Now, Maggie said her father,
when the room was comfortably warm,
'sweep out these feathers
(Which door, fatherP'' asked Mar
garet.
1T makes no difference" said her
| father.
s Shall 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, 2 said Mr.. Darnley. 'I'll
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. There
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"
I" Now" continued Mr.. Darnley,
''let us make two piles of the feathers
one near the south and the other near
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 it is caused
by the shifting of the wind"
| Jack and Maggie tried faithfully, but
the feathers went every way but out Of
the doors, some Of them even rising to-
ward the ceiling.
{" It's the cold day." said Jack; "they
dom like to go OUT
i" Father, what is the reason, pleasep"
asked Margaret, earnestly
!" Hot air always rises replied Mr..
Darnley.
"W6ypv asked Margaret.
/" Because answered her father,
shot air is lighter than cold. When it
rises, of course cold air rushes in to fill
| its place When you open the door,
currents of cold air rush in at the bot
tom, while the hot air il escaping at.
the TOP Open the door, Jack. and try