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Show What a Candle Teaches t By Frederick Brelthut ' ( I I HOL'PH of fncts nro usually uninteresting. The human mind pre. j Gfers to have cold reallly and to sunr Into the high regions of Im. j ngliintliiii null desire. Hut filets are the only true basis of real knowicilge. ihcro In no getting, nwny frum tlieui. If they nre f iicgleetcd, no matter bow bemitirully wo build on another foiinda- ' t tlou, our structure is doomed to collapse. Considering tbla, does It I not seem' rather surprising that facts nro so frequently neglected i JJ""J You can get a mini to read a illsh wnter novel or a piece of F I sentimental poetry with the greatest ease. Itut put a aclentlfle hook In hla bunds, n book which contains truth ami real Instruction. , ; ' and If you can get your uiaii to read mure than the first page you lire lucky. t F.vcn though this Is the case, I w-aut to uk you to consider a little problem Willi lue, Willi a view to getting some fuels -tho problem of n burning candle. A burning caudle Is a small gus fai-lury. No matter In what state any material Is. whether It Is n solid like wax, or n liquid like kerosene. It must first be isiiiverled into a gas heron- we can bnve a Hume. 'I ho only difference between n candle nnd n gas factory la Unit the gases of the caudle nre not inade nt n distance uud isiiiveyed by menus of pities to distant burners, but - they nre niniiufiictiired on the spot nnd isiusiiiucd aa rust na they nro inade. i Our ordinary candle Is niiiile or tnllow, n solid which consists mainly nf two substances, one or which is called cnrboii, the other hydrogen. The burning or Ihe wick melts the tallow near It. This molten tnllow In absorbed by the wick nnd carried to the Hume. It Is here that the liquid Is changed Into gases. The decomposition of the molten tnllow yields acetylene gus, marsh gas nnd ohiletit gas nnd these burn with a tin me. lly burning : menu that the emboli mid hydrogen or these gases unite with Ihe oxygen of j the air Willi sulllelenl beat lo mule u tin me. , Flames may be luminous, as the ordijimy yellow gas llaine, or minium- J Inoiis, ns the bluish tlaiiie you get lu your gas stove. i The ordinary gun name la luminous bei-niise parlleles of carbon, set free- t by the burning, nre inade to glow. Vim can prove tlds statement by Intro- ducliig n cold object, like a philc or inieer, Into n eniiille tin mo. lou will ! '. see a black deposit of soot. This soot Is I In- carbon which has come rroin llm acetylene gun. The great heat of Ihe lliime makes the llncly divided carbon ; ; particles glow In Ihe tin inc. j i 'Ihe light of the Welsbneh I'miiiidcseent ll-iit Is duu tn the glowing of the IE Incombustible miiteilals of w bl.-h mantles are made. , j 'liie understanding of so simple a thing as the light of n burning cnndlrs ! tnkes a little thought. It took hundreds or years ot blundering theorizing! j - before men really understisiil why u candle burns. f '. You mny nsk, "What ilirferenee does It uuiko why n cnndlo burns? The f t thing Is that It does burn and we can use It to give us light whether we I i know tho cause of the llaine or not." . i In thu first place there would be snlli lent satisfaction In knowing the true ' eiume of n phenomenon to warrant years of thorough Investigation evea ' though there were no practical result Truth la higher than utility. ! I Hut tho iridersliindlng of tli tcul cuubo of tlumo hut led to yrf practice j results. New York Journal. ! i i ! r i j |