The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1874-10-03
LOOMING MIRAGE.

LOOMING MIRAGE.
There was another mirage on last
Monday morning. Tile timber,on 1rt
ham and Heron Lakes was visible and
the line of the Deslnoines river could
lie traced by the timber Oh its banks
The season is now here when the mi
rage can be seen at it, best. The finest
one, we believe, which has occurred
here since the settlement Of the Colony,
was on the first Of October, 1872. 1t
lasted until nearly all hour after sun
rise. n number Of persons witnessed
the beautiful phenomenon and upon
those who saw it for the first time, it
had almost q wicrd effect and threw q
sort Of poetic glamour over the whole
region Which lasted Il long while after
the vision Was gone. SO clear was the
atmosphere on that morning and SO dis
t!nct were remote objects, that the l,ou-
scs i'll the village of Jersey, not oydin-
arily visible, were revealed almost to
their foundations. The timber OH Gra-
ham Lakes appeared like a grove half
way between Worthington and tie hor-
lion, and as far north us the eye could
reach there were dim outlines of more
timber, probably on Lake Shetck, be-
tween so and 10 miles distant. The
line Of timber alon; Tie line Of the
Desmoins river could he traced from
Jackson to Windcm. Groups Of lous-
cs stood cut upon the prairie in every
direction, looking like small villages,
and the be'oldcr caught at 4 glance q
suggestion Of the wonderful vision
which awaits thoss; WHO see Il mirage
20 Oh 80 years hence, when in all direc-
tons towns, and villages, and groves,
and farms outlined with ,>t: and fen-
cts, will rise up by some magic of sun
and atmosphere, and stand revealed to
the delighted eyes Of the l'cho|Aer.
A word as to the cause Of the loom
ing mirage. It is supposed to be caus-
ed by the refraction of the rays of light
by the mist which lies like a sheet of
water over the earth, and especially in
the valleys, thus making the vallies az
pear to he raised up on level with the
hills. Any one may produce a mirage
by placing q penny in Il saucer, and
filing the saucer with water. Persons
sitting around the saucer may then
move back until the rim would ordill-
arily conceal the penny, but owing to
the refraction of the rays Of light caus-
ed by the water, the penny will appear
to be raised up nearly to the top Of the
| water.
Some persons suppose that objects
appear inverted. This is not the case
in the mirage Of this region. There
are two kinds, the inverted mirage,
which is often seen along the sea and
the lakes, and the looming mirage,
which is common to prairie regions. -
Another correction. The word is from
the French and is not pronounced ''my-
rage" but ''me-raz|e," the "a" having
the same sound it has in ''far.' So we
say to the little boys and girls that if
they will just pronounce the name cor
rcctly and get up early in the morning
they will see beautiful vision on some
of these fine Indian summer mornings.
THE WOR2HIN GTON SEMINARY
BY the extracts from the report of
the Methodist Conference, given else
where, il will he seen that Rev. B. II.
Crever, President of the Wortllington
Seminary, made a report asking that
the Seminary be recognized as auxiliary
to 1Iamlne University. The recommen-
dation was adopted and Board of Wis.,