Davidson College in the "Forties", 123-124

Title

Davidson College in the "Forties", 123-124

Description

A section of "Davidson in the "Forties"" from the 1895 issue of Quips and Cranks. Describes some of the work of "Esom", a man enslaved by President Williamson.

Creator

Davidson College

Date

1895

Text

There was also an old galvanic battery in a chronic state of innocuous desuetude. The professor told us one day he would make Esom clean it up and he would then exhibit it peculiar powers the next day. Esom was the president's slightly colored body-servant and general factotum, and was popularly known as the vice-president. Just how hard Esom tried to put the machine in order we never knew, but it was an utter failure in the way of generating a galvanic current. We were a little more fortunate in two other experiments. One was the dropping of a piece of potassium into a glass of water. It ignited at once and burned beautifully, much to our amazement. The other was the mixing of some chorate of potassa, if I am not mistaken, and something else and making Esom strike them with a hammer. Esom had been there before and was so disgusted with the results that he turned his face away and in the first effort failed to hit the pile of salts. But being rebuked for his cowardice he took better aim next time and produced a loud explosion. There were some glass jars and retorts and funnels and tubes upon the shelves, but but we never knew exactly what they were for. I think there was also some litmus paper about, and there is a lingering impression that it would change color on the application of certain acids. Perhaps that impression was obtained from the books, as there is no memory of seeing it done.

Publisher

DigitalNC

https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/29123?ln=en#?xywh=2311%2C467%2C3205%2C1360&cv=135

Language

English

Source

Quips and Cranks 1895