The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-11-01
EASY LESSONS IN GEOGRAPHY.

EAS1 LESSONS IN
The earth is an old subjective don't
know how old. Wise men have en-
deavored to ascertain its age in vari-
Gus ways, and have succeeded very
we'll, only differing in their cal
culations a few thousands centuries
or so. .. s-...,..... 81. ..r.,t.s -lS
We.have several reasons for writing
upon the Garth, tho principal one be-
ing the imperfect facilities afforded for
getting upon any other planet to
write. Nothing prevents our writ
ing upon the sun or the moon, eX-
cept the difficulty i'll getting there.
The earth is the third planet in
order from the sun, and the largest
within the belt of the planetoids. We
have wondered, sometimes, why
l. the earth did not have a belt all to
herself, being the Champion of the
Universe. ..r
The ancicnts looked upon tho Garth
rs flat disc, swimming upon the water
like IL peice OF toast in a basin of milk.
Once upon a time a lot of adventures,
jumping off place, and continuing on a
straight line, they were astonished to
find themselves on the very spot
whence they started. They informed
their parents of the circumstances, and
they, after about 4 century Of painful
thought upon the subject, came to
tho conclusion that the earth must be
round, ssbecause if it ain't.' triumph
antly asked jolly old ancient, chow
could the boys ha' got around it ?'
There was no getting around that, and
the earth has been of a spherical form
ever since.
1t is estimated that about two. thirds
of the surface of the globe is covered
with water. Although millions OF
living creatures slake their thirst daily,
the quantity of water has not been ma
terially diminished for centuries past,
at least not since the introduction of
whisky shops, which prove a great
saving of water, and are therefore of
immense benefit to navigation.
The greatest distance from the earth
to the sun is 96, ZOO, 900 miles, and the
least distance is something over 81, ,OOO,-
600 miles. A saving of 100000 of
miles could he effected if a railroad
should ever connect the two planets by
taking the least distance. This would
shorten time consumed in running,
and reduce the expenses very ma
terially. Any railroad man will tell
you that.
The mean distance from tho Garth to
the sun is $4,000, 900 miles, and is no
mean distance, either, when you try to
walk it.
The earth moves around the sun,
from west to east, consuming 365 days
and hours in every revolution, travel
ing nights and Sunday. Joshua, it
will be remembered by some of our
oldest citizens, once commanded the
sun to stand still, and he is standing
still. 1t amt every fool of planet
that can get around the sun. The
earth does it, however. She can got
around most anything.
The earth turns upon its axis, max
ing one revolution cvery tWcnty-four
hours, except in McXico-thcre they
have revolution two or three times a
day. Tho earth and her axis were thick
as peas together at one time, but one
day the earth got down on her axis
and turned on it.
1t is the revolution of the Garth that
makes night and day to everybody but
printers and editors who work on
morning papcrs-it is all day with
them.
After digging a certain depth into
the bowels of the earth tho temperature
becomes warm, and grows warmer as
you warm to your work, so that at the
depth of thirty miles (as VIC arc in
formed by a gentleman who dug that
distance one July morning) everything
is like molten iron ut 4 white heat.
There is good reason for believing that
people who cheat the printer and who
try to got into shows without paying
for it, are sent thirty miles into the
bowels of the earth when they die.
The earth is not such dismal place
to live upon as many try to make out.
So far as our knowledge eXtends-wc
probably know as much rs about it as
anybody-it is far preferable to any
sister planets as a permanent resi-
dence. At least we are satisfied with
it, and intend to remain hero as long
as we arc on sson earth. Cincinnati
Times.