Tales out of school

by Frank R. Stockton

Through the liquid contained in this bath, the electrical current is passed in this way. The wires of a galvanic battery are connected with two metal rods lying across the box. The things to be plated are hung by metal hooks to one of these rods—which communicates with the negative pole of the battery. To the other rod, which communicates with the positive pole of the battery, is hung a piece of silver. This completes the circuit, and the electrical fluid passes from pole to pole, going from the battery into the rods, and through the metallic hooks, and articles hung upon them, into the liquid. The silver on the positive side is dissolved by the electricity, and deposited in a thin layer upon the articles on the negative side.

It requires a perfect knowledge of the business to know just how to manage all these matters, so that the deposit shall leave an even surface. There are many little secrets, known only to manufacturers, which enable them to increase the beauty of the plating.

But the articles are not ready for use as soon as plated. A good deal is to be done to them in the way of brushing, polishing, and burnishing. And then they often have to be ornamented in plain designs, or with garlands of flowers, or sprays of leaves. Sometimes figures of men or animals are moulded upon them. Occasionally, for splendid objects of art, the leaves and flowers are colored their natural tints.

VERY ANCIENT ANIMALS.

If you boys never went on a “possum hunt” you have missed a good deal of fun. I really cannot tell which enjoys this hunt the most, men, or boys, or dogs. I think we can guess pretty well which enjoys it least—the opossum. If he gets safely off, though, as he does very often, I have no doubt he enjoys thinking over the chase, and laughs to himself at the way he outwitted dogs and men; for, of course, he would put the dogs first, as being of the greater importance in his eyes.

ANTEDILUVIAN OPOSSUM.

Moonlight nights are the times to hunt opossums. Where these animals go in the day-time I am sure I don’t know, but they roll themselves up in a ball, and sleep soundly somewhere, entirely out of the way of everybody. But, at night, they are awake and active, and look up their food.

And then it is that we look them up for food; and for the fun of the hunt. More for the fun, I am afraid, than the food; for we get plenty to eat without going after wild animals; whereas the poor opossum looks for his food because he is really hungry.

We start off, on some fine moonlight night, a party of men and boys. We are in high spirits, and laugh and talk, and have a good time. The dogs are in high spirits too, and run and frisk gaily about. But when we approach the woods we grow quiet and begin to look around expectantly. The dogs understand perfectly what business we are upon, and know that we rely upon them to “tree” the game. So they trot soberly on before us, turning to the right or left as their scent leads them.