The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1885-04-25
THE STARS.
Bill Nye Once More Contemplates with
drawing From Scientific Research.

Bill Nye Once More Contemplates with
drawing FROM Scientific Research.
There is much in the great field of
astronomy that is discouraging to the
savant who hasn't the time nor means
to rummage around through the heav-
ems. AT times am almost hopeless,
and feel like saying to the great yearn-
full, hungry world: "Grope on forever.
Do not ask me for another scientific
fact. Find it yourself. Hunt up your
own new planets, and let me have a
rest. Never ask me again to sit up all
night and take care of born world
while you lie in bed and reck not"
l get no salary for examining the
trackless void night after night when
ought to be in bed. / sacrifice my
health in order that the public may
know, at once, of the presence Of redhot
comet, fresh from the factory. And yet,
what thanks do getp
Is it surprising that every little while
l contemplate withdrawing from scien-
tific research TO 60 and skin an eight
mule team down through the endless
vista of relentless years ?
Then again, you take certain style
of star, which you learn from Prof.
Simon Newcomb is at such a distance
that it takes $4,000 years for its light to
reach Boston. Now, we will suppose
that after looking over the large stock
of new and secondhand stars. and after
examining the spring catalogue and
price list, | decide that one of the
smaller size will do me, and l buy it,
How do know that it was there when
| bought it? Its cold and silent rays
may have ceased 100000 years before
was born and the intelligence be still or
the way. There is too much margin
between sale and delivery. Every now
and then another astronomer comes tC
me and says: Professor, I have dis
covered another new star and intend tC
file it, Found it last night about a milo
and half south of the zenith, running
loose. Haven't heard of anybody who
has lost a star of the fifteenth magnitude
about thirteen hands high, with ligh
name and tail, have you? Now, how
no | know that he has discovered s
Irand new starr How can | discover
whether he is or is not playing an old
threadbare star on me for new onep
We are told that there has been NJ
perceptible growth or decay in the sta
business since man began to roam
around through space, in his mind, an,
make figures on the barn door with rec
chalk showing the celestial timetable
No serious accidents have occurred il
the starry heavens since ! began to OBJ
serve and study their habits. Not
star has waxed, not a star has waned, t,
my knowledge. Not planet has sea
son-cracked or shown any of the injuri
Gus effects of our rigorous climate. No
a star has ripened prematurely or fallel
off the trees. The varnish on the yer,
oldest stars l find on close and critica
examination to be in splendid condi
ton. They will all no doubt wear a
long as we need them and wink on lon,
after we lave ceased to wink back.
In 1866 there appeared suddenly il
The northern crown star of about tn
third magnitude and worth at leas
$3.50. 1t was generally conceded by as
tronomers that this was a brand ne,
star that had never been used, but upo
consulting Argelander's star catalogu
and price list it was found that this wa
not new star at all, but an old, fade
nut star of the ninth magnitude, wit
the front breadths turned wrong sid
out and trimmed with moonlight alon
the seams.
| After a few days of phenoment
brightness, it gently ceased to draw
salary as star of the third magnitude
and walked home with an Uncle Tom
Cabin company.
| 1t is such things as this that max
the life of the astronomer one of cor
slant and discouraging toll. have lon
contemplated, as | say, the advisabilit
of retiring from this field of science an
allowing others to light the norther
J lights, skim the milky way and
other celestial chores. I would do
myself cheerfully if my health woul
permit, but for years have realized
and so has my wife, that my duties {
an astronomer kept me up too much s
night, and my wife is certainly rigl
about it when she says if l insist o
scanning the heavens night after nigh
coming home late with the cork out {
my telescope and my eyes red an
swollen with these exhausting nigl
, vigils, will be cut down in my prim
So am liable to abandon the gre;
labor to which l had intended to devo
my life, my dazzling genius and N
princely income. hope that othe
savants will spare me the pain of al
. other refusal, for my mind is fully mad
, up that unless another skimmist is
once secured, the milky way will henc
forth remain unskum.-BiU Nye, i