Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-02-15
The Professor in Shafts.

In the fifth chapter of the Rev. Elijah
Kellogg's college story, now in course Of
publication as a serial in Olicer Optics Nag
azine, appears the following drol narrative:
A singular illustration of the extent to
which theory often fails in practice was fur
nished by avenerated professor-a most dis.
tinguished mathematician, whose works are
still used as text books in many of our in
stitutions-and occurred within the compass
OF my own experience.
He went to Bethel on his return he spent
the Sabbath at Lewiston. Monday morning
he was told the horse was sick Neverthc-
less, he started. The horse went few rods,
fell down, and broke both thills He then
sent his wife home, aud also sent to Bruins
wick for another horse and carriage to take
him and the broken chaise home. When
the driver came they lashed the two vehicles
together and started. All went well till they
came to the first long steep hill between Lew
iston and Brunswick on its summit they
held consultation The Professor had an
exaggerated idea OF his strength, and said
"Mr. Chandler, It is too much for the horse
to hold these two carriages on this steep de-
scent; take the horse out; l will get into
the shafts
Professor, replied Chandler, ''the
breeching is very strong, and SO is the arm
girth.
But the horse, Mr.. Chandler-it is too
much for the horse. Besides, being strong
er, know how to take advantage of the
descent, and manage it much better than
the horse"
IF the horse can t hold it, you can t.
do you, sir, intend TO place me, in point
of intelligence and knowledge of mechar-
icol for.o- baiorU bnrSa haUa 10
mathematics the study of lifetime
Il have no intention to be disrespectful,
sir but | know that horse understands
his own business-which is handling load
on a hill-better than all the professors in
the United States. [ was sent up here by
my employer, who confdes in me, to take
care of his property; If you will take the
business out of my hands, and be horse
yourself, you must be answerable for the
consequences.
The Prostessor had habit, when little
excited, of giving a nervous twitch at the
lapel of his coat with his right hand.
Il, he replied, with most emphatic
twitch, assume all responsibility.
The driver, in reality nothing 10th to wit
ness the operation, took out the horse and
held him By the bride; and the professor
getting into the shafts, took hold of them at
descending the hill, and the hinder one a
little over the summit, when the Professor
trod upon a rolling stone, which caused him
to plunge forward and increase the velocity
of his load SO much that he was forced to
walk faster than he desired, and exchange
the slanting position-with his shoulders
thrown well back and feet braced, which he
had at first adopted-for perpendicular
one. At length he was pushed into run i;
the carriages were going at a fearful rate.
At the bottom of the hill was brock; on
each side, precipitous banks. The Protes-
sor was between Scylla and Chary ybdis, going
nine feet at leap. In order to cramp the
forward wheel, he turned suddenly to the
right The shafts of the forward carriage
went two feet into the bank, breaking both
of them short off; the lashings of the hind
er one sir ped it ran into the forward one,
breaking the fender and both vehicles turn
ed over down hill with tremendous crash,
the learned gentleman describing parabola
one of his favorite figures-and landing
some rods away. He rose from the earth a
dirtier and wiser man, knees skinned, pan
falcons torn, piece of skin knocked off his
forehead, and his best hat fiat as pancake
underneath the hind carriage, and looking
round, he exclaimed, rs it possible could
have been so much deceived as to the mo-
mentum? 1t was prodiglous?'
Il don't know anything about momen'
tam, - replied Chandler, ''but | know some
thing about horses. / know it makes .
mighty difference about holding back load
on steep hill, whether horse has two legs
or four, and whether he weighs hundred
and seventy-ive or twelve hundred pounds.
1t cost the Professor thirty seven dollars
and fifty cents to ascertain how much horse
power he represented.