The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-04-02

The extent TO which theory often fails
in practice is furnished 10y yenerated
professor, n most distinguished math-
ematician, whose works are still used as
textbooks in many of our institutions,
and which occurred within the compass
of our own experience.
He went TO Bethel, Me. On his re-
turn he spent Sunday in Lewiston. Mon
day morning he was told the horse was
sick. Nevertheless, he started. The
horse went few rods, fell down, and
broke both thills. He then sent his
wife home, and also sent TO Brunswick
for another horse and carriage to take
him and the broken chaise home.
When the drive came, they lashed the
two vehicles together. All went well I'll
they came TO the first long, steep hill be-
tween Lewiston and Brunswick ON us
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 tins
steep descent take the horse out {; / viii
get into the shafts.
Professor, replied Chandler, " the
breeding is strong, and so Is the arm
girth.
60 But the horse, Mr.. Chandler; il IS
too much for the horse. Besides being
stronger, / know how TO take advantage
of the descent, and can manage II much
better than the horse.
A." If the horse can't hold it, you can {.
:" DO you, sir, intend to place me, IN
point of intelligence and knowledge of
mechanical forces, below horse l
have made mathematics the study Of a
lifetime"
q have no intention to be disrespect-
~, sir; but know that horse under
stands his own business, which is handling
a load on hill, better than all the pro-
fessors in the United States. l was sent
up here by my employer, who contides il
me to take care of his property. Ii you
will take the business out of my hands,
and be horse yourself, You must be an
swerable for the consequences.
The professor had habit, when a
little excited, of giving a nervous witch
at the lapel Of his coat with his right
hand.
81" replied he, with most emphatic
twitch, " assume all responsibility.
The driver, III reality nothing loath 70
witness the operation, took ont the
horse, and held it by the bride and the
professor, getting into the shafts, took
hold of them at the ends. The forward
carriage was just descending the hill, and
the hinder one Just little over the sum
NIT, when the professor trod upon roll
ing stone, which caused him to plunge
forward, and increased the velocity OF his
load so much that he was forced 10 walk
faster than he desired, and exchange q
slanting position-with his shoulders
thrown we'll back and his feet hraced-
which he had at first adopted, for per-
pendicular one. At length he was pushed
into a run the carriages were going at a
fearful rate.
At the bottom of the hill was brook
on each side, precipitous banks. The
professor was between Scvlla and
Charybdis, going nine feet at a 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 lashing of the hinder
one slipped il ran into the forward one,
breaking the fender, and both vehicles
turned over to the bottom OF the hill
with a tremendous crash, the learned
gentleman describing parabola, one Of
his favorite figures, and landing some
rods away He rose from the earth q
dirtier and wiser man: knees skinned,
pants torn, piece of skin knocked off
of his forehead, and his best hat as fiat
as pancake underneath the hind car
riage; and looking about him, exclaimed:
us it possible that L could have been
so much deceived as to the momentum
1t was prodigious ~
q don't know anything about mo-
mentum, exclaimed Chandler, &" but I
know something about horses. | know
it makes mighty difference about hold
ing back load on steep hill, whether
the horse has two legs or four, and
whether he weighs 175 or 2,200."
1t cost the professor $3.50 TO ascer-
tain how much horse power he repre-
sented.-Spdrks Of GeRius.