Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-11-11
Ike Partin:ton ON astronomy.

The boys forming the first class ot
the Prom monitory School having formed
themselves into an association for mu-
tual benefit, the evenings of the meet
ings are occupied with reading original
essays on various topics-a very inter
esting one on Toothpicks commenced
the course-and at the last meeting
Master Ike Partington, on being called
upon, with due modesty submitted the
following very scientific paper on
| THE COMET.
Comets are Independent luminaries
that go on their own hook. They are
first class stars in playing the great dra-
ma of the universe. and never quarrel
with the management, as Our stars do
especially when they don't get their pay.
They seem like our stars, because they
sometimes cut up shines, move in irreg-
ular orbits, in danger of coming IL il. o".i
tact with other consternations, and are
never settled. Some people think that
comets are steam engines, dashinS. thro'
the explanatory system with long train
behind them, some that they are big
fire balls that have got going of it and
cant stop, and some don't think about
it at all, or anything else. 1t is the
opinion of Mr.. Twitchell, who has look
ed for several evenings at the comet
which is now switching its tail round the
north pole, through spy glass, that
comets are tenders to the PLANETS, and
go round supplying them with light, to
help them make rays, just as the oil
vessels go round among the light houses
furnishing them with oil This is a
very rational hypotheneuse, and it is
probably correct: or it isn't. Comets
travel at great speed, and it is confuted
by the mathematical instrument maker
down town, that the comet now on its
way to Boston may travel eleven thou
sand billions of miles in day, and new
er once stop from exhaustion or want
OF fuel. The same gentleman likewise
says that he thinks that the comets tail
is twice as long as the Atlantic Telc-
graph, and pretty nearly as long as
those tales in a long tailed newspaper,
which are always to be continued. The
present comet will only make short
trip, because it is coming back in about
one hundred years. This is not Mr..
Haley's comet that was expected a good
Nnlle ago, ranu maze so many people
pious for fea$ of being killed by it,
whose goodness disappeared when the
fear Of the comet did, and will come
back when the comet does The pres
ent doesn't seem to affect the hardened
very much; they rather like it as the
mink did the steel trap. Comets being
very independent, it isn't much use to
inquire the reason off is coming here
night after night and getting round US
in the manner it does--wc shouldn't get
any answer if we did. Perhaps the
committee on lamps would throw some
light onto it. AS it is, it seems to be a
great waste of time and fuel for very
little use. But l will not pursue the
subject any further, for fear that some
will think am making light of it, as
the old lady did when the bad boy burnt
her Tes lament, and thus leave it, while,
flashing down the Western sky, the
great blazing star goes on its way: and
my impression is that little planets had
better get out of its path, or they may.
get hurt.-Bostoa Ere. Gazctte.