The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1860-02-23
Origin Of Hail Columbia.

were several parties ia the field, Mr. Fox
young lawyer, who was more admired
for local, than historonic powers, called
one morCing on his friend Mr.. Hopkins
and after stating that the following eve
ming had been appointed for his benefit,
and expressing great fear for the result,
as not single box had been taken, begg.
ed his friend to do something in his be.
half.
-."If' said Fox "you will write me
some patriotic verses to the tune of the
Presidents march, feel sure Of full
house. Several Of the people about the
Theatre have attempted it, but they have
come to the conclusion it cannot be done;
yet I think you may succeed Mr. Hop
kins retired to his study, and in short
time wrote the first verse and chorus,
were submitted to Mr. Fox, who sang
them to piano accompaniment, and in
keeping L. this way :he second and
other verses were written; and when Fox
returned il the evening, he had recciv
ed the song as it now stands. The fol
lowing morning small hand bills and
placsrds announced that Mr.. Fox would
sing new patriotic song, &c.
The Theatre was crowded; the song
was received with rapture; it was repeat
ed eight times and again encored; and
when sung the ninth time, the whole au
dience joined in the chorus Night af-
ter night Hail Columbia chcered the
visitors Of the theatre, and in few days
it was the universal song Of the boys IN
the streets from one end OF the town to
the other. Nor was the author Of this
popular song-a song which met the ar
probation Of both parties-iorgotten.-1
The street in which he resided was on
the occasion crowded. and Hail Colum-
bia broke on the Stiffness Of the mid
night from five hundred patriotic voices.
DIAMETER or THE STARs.-Great di-
versity of opiuien now exists among
astronomers as to the diameter Of the
stars. IF, says NJ. Arago, we should
take for the ir discs, such as they appear
to the naked eye, certain stars would be
100000 leagues in diamcter--e equal to
1000 times greater than the sun-and
the most moderate calculation, will be
200, 100000. Hershel's last calcula
ton was that Of Arcturus, diameter Of
nearly four millions. If the apparent
diameter Of two seconds and half, as
sigusd by Hershel to the Goat, was real,
the mass Of that star must be more than
II ,0O0, 900 times greater than that Of our
sun. But there is no certainty in this,
nor anything to question that our sun is
star The sublime plea in the Script,
ures that the Creator has made all with
number, weight and measure, is follow.
ed by Plato, who called it the geometry
of the Heavens.
Haller, the friend Of Newton, believed
that the stars were all Of the same mag.
nitudo-that of the sun; and that differ
ence Of distance only caused the appa-
rent difference Of size-The number of
stars visible by means Of Telescope Of
20tt. distance Of local, may be more than
500, 900 o00 It is affirmed by Arrago
that there are certainly star in the firm
ament whose distance from the earth is
344, and even $40 times greater than the
stars visible to the naked eye. See what
a conclusion this leads us to. It is ad.
mitted that light, with the velocity OIL
y 900 leagues second. takes three years
to reach US from the nearest star.
Sar Every one should strivet to be like
to them in grace whom they desire to be
equal with in glory. He that shoots at
the sun, though he be far short, will
shoot higher than he who aims at shrub.
L is best, and it speaks out much Of
Christ within, to eye the highest and the
worthiest examples.
D0 Corruption in the heart, when it
breaks forth, is like breach in the sea,
which begins in narrow passage, till it
eats through and casts down all before
Il H. IL - -