The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-10-12

avery Ouy huOWS. UT ought 10 kQOW,
that the pressure of the atmosphere
at sea level, is in round figures, Is
pounds to the square inch, but it is
not generally known that this may
be demonstrated in very simple way.
Take glass tube three feet in
length and closed at one end. the open
ing in the tube being equal to one
eighth of an incn square. Pour mercu-
ry into the tube until 1t is full, and
then, with your finger over the open
end of the tube to keep the mercury
in and the air out, invert the tube in
to small vessel containing mercury.
Having removed your finger from
the open end of the tube the mercury
in the latter is, of course. in communi-
cation with that in the vessel, and you
will find that the mercury in the tube
will fall six inches, leaving that much
empty space at the top.
Now put your finger over the open
end of the tube again, and lift the lat
ter from the vessel. Pour the mercury
out of the tube and weight 1t, and you
will find that it weighs three and
three-fourths ounces. That is to say,
a column of mercury one-eighth- of an
inch square, and 80 inches in height
weighs three and three-fourths ounces.
But square inch is "a times as large
as one-eighth of an inch, and column
of mercury one inch square and 80
inches in Height would weigh, there
fore, Ga times three and three-fourths
ounces, or 240 ounces. which is equiva-
lent to Is pounds.
The pressure Of the atmosphere,
therefore, must be Is pounds to every
square inch of surface.-Philadelp
Record.
The Mocking Bird and the Ring Dove.
On the eastern shore of Maryland
there are some beautiful woods, and
these woods resound with the music
of the little hooking birds that gaily
fit from bough to bough.
Some years ago, about twenty-five,
there lived in Talbot. Maryland
town, a little girl named Alice, and
her brother William. They were the
only children of clergyman, and
were greatly loved by every one Like
other children they had their pets, and
being in this land of songsters among
them were a mocking-bird and a ring
dove.
Bob" the mocking-bird had a very
soft-gray back, and the sprinkling of
white on his black wings and tail
made him look as If he had Just come
in from a snow-storm. He and the
pretty ring-dove with the black half
ring around it's creamy neck were
kept in the same room in cages that
were hanging side by side.
Bob" was the pride of Talbot. He
could be heard through the village
streets at all hours of the day, and
very often at night, and the passers-
by paused to listen to the clear liquid
notes poured forth so sweetly from
his tiny throat.
By and by an aunt of the children
came to visit them, and when the
time for her to leave drew near the
family thought they would like to
make her a present. Unfortunately
they had not a great deal of money,
and as she had so often expressed
delight at the songs of the hooking
bird, it was decided to give little
Bob" away.
do not understand how that could
have been even thought of, but it was
doubtless it was supposed that an
other mocking- bird could be caught in
the woods.
Alice and William grieved more than
the others, though they wanted to be
generous; yet it was many nights be-
fore they fell asleep without fearful
talk about their dear little merry
Bob"
One morning came a letter from
Aunt Julia for Alice, and this is the
principal thing that was In 1t:
81 do not know what ais Bob. He
has not sung a note since we came
home, but sits in the corner of his
cage dropping. | have tried every
thing could think of. What do you
suppose is the trouble?"
The family at Talbot were surprised
to hear that Bob" had stopped sing
ing, and the only way they could ac-
count for 1t was that he missed his
little companion rinS-dove. 30 t...ay