Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-06-01
The Wager.
A CONTEST IN WHICH SCIENCE HAD NO
SHOW.
BY Charles Dwight Willard.

There were nye or us In the party
six, counting Long Tom, the guide.
After two days hard climbing, which
the burros endured with exemplary
fortitude, we arrived at the little val
ley high up in the mountains, through
which threaded the trout-stream.
':Jest you all go over into the cabin
there and make yourself conf BILE,
while l tend to gettin this stuff I'M
packed" said Long Tom; there amt
no one there. My pardner, he's down
below"
1.-The cabin appears to be two
cabins" said the colonel, as we ap-
preached it.
THAT is for economy in ridge-poles,"
said the doctor; sleeping apartments
on one side and kitchen on the other.
In the space between, you keep your
fishing-tackle and worms"
We entered the right-hand section of
the twin cabin, which proved to be
the kitchen side. There was not much
furniture-a table of hewn logs, q chair
of bent saplngs, and rough bench.
However, we did not notice such fur
niture as there was, for each member
of the party, as he stepped over the
stantly attracted by the stove, and
brief roundelay Of CALCULATIONS went
the group.
"Well that staggers me-" said the
stock-broker.
Him." said the professor, in mys-
ferrous Tone and rubbed his chin.
The stove was a plain, small cook
ing range, rather old and rusty. The
strange thing about it was it's position.
Its abbreviated legs stood upon large
cedar posts, which were planted in the
floor and were over four feet in height.
This brought the stove away up in
mid-air, so that the top was about on
level with the face Of the colonel, and
he was a six-footer.
We formed in a circle about the
stove stared at it as solemnly as q
group of priests around sacrificial
tripod. We felt Of the posts-they
were firm and solid, showing that the
mysterious arrangement was q perma-
nent not temporary one. Then we all
bent our necks and opened our mouths
to look UP at the hole in the roof
through which the stove-pipe vanished.
(. Suddenly the stockbroker burst out
into laugh.
"Oh, understand it now" said he.
Understand what?" asked the col
onel, sharply.
"Why Long Tom has his stove
hoisted up so high from the floor"
$50 do l." said the doctor; "but l
suspect that my explanation is not the
same that any one else would offer"
"Well, l will bet that l am right"
said the stock-broker, "anj put up the
money"
Il am in this" said the Judge; 81
have clear idea about that stove and
WI back it," -,,,~,i.-
Il Want to take a hand" said the
colonel.
The stock-broier drew small yell
low coin out of his pocket and dropped
it on the table. 4
''He has the stove up there" he said,
ito get a better draught. In this
rarefied mountain air there is only a
small amount of oxygen to the cubic
inch, and combustion is more difficult
to secure than in the lower ATTITUDES.
j have heard that If you get high
enough up you can't cook an egg-that
is, mean, water won't boil-or some
thing like that" he continued, thrown
into sudden confusion by the discovery
that the professors eye was fixed upon
him with sarcastic gaze.
",s that supposed to be science?" de-
manded the professor.
"Well," said the stock-broker, dog
gedly, "never mind the reasons. Ex-
perience is probably good enough for
Long Tom. He finds that he gets a
better draught for his stove by having
il up in mid-air, so he has 1t there"
''The right explanation" beganI the
professor, Ifs the simplest. My idea
is that"
Excuse me-" interrupted the stock
broker, tapping the table; "are you in
thisr
The professor made deposit, and
proceeded:
''Have you noticed that our host is
a very tall man? Like most men Of his
height, he hates to bend over If the
stove were near the floor, he would
have to stoop down low when he
whirled fiap-jack or speared a rasher
of bacon. Now he can stand up and
do It with ease. Your draught theory
is no good; the longer the pipe, III It is
straight, the better the fire will burn
Professor" remarked the colonel
regret to have to tell you that your
money 10 gone. Long Tom todd me, on
the way up, that his partner did all the
cooking, and he is a MAJ q ratbeI