The Silent Readers Part 35

How do you strike a match--away from you or toward you? Probably you have never thought about this, but think of it hereafter, and form the habit of always striking _away_ from you. Thus, if the match breaks or its head flies off, it will not be likely to set fire to your clothing. In lighting matches upon a box, first _close the box_; otherwise the flame may set fire to the whole box. If the box is set in a box-holder, such as those used by smokers, wherein the upper part of the box is open, place the box so that the heads are not exposed.

In striking a match upon such a holder, always strike downward away from the open end.

If matches are spilled, do you stop at once and pick up every one? If you leave them strewn about for even a little while, you may forget them until after mischief has been done. A match on the floor is always a dangerous thing. It may be stepped on and ignited, or it may be found by a little child, or it may be carried into the wall or under the floor by a rat or mouse. It is not probable that mice often start fires by gnawing match-heads, but they do like to use them in building nests in warm, comfortable places, close to chimneys or furnace pipes. Dangerous fires may come from this cause or from matches rubbed against beams while being carried to the nest.

Where do you keep your matches? Are they out of reach of little children, as they always should be? Are they kept away from the stove, or the stovepipe, or any other place where they may become overheated?

Are they loose in a drawer or on a shelf, or are they in a covered box or dish of metal or earthenware? Sometimes uncovered matches are ignited by the sun's rays s.h.i.+ning through a lens-forming bubble in a window-pane.

Do you carry matches on your person? A child should never be allowed to do this. He may be careful, but some careless child may ask him for a match. Always be on the safe side. A grown person should never permit himself to carry loose matches in his pocket. The State Fire Marshal of Iowa says:

Some men, especially smokers, are in the habit of carrying matches around with them. It is the easiest thing in the world for matches carried around loose in a man's pocket to drop out. Suppose the man has work to do about a barn. A match drops out on the barn floor and a horse steps on it. It is a parlor-match and ignites, setting fire to hay and other inflammable material found in barns. Then the barn burns and the cause of fire is reported something like this:

"Unknown. n.o.body had been in the barn for some time. Everything safe when the barn was closed up."

Six hundred and ninety-four barn fires took place in Iowa in 1914.

Hundreds of these were reported as of unknown origin, but it is safe to say that in a great number of cases, if the cause could have been traced, it would have been found to be a match that had dropped out of a smoker's pocket.

Until we find some better device for producing fire, matches will continue to be used in immense numbers, and they will always be a source of danger in the hands of careless people, and even careful people may be imperiled by the actions of careless people about them.

There are no safety-rules more important than those applying to the use of matches, and habits of carefulness should be formed by every person. Some one has said:

Matches do not think with their heads. When you use them, your head has to do all the thinking. Do the thinking! Put them out!

SAFETY RULES FOR BUYING MATCHES

1. Purchase by brand, and always avoid brands which break, lose their heads, or glow after being blown out.

2. Look for the label of the Underwriters' Laboratories.

3. Give the preference to strike-on-the-box, or safety matches, but, in case of buying the strike-anywhere match, get one that has a protected tip.

SAFETY RULES FOR USING MATCHES

1. Keep them in covered boxes or dishes, away from the heat of stoves and stovepipes and out of the reach of rats and mice.

2. Strike matches away from you. If you are striking on a box, first close the box. Strike downward on the box.

--_National Board of Fire Underwriters._

QUESTIONS

1. Make three more rules for using matches.

2. What is the meaning of the following words?

friction experimenting Underwriters safety-matches inflammable peril ignite avoid accidentally device

3. Tell three ways in which matches may be dangerous.

n.o.bLESSE OBLIGE

_n.o.blesse oblige_ is a French expression (p.r.o.nounced n.o.bless'

obleejh') which means, "High birth or position makes one responsible for the good of those lower than he in position". The following story tells of a British officer during the World War who did not forget this motto. The story was told by the writer of a book narrating experiences at the front. As you read, think how you would have felt if you had been one of the young colonel's men.

A great love and sympathy always seem to exist between the British officer and his men. One of the reasons is the justice and unselfishness of the officer. For instance, a British officer among the walking wounded never goes ahead of his men to have his wounds dressed.

Outside of one dressing station sat a young colonel with a bad wound.

One of the secretaries noticed him and said, "You had better get into the dressing station at once."

"It is not my turn. I will not go out of turn."

Some four hours later, the secretary, pa.s.sing out food and drink, again noticed the colonel.

"Here! Why haven't you had your wounds dressed?" he exclaimed.

"I am waiting for my turn."

"But it was your turn a long time ago."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. Come, let me help you."

Into the dressing room he staggered. He had no idea that he had done a heroic thing.

--"_Youth's Companion._"

1. Could the young colonel have had his wounds dressed earlier if he had wished?

2. Why did he not do so?

THE MAGIC HORSE

Here is another Arabian fairy tale. It is much longer than the story of the queer man who was made Caliph for a day and is also very different from that tale. But it is a fine story of adventure filled with surprises and with all the changes of fortune that fairy stories so often have. Of course, all sixth grade boys and girls know that the Indian who is spoken of is an East Indian of Asia and not a North American Indian.

On the Nevrouz, that is to say, the new day, which is the first of the year, and the beginning of the spring, an ancient and solemn feast was observed through all Persia. At the court, this feast was always attended with the greatest splendor. All artists, natives or strangers, were allowed at that time to produce their several inventions before the king; who never failed to confer liberal rewards on those whose abilities deserved them.

Near the close of one of these feasts, an Indian presented himself before the king with an artificial horse of the most perfect workmans.h.i.+p, richly accoutred. "I flatter myself, sir," said the Indian, addressing himself to the king, "that your majesty hath never seen anything so wonderful as this horse, either now, or at any former Nevrouz." The king surveyed the horse with attention. "I see nothing,"