The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-06-27
Maggie Darnley's Experiments.

in despair, as 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,
Maggie 2" asked her brother Jack, who
sat by the window.
"That is just the queer part OF it,"
said Margaret. 81 tried the other door
first, and it is just as bad there. The
wind can't 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 would be funny" said
Margaret; "but III try it again. 1t will
be sort of nixperiment, guess"
" A sort of what ?" asked Jack.
CA nixperiment," said Margaret. al
listened to your fosophy -teacher the other
day, and Mr.. Baird said that everything
in science, had to be-something by nix
periments."
"Verifed by experiments" said Jack,
laughing. eyes, that's so, and now we'll
see if there's any philosophy about this
dirt"
So Margaret swept the dirt carefully
across the room again, while Jack looked
on.
"There! !" exclaimed Margaret, "look
at that !"
Jack did look, and had to confess that
it was too much for his philosophy.
Stop" said he, "I'll 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. "The
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 Mar
garet, the dirt, which had been so per-
yersAand contrary, went out this time
without making much trouble.
"That's 1.-THE wind shifted, don't
you see, Maggie ?" said Jack, with wise
look. "Thats the way with science.
Science believes nothing till it has
thoroughly proved it. That's what ex-
periments 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 a small
adjoining room, which he used as a study
"What's that you were saying about sci
ence :" he added, with a quizzical look
Jack, with very grave and scientific
look, explained their experiment in nat
ural philosophy.
"Ahl" said his father, "the wind
shifted, did it? How many times ?"
"Why, four times, father said Mar
garet. "Just as quick as lightnipg-al
most" she added, seeing her father raise
his eyebrows. 81 swept the dust from
one door to the other just as quick as
could, but by the time | got there, thu
wind got there too, and blew the dirt baci
every time"
Suppose we try the experiment again,
said Mr.. Darnley.
"Oh, I've swept all the dirt out now,
said Margaret.
DWELL, here are few feathers which
gave you the slip, little Pearlie," said he
father. awe can try the experiment
with them. Put in some more wood ant
make the room pretty hot"
"What for, father ?" asked Jack.
~ 10 hCSCcooiy w Jul CAPCiiLhOhV'
Jack put in the wood. This was mys
ferrous and interesting.
snow, Maggie" said her father, whel
the room was uncomfortably warm
"sweep out these feathers"
(which door, father?" asked Mar
garet.
cit makes no difference" said he
father.
"Shall look at the weather-vane :?
said Jack.
1T is not necessary" said his father
smiling.
Margaret tried again, but the feather
all blew back, some entirely across tn
room.
"There they are, Maggie, close TO tn
south door," said Mr.. Darnley. "Ill shu
this door, and you may sweep them out q
that one."
But Margaret had no better success
than before.
Isn't it curious !" said Jack. ether
must be witches at the door, blowing tn
feathers back"
"That is what ignorant and superst
tious people would have said years ag'
Jack" said his father, but science sha
teach us better than that"
"Now," continued Mr.. Darnley, ale
us make two piles of the feathers-on
near the south and the other near tn
north door. Jack, get another broom fc
this pile. Now, both sweep in opposii
directions at the same time. That wi
show us whether it is caused 10y the shift
ing of the wind"
Jack and Maggie tried faithfully, b,
the feathers went every way but out {
the doors, some of them even rising b
ward the ceiling.
ats the cold day." said Jack the
don't like 10 60 out"
"Father, what is the reason, please /
asked Margaret, earnestly.
Slot air always rises" replied M
Darnley.
"Why ?" asked Margaret.
"Because," answered her father, b.
air is lighter than cold. When it rise
of course cold air rushes in to fill !
place. When you open the door, curren