LEBON. 3U 



John said that that was exactly what he should like. 

 So he placed his feet upon the valise, and leaned his head 

 upon Lawrence's shoulder, and Lawrence began : 



" I'll tell you the story," said he, " of the man who first 

 discovered the mode of lighting by gas. His name was 

 Lebon. He was a Frenchman, and an engineer by profes- 

 sion. He was in the government employ, being engaged 

 in superintending certain public works and manufactures. 

 But, besides his regular business, he was greatly interested 

 in making investigations and experiments." 



" That was a good thing," said John. 



" Yes," replied Lawrence, " if it was not carried too far. 

 He was charged with neglecting his regular duties in or- 

 der to gain time to make his experiments. I do not know 

 whether the charge was just or riot, but I advise you, if 

 you make any experiments this winter, not to let them in- 

 terfere with your regular studies." 



John did not answer. The truth was, he was beginning 

 to feel a little sleepy. 



" The first experiment that he made in relation to gas," 

 continued Lawrence, " was something like our plan of dis- 

 tilling gas in a pipe, only he used a glass bottle instead of 

 a pipe. He observed, in watching the fire, that the flame 

 sometimes seemed to nicker in the air at a little distance 

 from the wood, and he conceived the idea of separating it 

 entirely. So he filled a glass bottle with sawdust, and 

 fitted some kind of a tube into the mouth of it, and then 

 put the bottle into the fire among the burning coals." 



" But, Lawrence," said John, partially arousing himself, 

 " the bottle would break." 



" Yes," said Lawrence, " if he put it in suddenly it would 

 break, but you can heat glass very hot if you heat it very 

 gradually, and Lebon, no doubt, took all necessary precau- 

 tions. His experiment succeeded very well, Then he tried 



