Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1908 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

A Magnetic Experiment, Most persons are familiar with magnets of all kinds, but few are aware that the property may be Imparted to a body by simply pointing It to the north pole. The articles required for this experiment are a poker, a hammer, a needle and a pan of water. Take the poker In the hand and point it to the north, dipping It to the horizon at an angle of about thirty degrees. Give the poker several sharp' raps upon Its higher end with the hammer. This will cause vibration in the molecules of Iron and the poker will become faintly magnetic. The best test for a weak magnet is a needle floating on Perhaps you do not know that a needle may be made to float, but It is very simple. The needle must be dry and the water still. Then, if the needle be laid upon the surface flat, It will float readily. Now take the poker and bold it close to the needle and you may draw It all over the saucer, but the poker must not touch the water. If It should It would raise by adhesion a little hill of water all about it. down which the 'needle would slide, thus producing a deceptive effect of repulsion. Real repulsion instead of attraction may be secured by rubbing one end of the needle ou one end of the poker. The steel will thus become a magnet also, and when floated the poker will attract one end of It and repel the other.—Chicago News. Bookbinder—A Game. This la a game much enjoyed by children and Is played by any number, who ”sit In a circle, each holding a book laid fiat on his clinched fists, which are held out In front of him. One, who has been chosen bookbinder and stands in the middle of the circle, goes to any player and, seizing that player’s book, attempts to rap bis knuckles, which the holder of the book tries to avoid by pulling back his hands quickly. If the bookbinder succeeds In rapping the player’s knuckles, the one rapped becomes bookbinder and the first bookbinder takes bis seat; otherwise he replaces book and tries with some one else. The bookbinder may pretend to seize a book without actually doing so, and If tbe holder pulls away bis hands so that the book falls he must take the leader’s place just as If the knuckles bad been rapped. The leader can make this game quite exciting if he runs quickly for one book and then seizes another, thus keeping the players constantly on the lookout

Singing Ksttlss. The Japanese, who know so well how to add little unexpected attractions to everyday life, manufacture, In s great variety of forms, Iron teakettles which break into song wben the water boils. The song may not be a very perfect melody, but It la perhaps as agreeable as the notes produced by some of the Insects which the Japanese also treasure for their music. The harmonious sounds of the teakettles are produced by steam bubbles escaping from beneath thin sheets, of Iron fastened close together nearly at the bottom of the kettles. To produce the best effects some skill Is required In regulating the fire. The character of the sounds varies with the form of the kettle. These singing kettles have been need for many centuries. The Day's Length. The boys and girls may be surprised to hear that the length of the day may be found by doubling the time of the son’s setting and the length of the night by doubling the time of the son's rising. If, for example, the son sets at 7:30, the length of the day la 19 hours, for twice 7:30 Is 15. If the son rises that day at 4:30, the length of the night Is 9 hours, for twice 4.30 is 0. The 15 hours of daylight and the 9 hours of night make up the whole day of 24 hours. About Peanuts. The peanut grows In the ground, never above It The flowers above ground are sterile, but after the flower withert a stalk from an inch to two inches long shoots down Into the earth and forms the nut. As to the native country of the peanut, of botanists are divided between Africa and America. It la extensively cultivated In all tropical and subtropical countries, but seems to thrive best in the southern states of the American Union. Tw# Pusxln* A child asked her father how old he

was, and the father replied, “I am Just six times as old as you are, but in twenty-four years you will be one-half aa old as L" What were their agesf Answer—Six and thirty-six. What is the difference between a woodpecker and a peck measure? One holds a peck; the other pecks a hole.—Philadelphia Ledger. Nuts to Crack. In autumn there are nuta to crack Of every size and kind. Haselnuta and hickory And cheatnuta you will find. And If around the nursery tire You alt and crack and eat And joke and spin a merry yarn 'Tia happiness complete. But there are other nuts to crack. Quite different, you’U find. From hazelnuts or hickory Or any other kind. Geography, arithmetic. These nuts are hard, indeed. And spelling la another nut. And there’s to write and read. And history and grammar, all These nuta are good to eat. Though hard to crack, you’ll find In each A kernel sound and sweet. Indeed, a bag of nuta la hid Behind each schoolroom door. Be sure you’ve cracked them, eras/ one. Before you ask for more. —Children’s Magazine.