Daughter. O, dear, mother! they are so hot that they almost burnt my cheek.
Mother. Yes, Caroline; and do you not recollect, when you read Robinson Crusoe, that his man Friday made a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together?
Daughter. O, yes, dear mother; and I have often wondered why Alice could not light her lire and the lamp in the same manner, without those matches, which have so offensive a smell.
Mother. It is very hard work, my dear, to obtain fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together; and it would take too long a time to do it. The two pieces of wood would grow warm by a very little rubbing; but in order to make them take fire, they must be rubbed together a great while.
Daughter. But, mother, if it takes so long a time to get fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together, why can Alice set the match on fire so easily by rubbing it once on the sand-paper?
Mother. That is what I am about to explain to you, my dear. Here, take this piece of paper and hold it up to the lamp.
Daughter. It has taken fire, mother.
Mother. Now take this piece of pine wood, and hold that up to the lamp in the same manner, and see whether that will take fire too.