Litchfield enquirer., 1877-05-10
APEEP AT LITTLE THINGS.
NATURES MYSTERIES REVEALED.

the grave, with eyes unopened to the beauties Of tfie atoms which exist above and below. On every side are countless worlds; each complete and perfect, and what at first sight bears the impress of l a dead and indifferent surface, when lift 1 ed by science to the level of recognition, blooms into color, form and life. It is the microscope which acts as the lever in ths case, and brings within the range of | vision the in6niteslmal universes other. wise hidden. Not only has this little in- strument been of immense benefit to the human race, but under it's lenses bound less field of pleasure is also opened and 1t is in this latter that the writer dips his pen. The student and philosopher each has respective areas of Investigation, but ! the home circle is not limited; take any of the thousand and one apparently insig- l nificant surroundings. and an evenings l enjoyment Is guaranteed.
 Calling, few evenings slnce, upon 8 friend. he was found deep in study oi Ithingsinvisible to the naked eye. Upon the table were two microscopes. small case containing twelve glasses filled with different substances and water, number of strips of thin glass, and over these he was boring as though life depended up- on it. Being disturbed he desisted, and on invitation, allowed companion in his l researches. What was found cannot fail l to prove entertaining.
 One of the microscopes magnifed 40 diameters, the other 2, 800. This is as the i instruments are reckoned; but, as the ac. tual measurement is square of the di- ameter, an object under the most power full of the above was increased 62, ,5OC times beyond the natural size. The fo. GUS shown, while in reality about half the size of pinhead, appeared as field of some five inches across, and objects ] hardly to be seen by the naked eye alone, could only be seen ln parts.
 The twelve glasses contained infusions of different grasses, and woody matters, from 8 week to ten months old, and were said to be teeming with i,afusoria.
 The first thing'to look at was slip oi glass, bearing only the dust which had fallen upon it during the afternoon. Un- der the lenses it grew to fragments of coal, sticks of wood, lengths of thread, and strongly resembled a leveled ash heap. Next, a drop of water upon the head of pin, in which little hay and piece of dry maple leaf had been soak ing for two weeks. The drop grew to be an ocean of silver, alive with creatures about the shape and size of what every housekeeper is familiar with as ''silver- witches,," and little, round spots with black centers. all darting hither and thither The largest were from the hay infusion, the others from the maple leaf. While the eye was fixed upon them, the movements suddenly ceased. and the mass changed to dark-graY ridges. The water had evaporated; and death had come.
 The observer of the wondrous sight drew long breath and looking at the host, declared that he had never seen the like before. It was explained that every infusion of different substances brought forth new variety of life, and drop from a cup of raspberry-leaf and water eleven months old was offered. In this myriads of large globulous bodies were circling briskly. Their movements had 1 regularity and method; round and round they went until evaporation ended life's brief span Next followed 8 mixture oi grape leaf and water of uncertain age. | This contained slender creatures in full strength and activity. The exhihitor went on to state that he had sometimes l discovered in this infusion @ form like unto a tulip, which moved Ey closing and expanding. He had never detected it in any other except grape leaf, had nev. CT found mention of it in any works ] treating on such subjects so contented him. 1 self with calling it his''tulip." Good cider vinegar came in for an investigation, and we'll developed eels seemingly foot long, l regular snakes and no mistake, wriggled and twisted. A few swallows of this drink is said to be excellent for torpid hvers, and it is no wonder.
 | Leaving the inhabitants of the deep, more common objects were observed. These were on prepared glasses, and con sisted of dust from the wings of a moth, l that turned to beautiful feathers one and one-half inches long; the dust from the back of the ;'silver witch" was transform. ed into round scales equal ill circumfer- ence to chestnut; the dnte'ana of moth miller, Remember he Is a diminutive fel- | low) under the magic glasses, became g veritable Holsters claw of thirty-two sec tions, each an-inch long. It was of dull reddish color, studded with bristles, and the writer began to appreciate that "we are fearfully and wonderfully made" The l delicate spring work in the neck of fly, whereby he does the twisting and turning l of his busy head, while only the mere ! l ed to handful of springs very much af' ter the patent wire-garter spiral in size; g i bit of hy's eye became honey comb; g 1 tiny portion of his foot grew to gigantic claw, with a growth of spines, all accoun. ting for the slight prickle and tickle when 1 this gay summer companion makes de- tour of ones face.
 An entirely different class of objects was then brought on, consisting of di atoms, or slicious animalcule. The glasses only presented 8 smear, as pro duced from tho rub of dirty finger. but it was in reality, the result of an infusion of earth, or clay, or mari. This latter substance is found to be made up of de- 1 posros supposed ut some remote age tc have been endowed with life, and while there is diversity of opinion as to such being of animal or vegetable life. best authorities concede the latter. It is esti
 mated that one cubic inch of mari con
 tains Al, 1000. .OOO, 900 (forty-one billions of these traces of life. This is ascrtained
 by tedious process of purifying witt
 acid, and weighing part, then counting under the microscope the number o
 forms making up the part. and estima ting the inch therefrom. A variety from California became of positive vegetable form; each one making up the mass being of symmetrical shape, and calling te
 mind skeleton kaleidoscope; from tho
 bottom of New York harbor, shell and va rious shapes of crustacea grew; from Her
 kimer. New York, there were seen beauti
 full navicular objects; from Maryland, { great variety of shapes in rib work; from
 Japan, there appeared comb work an6
 peforation; from the Bermudas, the scene
 was changed with. a resemblance ts
 sponge and spicules, with prominence
 of anchor shapes without stock. ant
 from Connecticut, to close, 8 panorama 0
 leaf and tree capped the three hours joy
 ous passage.
 The medal for ungallant conduct mus
 be awarded to the young men of the grad
 uating class of the Kingston (N. '. acad
 emy. The principal selected two, younI
 ladies who were the two highest ln tn
 classes, to be saiutatorian and valedicto
 rian, whereupon the young men, wh
 were not as smart as their competitors o
 the other sex, rebelled, and declared the l k<I I0 wD.fh kieo 01o