The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17
WOyDERS OF A SILVER GLOBE.
Il Was. Made by MeitinE n Dime. hut the
-Jersryman Found - World In IL.

- - AAhuo W - I'm out ms
rJerssyman Pound - World In Ii.
III any one doubts that the earth was once .
molten mass and that its mountain chains. It's
great table lands. and the recesses for the seas
were the results OF the cooling and settling Of
the surface. and then Its shrivelling to fit the
ever-shrinking centre, let him see q world
made" said the observant Jerseyman.
THAT sounds sling pie" said ono of his hearers.
"but I haven't noticed that there were any
worlds being made just now upon which
progress was any faster than right here. and I
can't say that l have observed much change In
this old globe since I began TO watch IT,"
IL have made many globes" declared the
Jerseyman. mot merely insensate things to
represent what We know OF the natural and
political divisions OF the earth. but miniature
worlds Of the days OF chaus. with every particle
In them aglow with heat, and all In motion.
And then 1 have watched them become cold.
immobile and dead, with blackened. rough
ened surfaces. and II required no great
stretch OF Imagination to feel that within
the few oments which tho whole operation
required one had brldged over millions Of
years In the history Of a planet and seen It pass
through every stage Of Its existence, from that
Of n light-giving body to that of our own dead
and dosolste moon. Como with me-" he con-
tinued. land / will show you tho history Of our
world. since II first took form"
With that he led his little audience to q work
bench and drew forth q chunk OF charcoal COW
cred on all but ono side with plaster Of paris. n
b!owpipe. and q jewellers soldering lamp.
IL will make the globe Of dime" he said.
and he placed o silver ten-cent piece on the
charcoal. Then he lit the lamp. and with the
blowpipe directed the flame upon tho dime.
Soon the charcoal began 70 gl9w and burn away
dime turned first black and then red. and as II
approached a white heat II drew. itself together
until presently II was n globulo o! molten silver.
II you have never seen such q ball of glow
Ing melted silver yon have missed ono OF tho
= Very thin skin of black oxide. which serves
like q woman,s veil, to ,heiRhten tbs, charms
beneath T. With the hlowpipo stiii adding
as water. and the gases emitted by tho heated
charcoal made II roll about in the hollow as
mobile as quick silver, while within the globe
the metal could bo seen agitated by Intense cur
rents. These currents changed their d Erection
moved from point TO point. and every moment
re 81 x, sar dsis. ag xaaIs h, wss q; "nS gr ssto tns. TN Inc d Iss.
All know the beauty Of quicksilver. and many
red glare of iron as II was poured In the foun-
with the beauty Of molten, silver. Melted
OF silver, The light which comes from the
melted silver seems AS brilliant as that from an
with a tinge OF heavenly violet and the swirl
Ing metal seems translucent like a pearl Of the
finest water.
Now We will let It COOL, said the Jersey:
man, removing the blowpips from his lips and
letting his inflated checks resume their natural
condition. Tho charcoal was placed on the
bench. Soon tho agitation OF tho surface OF tho
tiny globe OF silver ceased, and the quiescence
Of tho dull outer coating showed that o skin OF
metal had cooled and set In place.
Now watch the mountains and valleys form
and see the mighty earthquakes shake tho
crust, ~ exclaimed the Jerseyman. and as he
bpoke the crust which had been smooth and
even began to wrinkle. Sometimes the wrinkles
would form long continuous lines across half
the globe; then In spots the. whole surface
wonld quicker up, and again all OF these would
stralghten out only TO form new series OF puck
ers and wrinkles in other places. 1t was all over
In half u minute and the globe was set enough to
drop Into q glass OF water to cool.
Now look at It," said the J~erseyman, hand-
Ing the globe 10 his visitors and with 1t n strong
magnifyihg glass. ''Thrre 10 a skinner OF
water on II. caught Ia tho interstices Of tho
roughened surface. That is three or four times
as much water In proportion as our earth has
on IL, 50 you have before you all the features Of
sea and land, mountain and valley"
II, was indeed 10. and. although the glass re-
yealed only the more prominent OF the features,
there was no difficulty In seeing all the others
with the minds eye.