Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-08-02

1.-THE extra fare'' remarked the parlor Car
conductor (which will entitle you to this
to the scientific point you have
mentioned, will be twenty-fv cents paya
bic in the remonetized article. and' he
added with an expression Of compassion.
you will be good enough to hand it over. =
Y our reporter did so, though it is but fair
to say that be got glass of Ice water Ill
change. 1t is appalling to think of the
immense OUTLAWS of money by the press in
pursuit of scientific information, and the
named seemed the first shad
ow of an approaching financial eclipse
That the scientific corps of the VINDICA
TOR staff should have selected Alton as
point from which to witness the eclipse
needs explanation.
In the first place there is no bar at this
place. 1t is strictly a temperance estab-
lishment. All scientists know the great
value of this. Somehow there is such a
temptation to drink accompanying this
solar exhibition, that | have known Old pc
riOdicals who hadn't touched drop Tor
wears. 90 on the most tremendous and ui-
provoked tares. It almost looks ike the
whole thing was gotten up by arrange
ment with the bar-keepers. The slowly
obscuring SUM- gives nervous human
nature yearning desire TO brace up
with something. A man feels like this
experiment of showing the moon between
the sun and the earth is a thing that may
be tried once too often, i'll which case the
whole thing will go to smash and 1T is well
enough to have steadier on board. Next
to a county coult day hold and maintain
that an eclipse most literally dlspenses
the refreshing dews of prosperity Oh the
gentlemen named. How much these dews
demoralize purely scientific men, can hard
ly be realized by any but themselves. Many
wears ago when was younger and bet
ter man, [ was detailed to write up partial
eclipse. 1t was to commence at II O'Clock
was on the spot about sun rise. Perhaps
it would have been better if l had not gone
so early. I have been nineteen years
writing that account. Somehow the whole
thing slipped away from met was wholly
generally and everlastingly total.
And another reason for selecting Alton
is the fact that it commands a view oil
eight counties The scientific mind will
at once recognize the superior advantag es
of such location as this. Even unsclen-
tific people are aware how differently things
appear to people in different counties. 1t
was only last week that Rockingham man
told me that an Augusta man had swindled
him in @ cattle trade, and yet it was not
forty-eight houss before the Augusta man
told me he intended to punch the Rock
ingham man for swindling him. 1t is
doubtless wise provision of Providence,
but when man can see eight counties at
once he gets around Providence to that
extent, and gets good grip on an eclipse
that can be gotten nowhere else. There
can be 10 shenanagaa about it and the sun
feels that it must come right square dhwn
to business and give good show Or shut
up shop.
And there is another reason. the fare at
Alton is first class; it would be criminal
disregard of tbs goods v"uc hsafed to Us if
poor, mortal, finite bar. was to sit down in
front of the most imposing of lieayenly ex~
hibitions with an empty stomach. SUCH IA
sight would be enough to make the angels
groWl. And finally there is good company
at Alton, There are high dgntaries from
Washington~-=from the army and navy
here. With such ii il z comfort to be able
to speak scientifically Of tile eclipse. When
I say to my naval friend that the SHADOW
has struck the sun. abaft the main topsail
anG is heading for the larbuard forecastle
two poiRtS i.ar' b. ncr' east | know he
understands me, WHICH would be great
deal more than anybody siAs you'd. And
if l remark to my army friend as hn,d up
my smoked glass, that the shadow is rapid
ly turning the right flank of the sun with
pTemonitions of simultaneous advance
on his left centre, feel that am talk
ing to kindred spirit. And so does he.
Ny equipment for The observation of the
phenomena was light but perfect, 1t con
sisted OF ii linen duster. 1t is impossible
to calculate tie advantages that a buster
gives man in travelling. " commands
a mixture of respect and uncertainty.
The man without it is set down at once AS
not going further than the n. xt station; his
financial expenditure may have been only
twenty-five CENTS: his income may be OF
tie slenderest cssara cter. But the man
with the buster may be Oh His way to the
P4ris Exhibition; he may be millionaire
and as such the passengers and conducto S
hesitate to look down upon him. | believe
if it hadn't been for my buster the obdu-
rate conductor woaid have charged me a
quarter r0re. To my duster add a dozen
cigars, useful in taking the true eeliptical
limit and establishing accurately the
breadth of the penumbra. At thifty-eight
minutes after four we all turned out on the
lawn. counted sixty pieces of smoked
glass and nine fragments of green bottlr
in use The sky was clear which, learn,
it was not in staunton, clearly establish
ing my scientific provision in coming to
Alton. and the view Was ezcellent. As it
may be SINE days before I wiite out in
full for the scientific world, I sena yon my
note book, from which you can make ex-
tracts:
81. 3S P. NJ, Faint shadow On side of sun;
the side nearest Alton; 4.40, Accurate obser-
vatops chow that some of the young girls
are looking at themselves in the smoked
glass, instead of the syn; AS, Shadow
spreading with great rapidly. and evil
IDENTIFY got the sun on the run; $50, child
cut his foot on some of the green bottle
glass, and is hauled into the house Ass,
Cows showing great nervousness. and two