Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-10-06
COMMUNICATED.

and much valued friend-Squire Dan
iels of Duffields. He at once addressed
me as the author of the fugitine absurd
tiles that l sometimes infict Oh your
readers and he was kind enough to say
that he enjoyed them greatly. The
only merit | claim for them is their free
dom from gall. have no quarrel with
any man, except, perhaps, the author OF
the inscription on the Tilden banner
and County Superintendent Hess-with
the former for numbering the Queens
English and with the latter tor not
throwing the friendly aegis OF the law
over our mother tongue. Against YOU
too may have little pique for your
disregard of my astronomical queries,
but do not anticipate that We will use
such heavy artillery on one another as
the champions of Capital and Labor in
this County are now using or that we
will batter ore another with Scriptural
texts or Epic poetry.
Flattered by Squire Daniels comph-
ment and more to please him than for
any other purpose | sat down, this at
ternoon, to write but, alas! not spark
could | elicit, | was not ''in the Vein
and my brain was as dry as lime
burners wig. 1t was glorious even
ing and | sailed forth in search of in
spiration. The sun had just shot
beam through window i'll my house,
or one of Mort Walsh's clocks Of which
| am the fortunate possessor, and seeing
that the index pointed to SIX o'clock
and knowing that it was the Equinox
the God of Day at once sunk to repose
behind the Western horizon. In the
opposite quarter, the full Harvest Moon
arose in serene majesty and, like many
Others that | could name, she made the
most of her borrowed splendors. | am
strongly tempted to spread on the
panorama that / beheld from Camp
Hill but, like my countryman Of whom
l will tell you, prefer to let your read
ers imagine the most of it. My coun-
tryman aforesaid lived i'll the renowned
city of Limerick-famous in ancient
times for the terrible sieges it sustained,
during one of which the Women of
Limerick beat the enemy from the walls
with old bottles and half bricks and
equally noted now for the manufacture
of lace and Gsh-hooks. The Bishop OF
that ancient See, had finished new
Church and desiring to ornament 1t
with the best paintings he could pur-
chase, he invited all the artists in that
line that he could hear of, to call on him
with a view to striking bargain. Our
friend presented himself with others and
somehow he found means to be pre-
terred to all other applicants. The
picture agreed on was the Passage OF
the Red Sea and the destruction of
Pharaoh's host. Next day the painter
with roll of canvas on his shoulder
presented himself to the Bishop and to
the great astonishment of the latter, he
stated that he had finished the picture
aud that he had come to deliver it aud
get the large sum agreed on. He then
unrolled the picture and Showed red
streak from one end to the other of the
canvas which contained nothing else,
"What on earth is that" said the amaz-
ed prelate. "That is the Red Say, yer
honor" said the painter. "Where are
the Israelites?' ''They are behind some
sand hills in the distance" 'And where
is the host of Pharaoh. "They are all
under wather" replied the triumphant
artst-"the Irish are highly poetic
PEOPLE and | thought their imaginations
would fill the picture better than my
brush could" And so, friend Zitile,
Twill torcgo the fall picture Of liaIpcrs
Ferry by moonlight.
To return TO the moon: You astrono-
mers must be struck as we crazy people
certainly are by her unseemly behavior
on many occasions. The airs she as.
sumes on the credit of her brothers
rays-her changeable humors aud many
other foibles might be parduned in con
sideration of her sex, but her getting
full" 50 often and her present and an
nually recurring claims to be considered
the special friend of the Granger-her
calling herself Harvest Moon as if
she cared fig for the farmer-can not
be so easily overlooked. You astrono
mers well know that she does not &C
comnodate her rising to the necessities
of harvesters for there is variation Of
two or three months between the har-
vest in different counties according to
Latitude and therefore her claim falls
to the ground for want Of consistency.
The truth is the sly baggage has an ar
rangement made with an old reprobate |
named Aries and it is to please him and |
not to help the harvest that she deviates
from her usual walk. Then, again, this
very night, she is in conjunction with
Mals aud Saturn, two rake-helly old |
heather gods who are anything but fit
associates for one who prides in being
called 'rhe chaste, cold moon" BY the
way | never could understand why she
shines only on bright nights when We
do not want her and why on dark
nights when we do want her she per
versely keeps herself hidden.
My dog Hector, as l told you some
time ago, affects philosophy. When he
was puppy he vas presented TO me to
be trained for the protection of my
house. Thinking there might be some
thing in q name, | chose for him the
name of my tavorite hero, the son of
Priarn and Hecuba, the husband of An
lro,,.oba on3 tho jefsnder for fen wears |