The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-03-31
A NHOON.EYED BOY.
He Can Sec the Moon with
HIS Naked Eve.

The San Francisco Morning Call
of March 9Th has a long account of
q remarkable human phenomenon
discovered in that city. The account
is exceedingly ''fishy," but exhibits
exhibits an ingenuity which entities
it to consideration and, indeed, it
describes phenomenon that can be
imagined as not at ali impossible.
We give a summary of the state
ment for what it is worth. For
some time, according to the Call,
there have been rumOrs of q strange
abnormal development of vision on
the part of lad named Johnny
Palmer, who resides with his par
ents in South San Francisco. The
boy is about 8 years of age, and
has been regarded by his parents as
almost totally blind. On the even
ing of the 18th of December last the
boy was in bed, and for some rea-
son the curtains of an adjoining
window had been removed. His
parents were seated in another
room, when suddenly they heard
the child utter cry, and, Fastening
in, beheld him sitting up IN bed
gazing intently at the moon, Which
was shining full in his face. He i'm
agined it to be about 200 yards dis
tant, and could distinguish objects
on it with perfect distinctness.
These facts becoming known to the
California College OF Sciences, a
committe committee composed of
Drs. Bryant, Gadbvry, and Goldson,
the youth for the purpose of testing
his powers. They found that moth
ing had been overstated, end that
this extraordinary vision was poss-
essed by the lad. He described
what he saw, and his description. be-
fore the committee agreed substan-
TALLY with that made on previous
occasions to private parties. He
completely overturned the theory of
the moon by declaring that he saw
moving objects upon its surface. and
infinitely described them. The
committee conclude from what the
boo states that there are living be.
iDgs on that luminary, but that they
greatly differ in form from any liv-
ing thing on this planet. When
full-grown the "Lunarian" is shaped
somewhat like chariot wheel, with
four spokes conVerging at the center
or axle. They move by rolling
round and round and travel
as swiftly as an eagle. The
children appear to be shaped like
pumpkin or orange, finally losing
their rotundity and assuming the
form of the wheel alluded to. The
surface of the moon is all hill and
hollow no fire is visible, nor are
there any volcanoes, and no other
species of living thing seems TO ex-
let upon it. The committee turned
the boys attention to the planet
Venus, but he could discover moth
ing in that direction. The learned
sayans at once surmised that the
cause of his failure here was the
fact that the focus of the eyes was
fixed at 240, 600 miles, while the least
distance of Venus from the earth is
p, 293, GOO miles. It was therefore
Impossible for him to discover any
thing on the surface of the latter
with distinctness.
Reporter Of the Call, after hearing
the facts stated, hunted up the boy
and arrange meeting at the resi-
dence af j. r. Marrow, of San
Francisco, who has large telescope
finely mounted. The boy took
glance through this at Mars, and
burst out into scream of delight,
describing mountains, seas, rivers,
cities, its Inhabitants, and so many
other wonderful sights that the re-
porter is obliged to postpone q fur
Their and detailed account until the
next issue Of the Call. The secret
of this extraordinary power is de-
scribed at great length. We make
the fnIfnUfnp nYfraCfs
s'There are two common imper-
fections of the human organ of
sight ; one called myopia, or ssnear-
sightedness :" the other presbyopia,
or Observation-Disclosures" In the ease
under examination no glass or com
bination of glasses could be inYert- |
the malformation. By 8 mathemGt- |
computed that the nearest distance
from the unaided eye of the patient
at which Q distinct image could be |
formed upon the retina was 100000
miles fraction short of the mean
distance ofthe moon from the earth |
and hence it became perfectly clear
that the boy could see with minute
distiactness whatever was trans
piring on the surface of the moon"
A public session of the committee
was to haYe been held on the even
ing of March I1th, at which an adj
mission fee was to be charged, It
being intended to use the proceeds
OF the boy and his parents 20 the
Centennial Exhibition in May.
The results of this meeting Lave not
yet reached as. If the boys vision
could be toned down 3 little, and
his gaze could be directed a. the
House Committee on Expenditures
of the War Department st Wash
inaton, the s.inwardness1 Of the
mysterious doings of Clymer,
Blackburn Sc 20. might be fully ext