“A great deal had been drawn off during the night and we had not been making any more during the time to take its place.”
“Does it ever get burned out too much?”
“No, there’s no danger of it. We make enough to allow a good large margin above what we expect will be used.”
The children looked about a little longer, and then, with good-byes and many thanks to Mr. Carter, walked home again with papa, over the crisp, hard snow.
Next week Philip had a composition to write at school. He took “Gas” for his subject, and wrote:
“Gas that you burn is made out of soft coal. They put it in Ovens and cook it until it is not coal any longer. The Ovens are so hot you cant go anywhare near them but the men do With poles and big lether aprons. I would not like to shovle in the coal. I would rather have a Balloon. They use two or three tons every day. it makes coke and Tar and the gas that goes up the pipes. They make the gas clean and mesure it in a big box of water, and tell how much there is by looking at the clock faces in front. Then it goes into a big round box made of iron and then we burn it. but I do not like to smell of it. you must not blow it out for if you do you will get choked. This is all I Remember about gas.
“Philip Raymond Lawrence.”