Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-11-19
Wasted Time.

Gerry, wrote the Lords prayer, the creed,
the commandments, couple of prayers, his
own name and Official position, with the
date of the year, month, and queens reign,
in such small characters that he was able to
enclose the paper bearing them in 1.-THE head
ofa ring" This odd piece of work Master
Peter presented to Queen Elizabeth, together
with san excellent spectacle by him devised
for the easier reading thereof" wherein the
queen read all that Wa written. Another
adept at microscopic penmanship contrived
to get the Lords prayer, the creed, the
whole of the commandments and his name
within the compass of silver penny; and
Liverpool rival wrote Goldsmith s Travel
ler," containing 48S lines, in square OF
three and half inches the entire book OF
Malachi in sort Of pyramid the size OF an
ordinary little finger; while circle three
sixteenths of an inch in diameter gave him
room enoughsfor the Lords prayer. Pliny
afiirms the existence Of a copy of the "lliad'
which could be kept in nutshell, which
perhaps accounts for Prof. Schleber tax
ing the trouble to procure stenographic
copy of German translation of lomer's
famous work, filling COO pages, but yet so
dimininutiye that nutshell sufhced to hold
it-an achievement surpassed by the Toledo
painters edition of "Don Quioxte," oc-
cupying only 81 cigarettes papers
1t has been grayely recorded that an ar
tist Of the 10th century contriyed to define
ate a city on such minute scale that fly
would cover the entire painting. We be
lieve that story Just as much as We believe
in the Dutch woman's landscape, the size of
a grain of corn, in which those with eyes to
see could plainly discern mill with its
sails bent, and the miller toiling up the
stairs with q sack, horse drawing a cart,
and several persons trudging along the
country road. Father Johannes Baptista
Ferrapus made twenty five wooden cannon,
all properly furnished, for his peppercorn,
and then was obliged to manufacture thirty
wooden cups ere he could pronounce the
casket full. Tradescant's Ark as the muse
gm of Charles rs gardener was called.
boasted the possession offs peppercorn con-
tanning q set Of chess-men. liadrianus
Junius saw at Mechin cherry-stone basket
in which were 1t pairs Of dice, the spots on
them easily discernible by an ordinary good
eye, and in the Dresden museum may. per
haps, yet be seen cherry-stone carved with
$50 human faces, plainly distinguished with
the aid Of microscope.
In 1915, admirers of little wonders could
see plenty of such maryels in London. AT
one shop was exhibited a common Barcelona
nutshell, holding 2 tea-table, tea-board,
dozen cups and saucers, with sugar dish and
slop-basIn, a bottle, funnel, fifteen drink
ing glasses, five punch bowels, ten RUNNERS,
pestle and mortar. and two sets Of nineplns
all of polished ivory, exquisitely fashioned, ,
and TO he easily seen without the help Of
"optic glasses The ingenious artist, We
are told, was a poor, poetical, penurious
mortal, who being, by the cruel destiny OF
the planets, driven to the jaws Of destruc-
ton, had hi upon this method Of saving
himself. His little exhibition was, however,
oltdone by u matchmaker named B1yerick, &,
dwelling near the new exchange hard by.
For the charge OF one shilling, he showed
his yiSitO-s half a cherry-stone, from which
he took qualrille-tabie, twelve chairs with
skeleton backs, looking-glass, two dozen
plates, six dishes, twelve spoons, dozen
knives and forks, two salts, and lady and
gentleman sitting down at table and wait
ed upon by a iootman. B)yerioh also pro-
duced caniei ,lat could pass through the
eye Of miii.e--izeI needle, AMI pair OF
steel scissors, warranted 10 cut large horse
hair Of such dimensions that six pair might
se wrapped in the wing Of hY. Then came
a chain Of two hundred links, with a pad
lock and key, attached to q flea. the lot
weighing one-third Of grain; q fourwheel-
ed ivory chariot, which, with its driver and
the flea serving for a stec1, weighed barely
grain and crane necked carriage, with
wheels turning properly upon their axles,
carrying four passengers, Two iO0tman. a
coachmIn sitting on his box. with dog be-
tween his legs, driving six ivory horses, one
Of the leaders bearing position, the whole
afiai. 50 light that single Hsa could set it
moving.
In I'll. the nobility, gentry, and curious
OF ali classes, were invited to the great room
/ in Exeter change, TO behold the result OF
twenty years close applicaiion-a piece OF
mechanism some four and half Feet square,
representing Il gentleman's country seat,
with b4ildings, temples, alcoyes. grottoes
summeThouseS, ponds and cascades. all COM
/ plete, eniiyened above by hundred moving
figures, employed in bTick-laying, carpen-
tering, plumbing, masons work, j0inine
and turning. Deer ran about the park
ladies promenaded the garden, round which
six-horSe chariot, a pair horsed phaetor
and a one horse chaise duly progressed, witt
attitudes and motions so natural, if we MAY
take the exhibitors word, that, althougl
the figures were none of them more than two
inches high, they apparel like lifo Itself