The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-29
New York Timcs.l

means the IllOSt 0lIucuit qucstlOn tfitt CVuiu
be asked. The pin Is one OF the most timid
OF all objects, and its form fits 1t for easily
concealing itself. In fact there are various
hypothesis which might be suggested, any
one OF which would furnish REASONABLY
satisfactory explanation OF what becomes
OF the pins. Far more difficult Is ihc
question what becomes OF the iost pans.
There Is here mystery that seems a.,nose
inscru.able, and which has hitherto u.'ci!
baffled the most tlrelcss ana earnest eA'
plorer. oua;,o %
tho iast census. about s,250,00 small boys.
OF these fully one.half play ball, and II we
assume that every ball-player loses one
hall annually, our small boys lose an aggre-
gate quantity OF 4,125,000 balls every year.
TO these must be added croquet balls lost
by girls, and the lawn.tennis and base-balls
lost by Young men and Young women.
We shall certainly be within the mark II
VIC assume that fully 1000, 900 balls belong
ing to the three latter classes are annually
lost. Thus we find that the annual mum.
Der OF balls lost in the United States every
year is at least five million.
OF these, the number OF balls that are
found after having been once thoroughly
lost Is very small. There are no absolutely
Trustworthy statistics as to this branch OF
the subject, but careful inquiries made IN
different parts of the country warrant the
belief that not more than 1863 balls are
found in the course OF any one year.
This number is so small that it may be
practically disregarded, and we are Iustl-
fled in saving that the five millions OF balls
annually lost are lost totally and forever.
The manner In which lost balls become lost
is familiar TO us all. 4 ball is thrown or
struck or apparently falls TO the ground;
fine eager searcher hastens to the place
where 1t disappeared and hunts for it on his
knees. II cannot be found. IL 1t appa-
pentiy fell i'm a grassy spot the searcher
imaoines that it is somewhere concealed I'M
der the grass, but in the absence OF grass
he can frame no theory to explain its dis
appearance. Balls have fallen into small
naved co,irt-yards where there was not
The slightest object behind or under which
the balls could conceal themselves, but no
amount OF searching has been rewarded by
their recovery, and balls disappear on
travelled roads or hard clay backgrounds
as certainly as they would were they tossed
into q field OF grass or oats.
Arrows shot at q target are temporarily
lost whenever they miss the target, but
they are always found again without any
trouble. The marble resembles ball in
shape and is much smaller, but it Is very
seldom that boy loses marble. On the
other hand, a ball that falls-or apparently
falIs-amid high grass. and that ought,
one would think, to be found by cutting
away the grass, in never found in any cir
cumstances. In afield near West Ibrahim,
Of pNtpnt.
covered with high grass, no less than three
hundred and twenty seventh by actual
count, were lost between the 9th OF June
and the 18th Of August last. On the 18th
OF August the field was carefully moved,
and not a ball was found, although the cut
grass and the barred ground were searched
with the utmost care.
IL is estimated that about one hundred
thousand balls per annnm accidentally go
through the dinning-room window and are
confiscated by indignant housewives.
These balls are never seen again, but it is
open to any one to allege that they are
burned OF otherwise destroyed by those
by whom they are coniscated. Also, it is
safe TO say that two hundred thousand balls
per annum are stolen-or, il that be too
severe word, taken possession Of-by the
old gentleman living next door to the ball
ground and having an exaggerated love OF
quiet and Of unbroken windows. These
balls may also be destroyed as a mat
ter either OF vengeance or OF pre-.
caution. A very small number OF
balls, say one or two thousand, are
carried off and worried by dogs, but
an enormous majority OF the five million
of lost balls disappear without leaving us
1 olN flantr al not
If these balls remain on the surface OF
the earth, then our globe is steadily grow
ing in SIZE. Four fifths OF them are hollow
rubber balls, and in that shape occupy TWEEN
tv times the room that the raw rubber OF
which they are made originally occupied
OF course the solid balls-such as base-balls
and roquet-balls-occupy no more space
as balls than was occupied by the material,
of which they are made, but these form, a,
has been said. not more than one-tifth OF
the total number of lost balls. Ii foul
million rubber balls should be placed oil
the surface Of the earth and covered witt
mold and fallen leaves they would be sufli
cient to raise the continent of North Amer
> lea one inch above its ordinary height
Now, if this is what really takes pac,
every year. it follows that North Amcric;
is steadily growing. A like growth is pro
! badly taking place all over Europe an(
wherever balls are in use. Thus the whol
earth Is growing; by its increased growth
offers increased resistance to the ethe
of space; It's speed in its orbit is thereb,
|; lessened, and rs the centripetal force exert
l ed upon it by the sun increases in proper
> ton to the lessening Of the earth's spec,
|. it follows that the annual loss Of four mil
' lions of rubber balls is actually hastenin
J. the day when the earth will fall into tn
u sun.
!, As al escape from this terrible fate 1t Ina
II been suggested that lost balls pass out @
the sphere OF the earth's attraction an
revolve forever around the sun. This is
:. beautiful theory, and it obtains some SUI
! port from the fact that although Sir Isaa
4 Newton discovered that apples fall to tn
= earth. he made no discovery of q like n;
n ture in regard TO balls. Still the theor
\ lacks confirmation, and until further di,
,r1 coveries are made we must reluctant
,e admit that we do not know what become
II of lost balls.
ut Mr.. KEENEY's CAT JUMBO AND FORTY
Of DOLLAR SHIRT-STUD.-Mr. Abner c. he,
Id ney, Brooklyn millionaire, owns a C;
Sc named Jumbo. Ii is small of a fade