Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-11-19

The Fair was literally jammed last evening
with gay beaus, who care to subscribe, and
bevies of fair bellies, who came to witness the
interesting ceremony of the beaus sining the
subscription list. Each beau, however. show.
ed great trepidation about approaching the
floral temple, and hesitated about becoming
the target for the battery Of eyes levelled at
that beautiful structure and its charming occu-
pant, who coquettishy eyed the circle Of gal
lants who dared not approach her. Suddenly
reporter broke through the circle OF petrifed
bachelorhood and approached the temple. He
gallantly raised his hand and received grace
full courtesy in acknowledgment. He iptroduc-
cd himself in the blandest and most suave Ches.
terieIdian style as representative of the
press (another courtesy,) and inquired of the
arch divinity with whom he was Wis avis, and
whose face was wreathed with bewitching
smiles. whether there was any truth in the an
nouucement made about the rafting OF beau
titul belle" AS soon as the presiding genius of
the temple of Flora could recover her equanm.
ity, for she was fairly beside herself with
merriment, she Informed the Representative"
that the story originated, doubtless, from her
having told Mr.. Hugh Hastings. that she in
tended to get up magnifcently dressed aCar
belle to be rafled for. Mr.. Hugh saw chance
for good joke, and hence the announcement
The Representative bowed his acknowledge
ments, received bouquet for his cost, and
emerged from the building. The word was
passed to the others with magical speed, and
soon a whole brigade of hunters after "a beau
tifui and eccentric heiress" evacuated the Fair
building.
A BOLD Standardization F. Joy, of
Detroit, Michigan, now visiting New York, on
Monday afternoon left the Office OF the Farm
ers' Loan and Trust Company. bearing under
his arm bundle Of fifty $1,000 bonds of the
Chicago and Iowa Railroad Company, wrsn-
characters, was inscribed $4,000" John
Price, notorious sneak thief, standing listless.
ly on the edge of the kerb-st0ne. started, upon
seeing this inscription, and tollwed Mr. Joy
into an omnibus. Thirty minutes later Mr..
Joy and his escort allighted at the st. Nicbo-
las Hotel, aud the former proceeded up stairs
to his room, and placing the bonds upon the
mantel piece, returned to the vestlbule OF the
hotel and entered into conversation with the
clerk. Price, in the meanwhile, proceeded
to the corridor in which Mr.. Joy s room is sit
uated, and called loudly for Il chambermaid.
who appeared. "See here, my dear girl said
Price, father sent me up tor that bundle OF
his, and [ have lost my key; won't you please
open the door2" And Price pointed to the
entrance to Mr.. joys room. "Certainly, sir,
said the girl, and Price walked in ADD looked
carefully around in search of the bonds.
While thus engaged. he was called to the door
by knock, and, opening 1t, received card
from bel-boy. who said there was gentle
man below who desired to see Mr. Joy. ''Fa.
ther is out at present; tell the gentleman to
call again." replied Price, and the bell boy
disappeared. A few moments later Mr.. Joy
went up to bis room, and was surprised to ind
the door open. Upon entering. nc perceived
that the bonds had disappeared, and, suspect
in robbery, gave the alarm at once, but in Valn
No thief could be found within the hotel limits.
He has, however, since been captured, and
sent 10 Jail.
''THE MARVEL OF STEAM ENGINES. ''-The
Philadelphia correspondent of the "lron Age"
contains the following description OF a gem OF a
steam engine -
We have perfect host OF interesting and
useful inventions to note this week. Proml-
nent among these is what seems justly termed,
1.-THE Marvel of Steam Engineering" This
little machine, which is rotary steam engine,
certainly combines the maximum OF power IN
the minimum Of space, and seems likely to 60
far to superseding the piston engine. Thus,
for economy and space, we have an eight horse
engine with governor attached the entire en-
CINE, enclosed within circular case, twenty.
eight inches diameter by two inches wide, and
looking not unlike an ordinary grindstone when
hung 10 afffame The principle upon which
the invention is based is the same as that In
volved in the turbine water wheel, with the
essential difference, however, that the engine
consists Of two wheels within one case, rotating
10 opposite directions with equal force and
speed. The advantages of this Ingenious piece
OF mechanism are numerous 1t costs but one
half the price of piston engine ; economy OF
space and weight, thirty horse engine weigh
ing but 800 pounds; simplicity Of construction,
having no valves, eccentrics cut offs or connect
ing rods and moreover, that no engineer IS
required to run it, any Ono competent to lire
and watch a boiler being sufficient.
AsTRoNoMIcAL.-A curious and very rare
planetary position will occur on the Sth and
9th of next month to which no attention has
hitherto been called, and it seems to have
escaped the notice even of tho compiers OF the
Astronomical Ephemerides For the space of
two whole days and five hours, the planet
Venus will be behind the sun as viewed from
any part of the earth's surface. The planet
is then on the further side of her orbit.
and her relative motion is only Isl minutes of
arc daily, while at the instant OF conjunction
she will bo within rs seconds of arc OF the sun S
centre. The bright planetary spot will appar
emily touch the western edge OF the sun at IL
O'Clock p. M on the 9th Of December, Chicago
time, and emerge from behind the solar disc,
on its eastern edge at o'clock on the morn
ing of the 9th. The phenomena Of immersion
and emersion will not he visible at Chicago,
tho sun being below our horizon on both coca
sions, but the two bodies may &c seer through
the telescope as almost in contact lste in the
afternoon Of the 9th aud early in the morning
OF the 9th of December. The EMERSON will be
visible in Europe The phepomenon is about
as rare as the transit of the same planet across
the suns disc. which occurs only once on the
average ia 5S4 years The next transit VIII
aa.... n..a.aho. 1914 [Iannnn TrIh1iale