The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-05-03
MYSTERIES OF EVERYDAY
LIFE,

MYSTERIES OF EVERYDAY
LIFE.
The ingenious and delightful author Of
the "SIfseries Of Human Life" LEFT his
task but half accomplished. They have
multiplied since, In fresh and unlocked.
for variety; and pleasant chapter or
two may be written on the subject here.
aller. At the present moment l am de.
sirors ofacquiring information upon Ger.
tain everyday occurrences, rather than
charging on the various forms of social.
ed accident that arc attached apparently
even tony very nomenclature; for my
name is Hassard, and might much more
properly be called Certainty, il ut all
designed 10 symbolic tho cOnstancy Of
fortunes freaks with my social status.
There IRE few things that have not hap
pencd to me; indeed, doubt II there are
any more odds and ends left IN natures
curiosity.bOX now 10 happen; Of late, too,
things lave rather given over happening
and the few that have turned up were
old Happenings slightly rcfurblshed, with
fresh materials oil worriment
Philosophers arc provcrbially skin
deep only; rs prominent instance Of
which may remark, In relation to the
present subject, that the inquiring mind
which, sometime since, led tho writer OF
1.-TWO O'clock in the Morning" 10 invest.
gate the causes why, OF that particular
hour, the clock licked unusually loud, the
wardrobe creaked, and the bedroom door
opened itself, might have still further eX.
tended It's researches with advantage into
the mysteries Of everyday life. should
like, for instance, to have had chapter
explaining what becomes OF all the pms;
and calling attention ID tire iact that for
one pin ever picked up by the thrlitiest
old maid, ut the least, thousand 90 the
way ofall pins, wherever that may be. Talk
l0fthc source Of the Nile, or the distance
Of the fixed stars-here Is a mystery which
comes home tous all; yet at the present
moment is as far US ever from being clear.
ed up. Inquire from the intelligent gen.
tleman who presides over the great pin
mandatory at Gloucester; lie will tell
you nobody knows; and very glad he is
nobody does know where all the millions
of pins annually turned out there 90 to,
else they might, some day, al turn up
again, TO the great detrlment Of Messrs.
Kerby, Beard s HGrby, and other Part
ners in the prickly trade. II has, indeed,
been suggested that, iuasmuch as needles
have been known to enter the hand and
come out OF the foot Of human beings, SO
pins find their way from the surface TO
the centre Of the earth; which, ilsO, must
at the present time be pretty full OF them.
Without entering on the merits Of this
theory, it is one, though not very salts
factory, way Of accounting for the disap.
pearanCe, by hundreds OF millions annual.
", Of objects which can neither melt nor
wear out. shall notstOp now to inquire
why bread always falls on tho buttered
side, especially where the carpet beneath
Is fluffy and well adapted to adhere-that
Is clear case Of awkwarlneSs having its
own reward, and one that follows much
moro quickly than is TO be found in the
apoCryphal case Of virtue so placed; but |
should like to know why 1t Is, that, on the
few occasions in my life when have been
obliged to breakfast In bed, the mere In.
PRODUCTION Of harmless cup Of tea into
the room should Immediately cause that
bed to be full Of crumbsl Any one who
has had the gritty experience in question
will testify to the fact, as also to the des.
perate efforts Immediately made to get
rid Of the intruders, and 10 the invariable
result, viz: that the clothes are all got rid
of, the crumbs alone remaining, to give a
lively sense of n night passed upon a
gravel walk.
Inlike manner, should desire some
hints as 10 the origin Of what may be
called the inevitable tack or small nail,
with o flat head, which, by extreme dex,
terity, stands erect thereon, points up.
ward, ut my bedside, whenever chance
to get up TO light candle at night, and
receives my loot as L deSOendi No
amount OF previous sweeping will insure
against the intrusion'Ot this piQuant oh.
iect. should be Obliged, too, by having
my scientific aspirations gratided, as to
why ecllpses OF the sun or moon are -al.
wavs visible with particular advantage
in all uninhabitable parts Of the earth,
md rarely, II ever, in o country where
there is anybody to see them? I PIT Il
TO any person possessed Of an almanac and
common sense, whether Central Africa,
Cochin China, the Carpathian Mountains,
and the South Pacific Ocean have not for
ages enjoyed an uudisputed monopoly Of
astronomical phenomena, 70 the utter ex-
clusion Of al parts Of the world where
anybody dwells. Once more, coming to
terrestrial subjects; US q matter ofspecu.
latiun, it would be interesting TO ascertain
the relations between dust-carts and rain
whether the advent OF dust.carts pro-
duces rain, or that ot-rain produces dust
carts. 1t has beena subject Of conten.
ton in alpine regions, whether the snow
produces tho cold, or tho cold pro.
duces the snow; and, alter severe
rheumatic attacks by parties in their zeal
for discovery, much Is found 70 be said on
both sides, am particularly careful
person; II is, therefore, very mysterious to
me by what means varieties Of fluffy sub.
stances get into the corners OF nearly
everything l pOSSeSs-as, for instance, nv
! ink bottle, which appears to generate
small ngs Of its own accord; and the
pockets oEmy waRteoaB, which seem "a
possess the property OF producing an un.
failing supply Of soft oOttOHy deposits, Tor
the sole purpose Of getting into my watch
key. shall esteem It a favor II any ono
will clear up to me that llngual mystery