Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-01-06
4 SOAP BUBBLE PARTY.

SDtn6lllucS NOnoluCICU u
trivial amusement, only fit for young
children, blowing soap bubbles has
been an occupation appreciated and in
dulged in by great philosophers and
men of science, and wonderful dis
coveries in optics ana and natural
philosophy might be made with only
a clay pipe and a bowl of soapsuds.
A soap bubble is an uncouth, IN
elegant name for such an ethereal,
fairy sphere. 1t is such common,
everyday sight TO us that we seldom
give it much attention or realize how
wonderful and beautiful is this fra
gile, transparent, liquid globe.
1t is like beautiful dream; we are
entranced while it lasts, but in an in
slant it vanishes and leaves nothing
to mark its former existence except
the memory of its loneliness.
Few persons can stand by and watch
another blowing bubbles without be-
ing seized with a desire to blow one
for themselves. There is a peculiar
charm or pleasure in the very acr,
which not many who have known
it ever outgrow. In some places soap
bubble parties are quite fashionable
At one of these gatherings the guests,
old and young, furnished with clay
pipes, stand around a table, in the
centre of which is placed a fancy
punch bowl filled with soapsuds
Prizes are awarded to those among the
guests who successfully launch in air
the largest bubble, and to those who
keep their flying for the greatest
length of time or seend them highest.
AS may be imagined, these parties
are very amusing, and everybody at
first tries to prevent his or her neigh
Dor from succeeding until, amid great
merriment and confusion the hostess
announces that if her guests expect
the prize to be awarded rule must
be enacted compelling them to pay
more attention TO their own efforts
and not allowing them to modest each
other.
1t is generally known that a bubble
will burst if it touches any hard or
smooth surface, but upon the carpet or
a wooden cloth it will roll and bounce
merrily.
If you take advantage of this fact,
you can, with a wooden cloth, make
bubbles dance and fly around as lively
as a juggler's gilt balls, and you will
be astonished to find what apparently
rough handling these fragile bubbles
will stand when you are careful not to
allow them to touch anything bur the
cloth.
1t may be worth remarking that
the coarser the soap the brighter the
bubbles will be. The compounds
as soft soap" is by some pers5ns con-
sidered the best for the purpose.
If you wish to try pretty expert
ment, procure rubber tube, say a
yard long, and with an aperture
small enough to require considerable
stretching to force it over the gas
burner, wrap the stem of clay pipe
with wet paper and push it into the
other end of the tube, where it must
fit so as to allow no gas TO escape.
Dip the bowl of your pipe into the suds
AID turn the gas on. Tie force of the
gas will be sufficient to blow the bub-
bles for you, and as the gas is lighter
than the air the bubble when freed
from the pipe, will rapidly ascend, and
never stop in its upward course I'M
til it perishes.
A giant bubble may be blown by first
covering your hands with soapsuds,
then placing them together so as to
form a cup, leaving~a small opening
at the bottom. All that is then neces-
sary is to hold your mouth about
foot from your hands and blow into
them. Bubbles can be made in this
way as large as any ordinary water
pail. These bubbles are so large that
they invariably burst upon striking
the floor, being unable TO withstand
the conclusion.