Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-12-14

Comet Dere once e'ore, 1t was-O.
dearl l can't remember anything these
timeP, But he wasn't 50 bright as you
are"
"Dou't you remember a small, fiimsy
good-fcr-Dcthing Planet that went out
into Space one century, in spite Of all
the advice his brothers and sisters gave
him, and who said he wanted to be
come a Cometf"
mo, I don't remember him; was he
an Asteroid?' asked stupid old Jupi-
ter.
"No; he was the Youngest Planet,
lie was queer fellow, aud an ellipti'
al orbit didn't seem to suit him"
"An ellIptical orbit lot salt himf
Why, L never even heard of such q
thingv" For once Jupiter opened his
sleepy eyes quite wide.
''My orbit is not ellipticai," smiled
the dazzling visitor. But poor Jupiter
only looked more puzzled and horri.
fed, and the Comet passed on.
None of the Asteroids remembered
the Youngest Planet.
"We're not expected to rem smber
things" said Ceres saucilv.
The Comet sadly went its way.
"Yes, remember you" bawled red
faced Mars. "You were a bad, i'll =
tempered little Planet, and you we're
forever getting bigger share of the
Sans warmth than L was. Yes, and
more clouds and rainbows and every.
thing else. Earth and L never had anv
peace while you were around; you
made trouble" and he glowered saw
agely at the Comet
Earth was very much engrossed
with domestic cares Just nov.
81 have only had a satellite these
last thousand centuries" she said
spologetically. But busy as she was,
she found time to disspprove OF the
Comet
"He is not quite-well. quite planet
ary, one may say. That tail of his is
OF no heavenly use, and who knows
but 1t may be dangerous? Then his not
coming back here for so long-now
what has he been doing all those ages?
He shines, they say, With his own light;
well, that may be, but how do We know
that borrowed light is not the best,
after all? The Sun is the only thing We
know that gives forth light, and ], for
one, say that for anybody else to set up
shining on his own account, IS sheer
sacrile9e. don't care if they do say
that # is done in other systems. The
Solar System is good enough for me,
and always shall be. But what conld
you expect of anybody that can't even
revolve in an elllpse?"
All this to Venus who, OF ali the
planets, was most truly glad to see her
long-lost playmate.
" No, earth, don't agree with you,
said Venus. A" The Comet is splendi
youDg light, and, with his nature, 1
think he has done far bstter as he has,
than to stay here like the rest of US aud
rotate century after century in the
same old way"
And she gladly made the Comet vel
come within her small, safe orbit,
wuere nothing fercer than a zig-zag
streak OF lightning or brighter than a
rosy cloud-bank and motherly sun ray
had ever before had entrance,
/ Mercury was still very young, al
! thOuah he was actually older than the
/ Comet.
The Sun says L may have a satellite
some day." he said gleefullv, rocking
/ backward and forward. "My brother
Uranus has eight I'll rather be Uran-
US than a Comet. OH l forgot you
were Comet, but you see We dou'i
! think much of them here. They're so
Eighty and far of, and they only come
/ here once IN a great while. Earth says
/ they're afraid to come"
| There was new planet, too
small Vulcan that seemed like a de,
cent, orderly little globe, content to
/ spin forever in the very orbit once de-
/ signed for the wanderer. But Ear th
had her fears that the Comet would
lead Vulcan astray, and teach him Lad,
unellipt1cal habits.
"I sha'n't feel satisfied till that vaga,
/ bond goes out of our System" she con
| tided-not to Venus this time, but to
peppery Mars. 'Why, he influences
even my moon"
And Mars burst ont with, That's so.
| Always making trouble. He was the
worst planetl But his temper, Earth,
was never one bit more dlsagreeable
than yours"
At which Earth-and quite excusa-
bly, tent of in a perfect eclipse OF
rage.
But the mother love, the cherishing
creating Sun warmth-that great heart
never failed the wanderer-
my brightest and bestp she whis-
pered. "My shining one, that taught
himself to give forth light and SC
earned the glory that goes with it and
follows afterI"
And the words lifted the Comets
spirit, and, lol as he sped forth on 8
new journey, the wondering planets
cried, 'Lookl H is even more radi-
ant than when he first clme to US"
But Earth only said, THAT comes o
his having staid so long with us, you
may depend. ."-HELEN GARRISON, il
Wide-Al0ake