Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-06-29

behind me when my morse Sllu Dack on his
launches, almost unseating me, and gazing
ahead saw that we stood just on the brink
of sheer precipice.
1 instantly turned my horse to one side, dis
mounted, ran back a few PAGES and awaited
the approach of the outlaw. Just as he ar.
rived opposite to where I stood, he attempted
to rein in his horse, knowing that must eth.
er have gone over the precipice or was some.
where near. l saw the moment to rein in and
sprang from my hiding place with terrific
yell, which so frightened his horse that he
dashed on and in a moment more was over
the precipice.
/ soon found my way to Burkesville, and
there related my story. The next day party
was organized to search for the outlaw, and
the mangled remains Of horse, and rider were
found at the foot of the cliff.
BRILLIANCY OF STARLIGHT.
Owing to the vast space through which it
shines, the starlight which we behold is only
Il congregation Of soft glimmers, in no case
bright enough to cast shadow but, really,
these apparently small and unimportant, bodies
are centres of tremendous heat and vivid
glory which in many cases, far exceeds that
of our sun. Although the nearest star is
scarcely less than 10000, 900, 100000 OF miles
from our system, astronomers have succeeded
in demonstrating number OF important facts
connected with Sideral economy. Several stars
are found to greatly resemble our sun both in
size and general appearance; While others re-
veal much larger proportions, and express lus-
tire and heat sufficient to vapOrize our entire
system, were it within the scope of their ap-
palling influence.
Sirius, the brightest of all stars, cannot be
less than $500, ,0OOmles in diameter; while his
entire bulk seems a mass of vivid flame, pro-
ducng among other properties, an electric
force that sends light far beyond the frontier
where the star itself ceases to be visible and
Capella. whose position is several times farther
away, vastly exceeds even these ample dimen-
sions. Were our sun in the locality of this
beautiful globe, it would only appear as star
of the fourth magnitude, and would not re-
veal sufficient light to attract special atten-
tiOn.
The wonderful space penetrating power of
starlight is illustrated to some extent by the
fact that when beheld at night each star
will give us exactly the same brilliancy as
when seen six months hence, although our
position in the meantime will have shifted
fully $50, 1000, 900 Of miles. This changeis suf-
hcient to greatly affect the lustre of all vlsi-
BILE planets-even Jupiter when farthest away
showing scarcely more than half the light he
does at opposition. And the moon, which III
her present position seems so bright and beau
-tiful, if at the distance of the nearest planet,
would only reveal a little twinkling star.
This is easily proven by simple experiment
which any one can make A small telescope
that magniles twenty diameters when held
still will make an object twenty miles away
appear as it would to the unaided eye at a
distance of one mile. BY inverting the glass
and looking from it's larger end, everything
is seen with only one twentieth of it's real
diameter and consequently twenty-fold in
crease of seeming distance.
One night when the full moon was shining
through a remarkably clear sky, and from a
portion of her orbit about 24O, ,OOO miles from
the earth, reversed a glass of the above de-
scrption so as to increase her apparent dis
tance to 4,S00, 900, and thus observed that the
planet looked like a large star, with about the
same light that Jupiter exhibits when seen at
best advantage Thus was our satellite $780,
600 of miles beyond her present path. The
brilliant sphere would utterly disappear, and
only scintillating reflection of it's glow
be thrown on our present atmosphere but an
added distance of $50, 900, 900 of miles makes
no perceptible difference in the light that
comes from any star. And these blazing orbs
are not only of titan Individual Importance,
but also so numerous that no conception OF
their number can be formed. A telescope
which enables us to look into space two thou
sand times farther than with unaided vision
fails to reveal the shore of that mighty star
ocean by which we are encOmpassed, and only
shows a continuous army of worlds, so dense
in extreme distance that the background is
one boundless sheet Of glowing white
Such facts convey a slight revelation OF
creations larger orders, and intimate the com
parative minuteness of our ability and under
takings. One there is, however, who compre-
hends and directs all this ponderous machin-
cry His sustaining hand is behind every con-
dtion. All things observable III sky above
and earth below, for those who are willing to
read, display pertinent account OF that az
fectionate government whose equal rule lmpels
a tiny planet to accomplish its mission, and
directs each movement OF mighty gaaXleS
AN OPEN FIELD.--In this great country OF
ours we are continually wanting more food
our demands keep pace with the supply, While
if fthere be superabundance, our cousins across
the water are glad enough to take it from
us. 1t follows, then, that there is to be mon
ey made in farming. People must eat there
fore the fOod-producer has the means OF indie
pendence at hand Why do not young men
possessed of small capital dismiss all idea OF
professional or mercantile life and turn far
mers The problem of how to make a living
can be more satisfactorily solved by falling
back on the soil than by any other experiment.
There are still cheap lands in the West and
South, and if ayoung man lacks money to farm
on a big scale, he can begin in asmaler way, and
by stock raising, small fruits, truck patching
or some other limited essays in this wholesome
and useful field of agriculture secure living,
and, with reasonable fortune, in time com
petence. There are hundreds of youngmen III
cities, who could in few years, save up
enough money, if they were so inclined, to buy
a little place and devote themselves to raising
food for the ever increasing millions of con-
slners in the country With all the hardships
OF farm life, and they have been greatly eXag-
gerated, it is the happest life known to
men. 1t is freer from the bickeripgs and the
worriments and the tOrtuous devices and the
selfish rivalries and the antagonSms that mark
the struggle of humanity for food, shelter and
clothing than any other mode of existence. 1t
is Il life which is commonly attended with
health, with good appetite and digestion,
sound sleep, clear complexion, expanded lungs,
firm muscles, an open mind and an untroubed
conscience A farmer is his own master, and
to be that is thing to be coveted and sought
after. The brave and energetic young fellow
who has made good selection Of little farm
in a well-watered valley, and who means to be
forehanded and avoid debt and slavery, can III
time, unless he is signally unfortunate, be his
own master in every proper sense, and ne will
find his free and beautiful open-air lifea thou,
sand-fold happier than the artificial life of
towns. Here there is field that is ever open.
There is no danger of it's being overcrowded.
There will always be a tendency to rush into
the cities for the excitcments which flourish
there, and the wise and ardent young men who
turn their backs OIL these false shows and go
straightway to nature will come out best in