The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-08-10
LITTLE WONDERS.
The Great Things Of This World
Not Always Bulky.
Perfect Engines Weighing Three Grains
A Coach Driven by Fleas-The Bible
Written Eight Times Within
. Square Inch.

Square Inch.
Pliny. the Elder, who wrote during
the first century of the Christian era,
mentions the fact that there existed,
even at that early date, a copy of
Homer's "Iliad" small enough to be
completely hidden in the shell of a
hens egg. Prof. Schrieber. German
inventor of a stereographic process. in
order to Offset the wonder vouched for
by Pliny, translated both the ..Iliad"
and the Odyssey" in so small COM
pass that the volume containing both
books complete could be with ease
hidden in the shell of an English
walnut. We do not rely on the word
of an ancient historian for the verifica-
ton and substantiation of the claim of
Schrieber, as the work is still in exist
ence, as is also its author, unless he
has died within the past year.
In the year 1881 the Chicago Inter
Ocean made mention of gentleman
who had written the entire first
chapter of the gospel OF st. John on
the back side of a postal card.
That little notice, innocent as it was,
caused the editor several sleepless
nights. Within the next three DAYS
postal cards and slips of paper with
minute specimens of penmanship be-
gan to pour in from all directions.
Among the hundreds of specimens
submitted for inspection the editor
acknowledged that the greatest curl
osity was a postal card from John j.
Taylor, Of Streator, H.. upon which
was written 400 words in legible
characters, the whole embracing the
first. second and third chapters of St.
John and 10 verses of the fourth chap
ter of the same. and also the sixth and
seventh chapters of St. Mathew, be-
sides having nine words in which mis-
takes occurred crossed out. All of
this wonderful production, which the
editor acknowledges would make three
columns of his paper set in minion
type. could be plainly read with the
naked eye. A Laced@monian once
wrote in letters of gold a poem of eight
lines, the whole of which he inclosed
within grain of allspice and sent as
present to the Shah of Persia; an act
which the untutored monarch did not
seem to appreciate. inasmuch as he
ordered the penman thrown into pris-
on, where he languished several
months until at last set free through
the influence of the American consul.
In 1883, Jewish penman at Vienna,
Austria, wrote 400 letters on common
sized grain of wheat. 1t seems that
the Emperor had failed to sign bill
allowing the jew to become a clerk in
some of the royal departments. giving
as a reason that it was absolutely nee
essary to have an uncommon good PEN
man in that department. After finish
ing the cereal wonder and dispatching
it to his majesty, he picked up a COM
mon visiting card and wrote prayer
for the imperial family ON its edge.
This was also sent to the Emperor. 1t
is needless to add that the dextrous
Hebrew was installed at the head of
department the next day.
These wonderful feats with the pen.
which are all true to the letter. have
been completely overshadowed by the
incomprehensible achievements of
William Webb, of London, Eng. In
1886 Mr.. Webb invented a machine
which is composed of exquisitely grad
uated wheels. running a tiny diamond
point at the end of an almost equally
tiny arm. whereby he was able to write
upon glass the whole of the Lords
prayer within space which measured
the two hundred and ninety-fourth of
an inch in length by the four hundred
and fortieth of an inch in breadth. or
about the measurement of dot over
the letter '.i'' in common print. With
that machine Mr.. Webb. or any one
else who understood operating it, could
write the whole 1866. 480 letters of Old
and New Testament eight times over in
the space ofone inch square.
When this wonderful microscopic
writing was enlarged by photography
every letter and point we're perfect and
could be plainly seen.
In q museum of curiosiries at Salem,
Mass, there is preserved q common
cherry seed or stone, followed and
fashioned like . basket. Within the