THE DEVIL TAKES A HOLIDAY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 76, 10 July 1942, Page 2

THE DEVIL TAKES A HOLIDAY

When the famous American physicist, Robert W. Wood, was a young, chemistry student at Johns Hopkins, the shortest route from the laboratory to his boardinghouse was through a Negro section. Every day he passed groups of Negroes sunning themselves before a grocery store—and just in front of the store was a depression in the street which ivas always filled with water. Wood had learned tliat sodium, when thrown into water, will take fire spontaneously with a loud explosion and burn with a fierce yellow flame, emitting showers of sparks and clouds of white smoke. One day, as he passed the grocery, Wood cleared his throat loudly and

spat ostentatiously into the puddle, at the same time dropping a small ball of sodium into the Avater. There was a terrific bang, sparks and a great flash of yelloAV fire. Pandemonium broke loose—lioavls, prayers, CA T erturned chairs, and one A'oicc louder than all the rest: "Out o' my Avay; Dat man spit dat fire! He look young but only de ole DeA r i!, ole Satin himself, can do datl" Wood said this was his first sue-' ccssful "experiment" Avith the element Avhich aftenvard, through Avork of a.soberer nature, contributed to his Avorld-Avidc fame.