Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1907 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

The Floatin* Needle. An interesting experiment may be performed with quite a small magnet and a common sewing needle. Insert a light thread in a needle, tie and cut off one end, leaving a single thread six or eight inches long. Lay a horseshoe magnet on a table, with the poles in front. Magnetize the needle by rubbing it several times, always in one direction, by one pole of the magnet, after each stroke returning the magnet in an arc through the air. Take the end of the thread between the thumb and Huger and suspend ths needle over Its attractive pole, allowing the point to come within one-fourth of an inch of the magnet; then with a circular sweep of the hand to keep the point in position, draw the eye of the needle down toward the other pole. T-hls If carefully done will bring the needle to a horizontal position, where it will remain, floating or in suspension, as long as the thread is held steady. The experiment may be made more effective, suggests the People’s Home Journal, by covering the magnet with a sheet of paper, thus concealing it

The Origin of Gems. It is a singular fact that the most precious gems are composed of the most common substances. The diamond is the purest form of carbon and is identical in composition with ordinary charcoal, without its impurities. The ruby is nearly pure alumina, a substance that Is found in profusion in every clay bank. The scientific name for crystallized alumina is corundum, and the gems that come under this designation are sometimes more valuable than diamonds of the same weight. The ruby, the sapphire, the oriental emerald, the oriental topaz, the oriental amethyst, the oriental aquamarine, the oriental chrysolite, the hyacinth and other precious stones are all alumina, the varieties of color being caused by nfinute quantities of metallic oxides. It should be explained that the word “oriental” as applied to these stones does not refer to the east, but means something fine.—Chicago News.

A Remarkable Tree. We are all familiar with the Brazil or cream nut as we see it in the stores. The nut in its own country is of a very different appearance, and the tree on which It grows is so unusual that the Brazil nut tree is regarded as one of the most curious in the world. It grows to the height of from fifty to eighty feet and is one of the most majestic ornaments of the forest. The fruit resembles a cocoanut, being extremely hard and of the size of a child’s head. Each one of these shells contains from twelve to twenty of the three cornered nuts. To obtain the nuts as they appear In market these shells have to be opened. During the season of their falling it is dangerous to enter the groves, as the force of their descent Is sufficient to knock down the strongest man. The natives provide themselves with wooden bucklers, which they hold over their heads while collecting the fruit The Bottled Esg. To make this entertaining experiment you need a hard boiled egg and a bottle or flask with a wide body and a neck large enough to let the egg sit tightly and snugly on its month, end down. Peel the egg and lay it aside. Then roll up some paper into a shape so that it will burn readily, set It on Are and place It in the bottle. As soon as It has burned itself out place the egg firmly on the mouth of the flask, pressing it on Just hard enough so that it will close the opening entirely. Before many minutes the egg will begin to stretch Itself. It will seem to crawl Into the bottle. More and more of it descends till suddenly, with a pop, the whole egg lengthens Itself out and slides into the bottle. Conundrums. Why is a historical event like a parcel untied and tied again? Because It is recorded. Why do doctors keep bad company? Because the worse people are the oftener they visit them. What houses are the easiest to break Into? The houses of bald people, because their locks are few. Why does an aching tooth impose silence on the sufferer? Because it makes him hold his Jaw. The Speed of a Snail. A snaij’s rate of travel was ascertained by experiments in Florence. Half a dozen snails were permitted to crawl between two points ten feet apart. Exact time was kept from the start to the finish, and thus the average pace was learned. The figures were then put into tables of feet, yards and furlongs, and It was found that it would take a snail exactly fourteen days to travel a mile. Queer Beetles. Remarkable gold lieetles are found in Central America. The head and wing cases are brilliantly polished with a luster as of gold Itself. To sight and touch they have all the appearance of that metal. Oddly enough, another species from the same region looks like solid silver freshly burnished. A Riddle. J When first my maker formed me in his mind He gave me eyes, yet left me dark and blind; He made a nose, yet left me without smell; A mouth, but neither voice nor tongue to tell. Tm used at night, yet ladles oft through me. Although I hide the face, do plainly see. (Answer—A mask.)