The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-29
GENERAL . / M1scE1LAiN n I.

overwhelming world of stars. He has discov-
cred a celestial confagrationl He has turned
that most wonderful and simple of NIL ipstru-
ments, the spectroscope, to the variable star r
| in Gemini, and he has found it all ablazei We
well remember the thrilling sensation which
was caused by the sudden outburst of star in
Corona, in 1866, which shene with the lustre of
la star of the fourth magnitude, and gradually
disappeared in the formless void, though still
remaining as an object of telescope research.
| X in Gemini is not the only fire whose mighty
blaze is watched. The physicists have been
| busy with the two comets of 1868, called Bror-
sons and Winnecke's, and found them to be
masses of burning carbon of extreme tenuity.
Winneckes comet still family burns in the
northwestern evening sky. Now, too, we can
account for the great star of 1872, which sud-
| denly shone forth in Cassiopeia with q bright
ness which made it visible at noou-dny. Now
we comprehend the lesser light of Corona; and
watch with intensified interest the fire which
every night is revealed to oar observation, Is
! the spectroscope, with its simplicity and GER
| tainty, ordained to teach what,the wisdom of
ages has only conjeotured, that there will be
an end to the form which material elements
have taken in the great world of space9 We
tremble at every discovery, and look upon the
| spectroscope with feeling approaching ven
| GRAFTON for the magnitude of the conclusions it
| reaches, as we'll as an illustration of the SIM
| plicity with which great results are attained
in the material as we'll as the spiritual world
A black line of q certain form on o spectrum
of the sun shows that ingredient exists
there which is found in our globes; q bright
| line in the spectrum of o star shows that its
eating white-hot nucleus surrounded by in
cadescent atmosphere, in fact that the stars
are suns like our sun. From the observations
of Lockyer and Jannsen, made during the So
lar eclipse of last August, there can be little
doubt that the 4trosy protuberances," which
have so long puzzled astronomers during
eclipse, are immense masses of glowing hydro
gen, rising to the height of from 10000 to co.
900 miles above the surface of the sum. This fact
also gives an additional reason for believing
that our sun belongs to the class of variable
ST II" Vii fAtNy fhA act Wa
question, may not a similar confiagration burst
forth in the great source from which we de-
rive our light and heat : May not our sun sud
denly blaze up in the armament of some far
distant world, as the star. in Corona did in
ours May not these startling facts dimly
foreshadow the time long prophesied "ln which
the heavens shall pass away with great noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein
shall be burned up7" If the inteusity of the
SUMS rays were increased eight hundred~fold,
our globe would be disspated in vap0r, as "a
drop of water i'll a furnace. We cannot ques-
ton the possibility of such an~cVent, while the
probability is infinitely small, neither do the
researches OF geologIsts find any testimony of
the occurrence of~such an event in the infinite
geologic ages~of the past.-Itorideace Journal.
Il Man Of Bight.-M. De Lesseps is not con-
tent with diverting the commerce of the world
and carrying ships across an isthmus, he now
contemplates project for remodeling q CONT
nent and creating new ocean. He has ascer-
tanned that the general level of the desert of
Sahara is below that of the water in the Red
Sea, and he is represented to be thinking of
cutting n passage for it into the interior
There is something almost absurd in the idea
of making a new sea, but next to the audacity
of the project the most remarkable thing about
it seems its wonderful simplicity. If only
those figures ascertained by NJ. De Lesseps are
true, what is to prevent the desert from be-
coming n vast lake of salt water The sur
veyors sent to Investigate the matter declare
that the ground slopes down to an average
level of twenty-seven metres below that of the
adjacent gulf. Cut canal through the inter
vening patch of high land, and what is to pre-
vent the water from flowing In? 1t is becom-
ing evident that NJ. De Lesseps is not man to
be trfled with, and we sincerely hope he will
not find the British islands anyhow in his way,
or he might propose to dredge them off the
map of Europe If he disestablishes the desert
Of Sahara nothing will stop him afterwards
and we shall expect to see him undertake to
warm the North Pole, or getting up n company
for supplying the nations of the world with
inland lakes, rivers, forests, and all physical
phenomena on the lowest terms. Mountains
removed in town country. Agencies in all
parts of the solar system.
Defending Castle in Prussia.-Thatf eudalism
is not yet extinct in Prussia is shown by an
extraordinary incident which has just occurred
near Hohenstein, in the Hartz. The estate of
Werna, in this district, has for centuries been
in possession of the Spiegel family, though 1T
was held in fec of the Count Won Stolberg-
Stolberg. Last spring the present occupier of
the property publicly denied the fealty, and as
such denial, according to the old feudal law,
would deprive the lord of his rights, Count Won
Stolberg Immediately called upon Herr Won
spiegel t., give up, the estate. The latter re-
fused, and made all the necessary preparations
for defense The gate was barred, the laborers
on the estate were drilled every day and
taught to fire at target, sentries were posted
at various places and relieved every two hours.
A large placard has been posted up at the gate
with the inscription, II thoroughfrrc for rob-
Der. knights" (VerbOtener eingang fur allie
Raubritter.) 1t is said that Count Stolberg
will shortly arrive with band of armed men
to take forcible possession of the property, and
people are curious to know how this medieval
scene in the middle of the nineteenth century
Will end.
Tie Hing Of the Ragpickers.-The king of the
chifoniers of Paris has just expired. The de-
ceased, who was called Father Epingle, was
followed to the grave by more than 1900 of his
subjects, and three speeches were pronounced
over Ills tomb. Whence he came who he
was, no one knows. Under his bolster was
found n packet of papers with this inscription,
ITO be burnt after my DEATH" Round his neck
he wore the miniature of Rachel, the actress,
and often when one of the inhabitants of the
lie des Singes was in distress, the monarch
would disappear for some hours, and always
~ 10 4