The major was delighted, and conversed upon various points connected with the intended union of his nephew with that lady, which we do not think it necessary to relate in this place. The vicar and major shook hands, and it was proposed that they should dine at Overton Lodge the following day, and, as a specific overture, that the major should visit the vicarage in his way, and again inspect some of the disputed antiquities of the reverend collector.
The following morning was occupied with the consideration of those different toys which are indebted for their operation to the pressure of the atmosphere.
“Tom,” said Mr. Seymour, “fetch hither your leathern sucker.”
“John is, at this moment, amusing himself in the garden with the one which I brought with me from school,” replied Tom.
“Then you shall construct another for yourself. Here is leather and string.”
“This leather is too stiff; but I may, perhaps, make it answer the purpose by first soaking it.”
Having allowed it to remain in water for a short time, the leather became sufficiently pliable for his purpose; he therefore cut it into a circular shape, and affixed a string through its centre. The juvenile party now hastened to the lawn, and having once again dipped his newly-constructed sucker into the water, the ingenious boy placed it upon a stone, pressed down the leather with his foot, and succeeded in making it raise the weight.
“Well done, my boy! Now, then, explain the reason of the leather’s adhesion to the surface, and of its being thus capable of retaining its hold, notwithstanding the gravity of the stone.”
“In the first place,” answered Tom, “the edges of the wet leather, from being closely pressed, stuck with sufficient firmness to the smooth surface of the stone, to resist the force of the string as I pulled it upwards; the consequence was, that a hollow was formed in the middle part of the leather; and, as that hollow place cannot contain any air, it is called a vacuum.”
“Very well,” replied his father, “so far you are right; but you have not informed me in what manner a vacuum acts in preventing the stone from quitting the leather.”