﻿68 PICTORIAL MISCELLANY. 



Forrester's Evenings at Home. 



THE ATMOSPHERL. 



M. F. Well, my young friends, I am glad to see you assembled 

 so early. When I promised to spend one evening in each month in 

 familiar conversations upon useful topics, I did not think you would 

 manifest so much interest in our meetings. But we must not be 



o 



selfish in our search after knowledge. I have a very great number 

 of boys and girls who claim to be my friends, and who cannot be 

 present here to-night. How shall we manage ? 



George Lincoln. Publish our proceedings in your Magazine. 



M. F. A good thought, George. Will you all agree to it ? 



AIL Yes, yes, yes, do. 



M. F. But then another difficulty arises. We have no report- 

 er. However, I will try to do that. So, Miss Flora, call in your 

 father and mother, and we will begin. But what shall be our sub- 

 ject for to-night ? 



He?iry Li?icoln. As we do not know exactly what course you 

 propose taking, we have decided to have you choose a subject to- 

 night. 



M. F. Well, let me see. As I got out of the cars to-night a 

 blast ot wind blew my hat off, and carried it off several rods. A lit- 

 tle girl seeing my hat running away, ran and caught it for me. I 

 propose saying something to-night about the Atmosphere. 



All. Agreed. 



M. F. We are too apt to overlook the wonders of things which 

 are before us every day ; but we shall see very shortly that nothing 

 is too insignificant for notice. The Earth, upon which we live, is 

 surrounded with a gaseous body, called the atmosphere, or air. It 

 is composed of 78 parts nitrogen, 20 parts oxygen, 1 part of 

 caibon, and I part of an aqueous vapor. Wave your hand back 

 and forth, and you can feel the atmosphere, though you cannot see it. 

 When it is put in motion it is called wind. It was the atmosphere 

 in motion that blew my hat off. It is that which enables Henry to 

 fly his kite, which drives the wind-mill and sails the ships. 



Henry. How far does the atmosphere extend upwards ? 



