The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-06-15

authority OF Mr.. Oliver, that the head
OF the popes and kings could readily b
distinguished from those of the queen
and saints by their mitres and crowns
The gentleman who brought this littl
wonder to England purchased it IL
Prussia, allowing the original owner
$4,000 for his treasure.
Mark Scarlost, a blacksmith who
lived under the reign of Queen Eliza
beth, made chain of forty-iive links, tt
which he attached a padl made o
steel and brass, consisting of tifteel
pieces besides the key. The chain wa
80 small as to freely admit of being
fastened about the neck of common
every day flea, and the apparatus, flea
chain, paddock, key and all weighed
but grain and half when exhibited
before the wondering royalty on plat,
OF polished silver.
The reader, will, no doubt, think
these flea and cherry-stone stories
worthy to be taken with the proverbia
grain of salt, noting, as he will, thai
they nearly all bear the date and STAMP
''ye olden times;" but what will he say
when informed that within the last
five years Il San Francisco professor
has equaled Mark Scarlost's ingenuity
in every particular.
This Golden Gate grasper after the
infinitesimal exhibited perfectly
trained team of Aeas, drawing minia-
ture tally-ho coach made of gold, with
all four wheels perfect, each turning
on its axle. All the elite of San Fran
cisco witnessed the professors wonder
full exhibition of his control over these
frisSy little pests, and all were unspar-
ing in their praise of the queer little
team, the professor and the golden
coach.
The first watch was made in Nurem-
berg in the cherry stone about the
year 1477. Soon after it's invention
curious gold and silversmiths began
to experiment in what they could do in
the way of diminutive time-pieces.
One of these, now over 200 years old,
is kept as wonder in one of the Swiss
museums. 1t is only 3-16 of an inch in
diameter, but small as it is, it not only
indicates hours and minutes, but
seconds, days of the week, days of the
month and the number of the year.
Another of the old Nuremberg won
ders was in the form of an acorn, five
sixteenths of an inch in diameter and
half an inch long. 1t was perfect in
every particular, kept good time and
was used as a charm on a lady's neck
lace.
One of exactly the same pattern, but
provided with tiny pistol, which was
used as an alarm, is now to be seen in
the South Kensington Museum, Lon
don. King George III. of England had
a watch not larger than an old-fash
ioned silver tive-cent piece, which had
120 different parts, the whole not
weighing as much as a silver dime. 1t
would take column of the Item to
enumerate all the dainty little time
pieces that have been invented during
the past 400 years. They have been
made no larger than peas, and set in
rings for physicians to facilitate the
counting of the pulse. They have also
been fixed in bracelets. brooches, eye
glasses, tops of pencils and even in
hands. Finished workman
ship and plenty of money will provide
almost any thing that can be conjured
up by myriad-minded people.
The enginemakers, like the watch
have also tried to attain dis
tinction in the matter of the diminu-
tive. In 1870, John Penn. the eminent
maker of great steam engines, who re-
sided at Greenwich, England, came in
possession of what was then the small
est steam engine in the world. 1t stood
on a three-penny piece. 1t really
covered less space, for its base-plate
only three-eighths of an inch
by about three-tenths. From the eX-
IRENE smallness of the model some of
5he details were omitted, but not enough
20 interfere in any way with its going.
The screws were only one-eightieth of
IN inch in diameter, and these were
Iuly IhIlll5lltu Wllll hcAdROIdl NUS,
which could only be loosened by aid of
l tiny wrench made for that purpose.
The weight of the whole model, with
'ut the three-penny base, was less than
he weight of the coin itself.
Six years later, time of our Centen-
lial exhibition, Penn would have felt |
lshamed of his "three-penny piece"
'ngine had he had it on exhibition in |
During the progress of
hat great exposition. Levi Taylor of |
ndianola, Ia, placed on exhibition,
side by side" with the great Corliss
'ngine, an engine perfect in all its
,arts. built on twenty-five cent gold
,iece, and with some of its parts so
mall as to only be seen by aid of a
powerful microscope. The entire en-
,ine weighed but three grains. In other
words it would have taken 146 such
ngines to balance an ounce avoirdu-
'ois. Three of the Penn engines would
ave weighed more than l46 like that
lade by Taylor.
The engine made by ID. A. Buck, of
Waterbury. Conn, is usually given in
inc in the world, but this is mistake;
he one mentioned last above, so far,
lkes the pal'l for smallness.
The writer cheerfuliy admits that the
tuck engine is more perfect in its de-
iils than the Iowa wonder, but the