Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-07-19
HUNTING COMETS.
Bill Nye Hard at Work in Order to
secure a Prize.

AS soon as read your offer L Immedl-
ately began to scan the heavens. L pre-
sumo that there isn't square foot of the
whole sky that haven't been over DUR
ing that time in search of comets. In
January on the early morning of the I'd,
L think, while going home after assisting
in the ceremonies of ushering in the new
year, discovered comet of great mag
nitude, but on the following evening,
when l attempted to put my hand on 1t
and classify 1t, and draw on you for the
prize money. found that 1t had evaded
me. / now agree with my wife that it
was an optical illusion of the first mag
nitude.
Last week, however, succeeded in
running down large comet which had
never been used before. lit was situated
IN the constellation of Cassabianca,
about due west of the Methodist hurch,
as you lookout Of my barn door ona
clear night.
Its appearance is that of q large nebu-
lours body with u central condensation
and no tail. This is the only drawback
to my discovery. am sorry to come to
you with o taiiless comet. After the long
nights of anxiety and worry, dislike to
come to you Doc, bringing bob-tail
comet. | will therefore, throw SO off the
amount you offered. Send me postal
note for 500, Doc, and the comet is yours.
You will find it where have said if Won
are careful to observe my directions.
Had this comet been success with q
tail to it. | would have been glad to be.
stow my name upon it, never having put
my name on comet. but / would prefer
not to name mutilated comet after
myself. A man works too hard to win a
deathless name to calmly see it put on a
nebulous and Hkittish bob tail comet WITH
no record. have had wildcat mining
claims named for me, and my brief bat
contiguous cognomen will be found here
and there through the American
herd.beok; hna when / plaster it on q
heavenly body | want it to be attached
TO good one.
am Oh the eve of discovering another
comet, however, to which, / will not be
ashamed to attach my name. | have
only partially discovered it at this time,
but, as Hersceld would say, there is o
hen on. got brief view of this comet
last night, but before could secure it,
name Ii, and draw on you for the $780, it
was gone. AS the bank will be closed to-
night at the time tho discovery will no
doubt be made Lave taken the liberty
to draw on you to-day on sight. III do
not succeed IN discovering the comet IN
time for June delivery / will return the
money to you.
My first comet was discovered in the
early evenings. 1t is not brilliant
comet, but rather inferior ia its appear
ance. Its motions also, are erratic, and
at times almless. 1t has an elongated
orbit, with a large hole in 1t. / hope
that this will make 40 difference how
ever, as 1t is no fault of mine. I will
agree that it shall not occur again.
-. hope some day to discover comet
with parabola to it. / have found a
place where one OF these had been the
day before and dragged its parabola
across the milky way. What price do
you offer for Il comet with parabola ?
Also, what will you give me for small
comet in good condition, with perihelion
to it.
found light sorrel comet last year
but had not completed the discovery
and fled on it before it disappeared fo.
the night. / learned the next day that
it was comet with a large orbit, and
that it would not again return for three
thousand years. The discovery was a
bona fide one, however, and if you will
advance the amount of the prize, it will
be OF great pecuniary advantage to me
| and ii it does not return on time, as ]
| eave said, J. will refund the money to you
| or your heirs with pleasure. This comet
had o long heavy name and tail, and
seemed to be feeling first rate. Its tail
was turned from me when 1 discovered
it, but when | looked at 1t again I saw
that it was turned this way. When
/ 1>.D.iy Il XII :
any other astronomer find this come
and report it to you. wish you wonl6
tell him that it belongs to me- 1t il
about the medium height, is good
roadster, and wears it's tail at an angle
of about As degrees when in motion.
| 1t would drive we'll with Lexell's
comet, think, as they look very muct
alike; but as Lexell's comet had perioc
of four and half years and mine
/ returns once in three Thousand years i
would be hard to get them together
Lexell's comet has escaped now, how
ever. 1t got away in ITO, and If il ha
ever returned it has changed SO that n,
one recognized it.
L would rather discover comets for
livelihood than to do any thing else, if j
did not Keep me from my family 81
much.
Do you prefer comet with nucleus
or can you use one with parabolie by
pothenuse to better advautage? CouI
you use poem on the presidential nur
tials. / often write little poems of thi
character while waiting behind ire
for comet to come down past me for
drink. I also have double barrel shot
gun in good order and the right to
small chestnut comet of the tenth mag
nltude, both OF which / would like t
dispose OF.
In answering this letter please pin th
check to the upper left hand corner c
your manuscript. Please write plainl
on one side only with, your lndorsemen
on the ether. L can not promise to re
turn manuscript. Please write as 500
! as eossible and tell me wheather yo
wish me to continue my discoverie
or not.
Should there be anything could
for you or for science let me know and
: will give you inside figures and cut rate
. on comets, microbes or anything else
my line.
Please write yonr name and postoffic
? address plainly and tell the cashier
S sign his name plainly at5the bottom {
J the oheek. Not necessarily t. p. b. q.
g. o. e. +.
1 Yonrs, with telescope in each ey
T and comet eorkscrew In each hand.
I'll ---=-
al Smoke Baxter's Lucky Star Sc. Ciga
+, y N