It makes me think of two little fellows I saw playing with a toy engine a few days ago. They had their mother’s knitting-needles in the smoke-stack, and as they dragged the toy over the floor, it made a fine jingle. The mother, however, wished to talk with a lady friend, and asked them to take out the needles, so they would not disturb her. “But it won’t make any n-o-i-s-e then,” said the older boy in a whining tone. I suppose the noise was a delight to all the tiny hammers and anvils in his ears; and it is much the same with every boy.
But I forgot to tell you that there is a way to reach the inside of the ear without going through the ear-drum.
Amy: Please tell us how.
Mother: By going the same way that air takes to go to the lungs; you will find a little door just before you come to the music room, which leads to the ear.
Percy: But why should there be two passages to get to the inside?
Mother: For the very good reason that air is so heavy; if it should press against the ear-drum, it would break it, unless there was something to press just as much against the other side. So some nice, warm air goes up from the throat, and as it is just as heavy as the air outside, it makes the weight alike on both sides.
I once heard of a girl who was asked how air could get inside of the drum of the ear, and she said, “Through the other ear.” Her mates in school all laughed at such a thoughtless answer. You will now know better than to make such a statement if the question were asked you.
Percy: But I would like to know what else a sound finds in the ear besides hammers, anvils, and stirrups.
Section of ear showing bones,ribbon loops, shell tube and rhroat passage.