The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-01-14


 dred minute balls. Another shaking increased the number to several thou sand much smaller ones. and a third harder and longer manipulation con verted them all into a mass that did really look like lead-colored paste. "oh, I'm so glad broke the thermom, eter; I'll pay for it!" cried the delight ed. boy. This is great Christmas fun!"
 Pop" added the boy, you'll never get that. paste back, into ball again. It's all smashed like mud. There isn't one chance in a million" "All right, Walter; whatll you bet?' "oh, n new thermometer. You're on. Get a nap kin" After cautiously pouring out nearly every drop of the water, with out losing an atom of the powder. papa dumped what remained on the folded napjin, holding. the mouth of the vial against the linen until all the powder had run out and the water had been absorbed But even before this process had been completed the powder had begun to take the shape of little balls again, apparently millions of them, and these grew like magic, one leaping into another, until in an incredibly short time there was the one original large ball lying on the napkin. Wonder of 1 wonders! Was ever boy so dumb with surprise, admiration, bewilder- ment? 9&
 Now, Walter, watch the ball chase my fingers said papa, placing the globule of mercury in the center of the dining room table, on the dry cloth.f At first it refused to 4budge, and Walter shouted that he'd bet two millions he had papa beaten this time. But, slo! In moment, as if frightened by first show of disobedieiice, the ball was ! f1adly chasing the tip of papa's forefin- ger all over the table. When the firl- i ger was held still the beautiful sphere wiuld run up against 1t as closely as possible and nestle there. At times 1t would take fright and dash away as if eager to. escape some peculiar thrai- dom then would again become a slave, following as if led by invisible harness. Walter fairly screamed with happiness. 1 soh, I'd like to break thermometers 1 every Christmas! It beats sleds and ! ttrains and other worthless toys" 1 iis Now, my boy, see, if it will chase i your finger" said papa. and when the { ball pursued Walter just as 1t did his father, though with less vim and mad ness, the little fellow was almost hys- i terical with pleasure. Then papa. al. lowing the wonderful sphere to nestle against his finger, said, "Walter, slide your finger gently toward it and see Y, how easily it is frightened: it is the | biggest little coward on earth.' Wal. ter did as he was bid, and, mirabile | dictu the ball, when his finger had ap- preached to within half or three-quars
 ters of an inch of 1t, actually ran around behind papa's finger and hid there. And this it would do as often as the experiment was tried. sB,
 Now, Walter" said papa, 'twe shall see who is the stronger, you or |
 Place your finger on one side of the ball and I'll place mine on the other; then J we'll pull away at the same time and see which of us it will follow" It fol- Elowed papa. But with the slightest possible advantage, it would follow the i boy. "Oh, such jolly, jolly tinle,'' sighed the boy, after frollicking nearly all day with that little sphere of quick silver. or mercury. And yesterday, as soon as the drug store was opened, he bought twenty-five grains of fresh fner j cury in one ball, of course five cents
 worth), and spent several hours mak
 ing it do stunts on a window pane laid | flat on the table, Little boys must un-
 derstand that mercury is poisonous
 and not to be eaten.-"Tip" in the New 1 York Press.