Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-06-28
OUR PROFESSORS
fhey Go 20 See an Eclip.. o.,
fRii to Catch a CLAN. s0n

:, UGH nasSipo
sime at the Fifth Avenue bots
,ne New York Graphic. His N.Y.
recalls a little tale about an e, p'eSe
20 Japan in which the learro1 Peail1
man took part. 'o GEM
The story has been lust to,a
gress, but no one will ever rssS l! (!
tetails there, and the scientig Gu rs
which have smiled and frown -v 5o c
will not enlighten the ordiparvs o =,
upon its different phases 'eaa
1t can be lightened up 4 p,a.
the story IS worth telling il onIy
evidence of how some of orr ny s3: as
people who are in coy, wei T.,s
places at Washington can
through their plans for a snr,.
enjoyment at government eyosa.
There was TO be a total asli~ Il
the sun during the latter part r II
past summer, and the learned ,on5
decided that the best place to '
gate it would be in Japgr
dreamy hillsides and quaint tea b /
with their almond-eyed waitra
were no special attractions bns7
Japan the expedition Of scisr.s
sailed away.
There were half dozen of |
fessors with their families and a.
naval officers, and a dozen or j
hangers on with learned titles ],
long attached to their names
They arrived in due time Al WI
hama, and big Dick Hubbard. WI
our minister there, went down n \
steamer and stretched his hand
yond his capacious stomach in hi
ly welcome to the band of al
men and their wives, They linga
with him little while, and Dick n
it very pleasant for them.
Then they started to select a /
from which the eclipse could be S
seen, and they chose the little IA
Shirakawa which, it may be remard
is one of the prettiest places in III
They hired an old castle, had Il
| Photographic and observing M
ments made ready, and settled ia
to enjoy the sweet summer DAYS
wait for the eclipse.
They had a jolly time for five or
weeks, and all the leaf-brown maid
for miles around the sleepy old 4
were flirting with the naval of.
and occasionally casting a thrall 4
the specialized professors themscyi
But the time drew near for
eclipse, aud as there was PLENTY
money for expenses they built a
| platform on the top of the castle \
wide enough to accommodate themsd
and a couple Of hundred invited ID
| that we're to witness the event.
Dick Hubbard went up from II
| and brought with him a lot Of
| learned people and society leaderI
the capital. The night before
eclipse was to occur there was a 4
| gathering in the old castle, and on
the American professors made
learned speech.
He told them that on the top oil
wall where they were to stand the
morning was the very spot wi
centuries before, the japanese asl
ogers had consulted the bea1I
bodies and cast the horoscope Of
children, and there on the next
modern science would achieve N
its greatest victories, EyeEd
applauded and then they all wen1
bed.
Next morning bright and early
platform on the top Of the castle
was filled with the visitors and.
scientists. Prof. David Z. Todd
Amherst college, stood behind Al
telescope, forty feet long aud Wld'
| proportion.
He was to catch the first view q
eclipse and notify the photosrag
in time, so that pictures OF 1t coui1
caught. Lieut. Sutherland OF t9e
! had charge of half a dozen bllnliJ
young ladies, white and brown
They were to be kept in daTA
until a certain moment aud thea
unbound suddenly SO Is To Gag
good view of the corona OF tne Coy
and sketch it. u
Everything was ready except
eclipse, and all the learned iel
were watching the heavens Win
glasses. 1t was 10 last only
more than a minute, and the seen
people we're very anxious about y
The silence among the visitors J
oppressive. Even Dick huo0i
mouth was closed. There was
denly a little rift OF mellowed Gary
that swept over the heavens an05g
one knew that the moment va
hand?
Yes, the eclipse had come
where was ftp Suddenly there W.
dash of brighter light in mid-leA
and through the rifted CLOUDS ~
shone forth in his accustomed sPiyl
The eclipse had come and P9 a',,,,
no one on the wide platform
seen it. IA ,
Up in one corner Of the ola 4. .
yard rose a moss covered ana IL
! tower. 1t looked down uPyn
crowd on the platform like a gnu |,
ancient warder. The Learned . +. /
not considered it when they Dll.
place of observation, and penn lI
stony walls the sun and moon may
| and kissed. nth
Nobody knows how mad D ,,C1,s.
bard was-and the way the Ia "a
got out of Japan will never ~ " '.'