Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-10-11

| ''"'iNo w BuiilNhldi, WIZ StINt W
me against wicked and malicious ISLANDERS,
Notwithstanding the proverb which says
that there is no remedy against the wounds
inflicted by the tongue OF calumny, SC.
"NlcHoLAs CorERNlcus, of Thorn"
Soon the first dawn Of day caused the
lamp of the astronomer TO burn more dim
ly; be leant bis forehead upon the table,
and, overcome with fatigue, sank into a
peaceful sumber. After sixty years of la
Dor, he, in truth, needed repose. But his
present repose, at all events, was not des-
! tined TO be OF long duration ; it was abridg-
ed by the entrance Of an aged servant, who
with slow and heavy step, assembled the
tower stairs.
"Nlaster," said he 10 the canon, as he
gently touched him upon the shoulder,
'the messenger who arrived yesterday from
Rhcticus is ready to set out on his return,
and is waiting for your proof sheets and
letters"
The astronomer rose, made up the pack
ct, which he duly sealed, and then sank
back upon his chair as if weared by the
effort.
"But that is not ALL" continued the ser
, want; ''therr are ten poor, sick people in
the house waiting for you and, besides,
you are wanted at Frauenberg to look after
the water machine, which has stopped
working, and also TO see the three work.
men who broke their legs in trying 10 set
it going again"
"Poor creatures" exclaimed Coperni-
Gus ''iet my horse be saddled directly"
| ~ al Iol I,
sleep which weighed down his eyeids, the
good man hastily descended the stairs of
the tower.
The house of Coperncus was, in out
ward appearance, one of the most unpre
tending in Wernica. II was composed of
a laboratory, in which he prepared medi-
cine for the poor; little studio, in which
this man oC genius, skilled in art as well as
science, painted his own likeness or those
of his friends, or traced bis reco,lectionS Of
Rome or Bologna; and lastly, of a small
parlor on the ground floor, which was
open for all who came to him for rpme-
dies, for money, or for food. Over the
door an oval aperture had been cut, through
which ray of the midday sun daily pen
etrateG, and, resting upon a certain point
in the adjoining room, marked the hour of
noon. This was the astronomical gnomon
OF Coprrnicus; and the only ornament the
room contained were some verses written
by his own hand, and pasted up over the
chimney piece.
1t was in this parlor that the good canon
found room to tend invalids who had come
to claim his assistance dressed the wounds
OF some, administered remedies to others,
and on all bestowed aims and words of
kindness and consolation. Having COM
peted his labors, he hastily swallowed a
dranght of milk, and was about 10 set out
to Fraurnberg, when a horseman, callop-
ing up to the door, handed him letter.
Iir trpmbled as he recognized the hand
writing of his friend GySiuS, Bishop OF
5 Cum. "Alay God have pity on u.s." wrote
this letter, "ani avert the blow which now
threatens thee! Thy enemies and thy ri,
f yalS comhined-thOSr who accuse thee oI
: folly, and those who treat thee as a hereto
, have been so successful in exciting
against thee the minds of the people o
: Nuremberg, that men curse thy name il
p the streets; the priests rXcommuniCatc the,
r from their rulpils; and the University
, hearing that thy book was to appear, ha
declared its intention to break the printing
, press of the publisher, and TO destroy th,
work to which thy life has been devoted
t Come and lay the storm but come quick
= ", or thou wilt be too late"
= Before Coprruicus had finished the peru
p sal OF this letter, he frl! back voicelesS anC
= powerless into the arms Of his faithful ser
y want, and it was some moments before h,
It rallied. When hr again looked up, IT.,
e hOrseman who had been charged to rScor
l., him back asked him how soon he woult
S wish TO set out.
n II must set ont directly" replied tn
d old man, in resigned tone ''but not 70
ii Nurenburg or for Culm; the suffering work
men at Frauenberg are expecting me the.
a may perhaps die if do not go to their as
is sistance. My enemies may perhaps dPs
/ troy my work. they cannot sop the stan
e in their course"
d An hour later, Copernicus was at Frau
is enherg. The machine which he had bt
1t slowed upon the town, which was built o
r the summit of hill, conveyed thither th
is waters of the river Bouda, situated at th
W distance of half league in the valley BE-
n low. The inhabitants, instead of suhtrin
It, like their fathers, from continued drough
n had now only 10 turn a valve, and tt
d, plenteous stream flowed into their hous,
he in rich abundance.
70 This machine had got out Of order Ii
T. preceding day, and the accident had hal
ad pened very inopportunely, because th
nd was the festival OF the patron saint of Frar
to enberg. But at the first glance the cane
ii saw where the evil lay, and in few hou
us the water flowed freely into the town.
ad His first cares, we need not say, had bee
lis directed 10 the unhappy man who had r
ed ceived injuries whilst working in the slu
TO ces: he sci their fractured limbs, al
o. bound them up with his own hands; the
Ia commanding them to the care of an atten
lie ant, he promised TO return and visit the
he on the morrow. But blow was about
he descend upon himself, which was destin'
rst 10 crush him to the earth.
20 As he crossed the square, whilst Passll
he through the town on his return home,