The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-01-11
Broom StraMs.


Now here's queer thingl" said
the boy, bursting into my roc m be-
tween eleven and twelve O'Clock one
night.
Pm quite used TO his energetic en-
trance. only turned over sleepily,
aud asked, "What have you got now?'s
" We've been trying some daisy ex-
periments. Now this is really curious.
Get up and see" be cried.
Thus urged, got up and lit the gas.
What is il? Two broom strawsi
Dragging me out of bed for such nom
sensel declared"
1T isn't nonsense. Just see herei"
He stood before the mautel piece,
and rested his hands lightly upon it.
Between the thumb and finger of each
hand he held the end OF smooth
broom straw about eight inches long.
"Now hang these two bits of straw
across this one, one at each end, by my
fingers" he said.
picked up the two bits. They were
each about two inches long, doubled in
the middle, making in shape the letter
V. l hung them across the long straw
as commanded, their ends just touching
the mantel.
Make the points incline toward the
center-just little" ordered the boy.
Command comes natural to him. The
queer thing is that people don't often
protest.
l turned the points toward the CEN
ter-just the tiniest bit. Then funny
thing happened. Slowly, slowly, as if
by some irresistible impulse, the two
little pointed BITS of straw began to
move along their support. They went
at about the same rate, their legs NOV
ing along the mantel,' their heads
pointed toward the center ofthe straw.
Well-I-declare
eady. steady" said the boy,
flushed and laughing.
The two little broom straws walked
| along. Walked Yes, they seemed to
do just that If even things 10 this
world appeared to know their urpose,
and move steadily toward it, these two
broom straws did. They walked evenly
along, met in the center, and their
points touching, stood still, forming
pyramid.
" Thereof cried the boy, triumph
antly.
He lowered his long straw, drew it
out, and the little pyramid stood erect,
made 20 apparently by its own voltion.
II never would have believed itl' /
said.
"Isn't that worth getting up for9'r
asked the boy.
We tried it on the polished fJot-board
of the bedstead; and of o,Ler surfaces.
The little broom straws didn't ike toe.
much friction; but who does?
Then we experimental little. If
we started the straWs in the center, the
points slightly inclined outward, they
walked in the opposite direction, stop
! piug only at the fingers holding the
straw. If one was bent TO form
sharper angle than the other, and its
"legs" cut little shorter, the longer,
broader straw would pass completely
over its smaller com ade, the little one
! going under without bitch, and each
proceeding on the even tenor of its way
until it reached the opposite end. This
was very funny. The straws must not
drag too much, just touch.
"Seems just as if they had sense,
doesn't it?' musingly asked the boy
watching them.
off l hadn't seen it, | never would
have believed itl' repeated, creeping,
shivering, back to bed at last.
- wouldn't my self, either" de-
clared the boy, emphatically.
But that's nothing. That boy never
believes anything until it is proved TO
his complete satisfaction. - Harper's
Young People.