The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-06
Theory ~. Practical Professor De-
.n,xesi by the Momentum.

Tho Rev. iah Kellogg, IN us eap,.Sa'
story. "The Spark of Genius" rciates ti's
fIinnv incident, and vonches for It's trutn
The extent to which theory often fails IN
nractice is furnished by a vcneratcd probes
sor. a most distinguished mathematician,
whose works are still used as tcNl-Dooks III
many of orr institutions, and wh'ch oc-
Cured within the compass OF our o"H GA
He went to Bethel. On his return ne
spent the Sabbath at Lewiston. hioltuas
morning he was told the morse was SIN
Nevertheless, he started. nc no,so n noth
fcw rods. fell down, and broke DOM
thills He then sent his wife home, ana
also sent to Brunswick 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 we'll till they came TO the flrSt long,
steep hill between Lewiston and Bruins
wick ON its summit they held consulta-
t;on' THE Professor had an exaggerated
idea of his strength. and said, {" Mir.
Chandler. it is too much for the horse to
hold these two carriages on this steep de-
scent: take the horses out; l will get into
the shafts
professor" replied Chandler. "thc
breeching is strong, and SO is the arm
girth.r
but the horse, Mr.. Chandler. 1t is too
much for the horse. Besides being stronger.
know how to take advantage of the de-
scent. 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 mechanl-
cal forces, below horse? / have made
mathematics the study of lifetime"
81 have no intention to be diSrespectful,
sir. but l know that horse understands
his own business (Which is handling load
on hilD better than all the professors in
the United States. l was sent up here by
my employer, who conhdes in me to take
care of his property. II you will take the
business out of my hands, and be horse
Yourself, you must be answerable for the
consequences"
The professor had habit, when little
excited, Of giving q nervous twitch at the
lapel of his coat with his right hand.
al" he replied, with most emphatic
twitch, assume all responsibility"
The driver, in reality nothing 10th to wit
ness the operation, took out the horse anc
held him by the bride; and the professor
getting into the shafts, took hold OF then
at the ends. The forward carriage was just
descending the hill, and the hinder one {
little over the summit, when the professor
trod upon rolling stone. which caused hin
to plunge forward. and increased the velo
city of his load SO much that he was forced
to walk faster than he desired, and exchange
the slanting position his shoulder:
thrown we'll back, and his feet braced-
which he had at first adopted, for perpcn
dicular one. AT length he was pushed Intt
arun; the carriages were going ut fearful
rate.
at the bottom of the hill was q brook, or
each side precipitous banks. The profes
sor was between ScylIa and Charbydis, GO
ing nine feet at leap. In order to craml
the forward wheel. he turned suddenly tC
the right. The shafts OF the forward
carriage went two feet into the bank,
breaking both Of them short OIL; the lash
ings of the hinder one slipped; it ran
into the forward one, breaking the fender,
and both vehicles turned over ut the bottom
of the bill with a tremendous crash, the
learned gentleman describing parabola-
one of his favorite fgures-and landing
some rods away. He rose from the earth q
dirtier and wiser man: knees skinned,
puntS torn, Il piece of skin Knocked off his
forehead, and his best hat flat as pan
cake underneath the hind carriage; and
looking round about him exclaimed:
els it possible l could have been so
much deceived rs to the momentum? 1t
was prodiyinus.'
II don't know anything about momen-
tum,' exclaimed Chandler. "Dut know
something about horses. | know it makes
Il mighty difference about holding back Il
two legs or four. and whether he weighs Il
hundred and srventy-fve or twelve hum
dred pounds"
II cost the professor thirty-seven dollars
and fifty cents to ascertain how much horse
mower he represented.