Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-31

From the ST. Louis Republican
Ballooning has been the dream of man for
5000 years and more. He looks upward at the
stars, ana feels a longing to discover some
agency that will overcome the force that chains
his body 20 the earth from which IL sprang and
bear him through the light and teDuous NJ,
niosphere that surrounds IL; and, in the height
.! hl- most daring aspirations, he tries TO
Imagine the ecs.acy OF voyaginy TO the moon
and alter inspecting that lifeless and utfiu,er,
esunE slnder, continuing his journey into the
serene de pins OF space beyond. And yet Strange
70 say, TINS IL not dream; IL is q TACT Man
Is actually sailing amid the stars al. his life.
masnincence and vastness that tie moor
creafur.. lives his life of three score wears and
zen without apprehendipg it. Embarked on
rate OF 10000 miles an hour. which moves he
knows not how, sometimes faster, sometimes
slower. but never hating. and through all last
and slow stages making lis VOYAGE IN the Sec
ond OF schedule time, he Is perpetualiy passing
throug3 region whose shifting landmarks. or
skynarks, he can note as plainly as he note,
the changing landmarks on the Mississippi on
a water voyage from ST. Louis TO st. Paul ANY
night. detects, in addition to the daily apparent
motion OF the stars round the earth from east to
west sun another much slower motion of the
ARMAMENT in the same direction. II is an an
nudi movement. The whole arch OF the heavens
l. DIVIDED into 800 degrees,and il makes a COM
picte circuit IN sos days The celestial yauII
therefore. slips from 4 to west at the rare OF
Que degree Oi space or four minutes OF time
every Gay. This looks like a slow movement
Lux ~ taxes an actual earth-rate of travelling
OF 10000 miles an hour TO produce IT, The
apparent siowness il due to the same optical
causes winch make far distaut ship appear
to move sluggishly against the sky back
ground III the sky be watched night after
night, IL will be found that q bright star or con-
sei!ation which shows itself Just on the eastern
horizon at O'Clock at night will, six months
aterwards, be on the western horizon AT 81
O'Clock. The star appears To have moved But
10 has DOT II is the observer who has changed
his position. Without feeling II, and perhaps
without knowing II, he has been sailing mast
the star and ien 1t behind him In the siX
months he has met and passed other stars and
CONSIDERATIONS 10 the east OF il. precisely as a
steamboat travelling from ST. Louis up tie Mis-
Sizsippi passes Alton, Hannibal, Keokuk Rock
Island, Dubuque and Prairie du CHEN and AT
last reaches Sc. Paul This inexpucable air
ship we call the earth, which, in spite
of its enormous weight OF rock and
iron, oceans and mountains, possesses in
absolute perfection the buoyant quail
ties OF q balloon, has In the halfyear
carrying passenger list Of I 500 OOO, OOO souls
ami revealing TO their unobservant and indif.
fercnt eyes . new celestial region, marked with
new stars and signs, ~ every successive stage
of twepty-four hours. One by one, the royal
stars Of the nrst Observation-Disclosures, Risel
Procyen, SIRIUS, Regulus. Spica, Arcturus AL.
tair, Antares and Fomalhaut; all the copsteilar
tious, the sweet and gentle Pieiades, the mystic
orion, the Lion, the Virgin, the scorpion. the
Eorthoru Crown and the Northern Cross-all
have been sighted, met, passed and left behind
tall the end Of the voyage II reached and the
wonderful sirship, supported, we know not by
vhe4 aid moving We Know not how, starts
without halung On another circuit