Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-04-10
a DREAM OF SPACE.
Startling Experience of an Astron.
Omer.

One night while waiting, watch in
hand, for an occultation, and striving
hard to keep awake, for it had been a
hot and exhausting summers day, I
suddenly found myself withdrawn from
the telescope, and standing in place
that appeared entirely strange to me.
1t was a very rocky bit of ground and,
to my surprise. there was no horizon
In sight. The surface sloped off all
around, and every way I saw the sky
below me. I thought must be on the
peak of a stupendous mountain, and
yet l was puzzled to understand how
The face OF the earth could be so far
Withdrawn. Presently I became aware
that there was one by me whom 1
seemed to see and yet could not see.
''You are not on a mountain" nv
companion said. and as he spoke cold
SILVER ran up my back, ''you are on an
asteroid, one of -thoeo miniature p1au-
cts, as you astronomers call them, and
Of which you nave discovered several
hundred revolving between the orbits
OF Mars and Jupiter. This is the lit
tie globe that you have glimpsed at
occasionally with your telescope, and
that you, or some of your fellows, have
been kind enough to name Menippe."
After the protean manner of the
creatures of dream, my companion,
whose address had hardly been reas-
surfing, suddenly changed aspect and
became a gigantic inhabitant of the
little planet, towering up to a height
of three-quarters of a mile. For mo-
ment was highly amused, standing
by his foot, which swelled up like a
hill, and straining my neck backward
to get a look up along the precipice of
his leg, which. curiously enough, OBJ
served. was clothed in rough home
spun, the woolly knots of the cloth ap-
pearing of tremendous size, while it
bagged at the knee like any terrestrial
trousers leg. His great head and face
l could see far above me, as it were, in
the clouds. Yet was not at all aston
ished.
''This is all right" I said to myself.
'Of course on Menippe the people
must be as large as this, for the little
planet is only dozen miles in diam
eter, and the force of gravity is conse-
quently so small that a man without
loss of activity, or Inconvenience, can
grow three-quarters of a mile tall.''
Suddenly an idea occurred to me.
''Just to think what a jump I can make !!
Why, only the other day was figuring
it out that a man could easily jump a
thousand feet high from the surface of
Menippe. and now hereoI actually am
on Menippe. I'll jump
The sensation of that glorious rise
skyward was delightful beyond ex-
preston. My legs seemed to have be-
come as powerful as the engines OF a
transatlantic liner, and with one,spring
rose smoothly and swiftly, and as
straight as an arrow, surmOunting the
giants foot, passing his knee and at
tanning nearly to the level of his hip.
Then felt that the momentum of my
leap WAS exhausted, and despite my
efforts slowly turned head down
ward, glancing in alright at the ground
q quarter of mile below me, on
which l expected to be dashed to
pieces. But moments thought con-
WINGED me that should get no hurt.
for with SO slight force of gravity it
would be more like floating than fall
ing. just then the Menippean caught
me with his monstrous hand and lifted
me to the level of his face.
Il should like to know" said,
chow you manage to live up here; you
are SO large and your planet is so lit.
tle.e % ..~, p. #e.,s a..
"Now, you are altogether too curl.
GUS" replied the giant. you gop' !.
He stopped down, placed me on the
toe Of his boot, and drew back his fool
TO kick me of