New-York tribune., 1897-01-03
FIVE MOONS.
REMARKABLE EFFECT OF THE MERRY
YULETIDE ON AN ASTRONOMER.


YULETIDE ON AN ASTRONOMER.
One OF the office boys came in with Wild look
in his eyes late Christmas night and said: 'rneres
a man outside says he wants to see tne e"''o
about story. He says It's something that on'y
happens once In thousand years or sometnihs'
l dunno and no says he's thermometer, and hes
talking poetry and lot OF stuff. and he wants 70
see the editor"
Although the night editor was almost dying with
curiosity he decided not to see the visitor hmseii'
but he sent out of the youngest reporters, VINO
happened to be sitting around wondering wnat
literary work he would be assigned to execute next.
The reporter met a middle-aged man who appeared
to have seen better days Are you the editor!' he
said.
The reporter was the point OF saying: MOI
yet" but he checked himself and said Tine night
editor sent me to see you. What can do for your?
The visitor laid his hand on the young mans
shoulder and sad:
MY lord. they say five moons were seen tc-night:
-Four hxed. and the nth did whirl about
The other four in wondrous notion
Do you know what that is FROM"
The reporter. who had come to the paper months
before with recommendation from the head OF the
English department Of his college. said that he
thought that II was from Macbeth" NO" said
the visitor, 'it s from King john don't suppose
you're astronomer
mo" said the young man.
well, I'm an astronomer, and tell you this Is
a thing that hasn't happened from King Jonns
time till tonight"
What hasn't hoppened?"
Five moons My lord. they say five moons wers
seen to-night!'
who says so?'
81 say so. Young man, II you're getting up
newspaper you want to wake right up to the I'M
portance of this thing. Don't take my WORD TOT IT,
Come right out and look 1t. II nobody in your Of
foo has noticed H. Is soon l Ii / said to
myself: The papers will want to print big reports
about this and they will want to get an interview
with some astronomer about 1t, so came up here
to see YOU Neve- before since King Johns time
MY lord. they say'"-
where do 1 have to go to see IT." the reporter
asked.
Plight over here by the Postohice."
Tts reporter decided that he would see the thing
through. He went for his hat and coat. and then
went down to the street with the astronomer The
latter led the way to Broadway and Park Place,
and there turned around and waved his hand
triumphantly toward the eastern sky. There!
How many moons do you see now?" he said.
II can see one moon." said the reporter
(Which one do you see?"
That's one Just rising there; the only one there
is"
do not be hasty, young man." said the astron-
omer; 'in these things there is large element of
personal equation; perhaps you do not see things
quite tho way do
Heaven forbd' the young man said, under his
breath. IF l might venture to say So" he said
aloud ut seems to me that you have been cee-
brating Christmas"
although I cannot think how you knew the
astronomer replied, you are right. ] have been
celebrating Christmas, you call it. call it the
merry Yuletide.' The merry Yuletide is an astrono-
nomical festival 'Yule means Wheel and this Is
the time that the sun turns around'-
| But what meant was" said the young man.
| tl,t hat v0
have been drinking have something to do with your
| seeing so many moons?'
Eyes, SIR" the astronomer answered, frankly
| I do In vino veritas.' Did you ever hear that?
| That is true. sir. l never could see so clearly IN
my life as can this minute. and owe It to the
Juice OF the vine. That is why can see FIVE moons
and you can see only one l can see nve times a as
run from the moon that you can see along TO
the east. and you ought TO see two more moons rs
the same shape as the one that you see. and about
two degrees apart. Now cast your eye along to the
to see Of the other two right Tribune Build
They are ell e IN about s ihe Same asr and he
ones TO the west are little higher"
mhe and he ssd that he all i've Of
now What do you think Is the cause OF so many
az saS at se man s of Science that is
what knew you would want to talk with an as as
think that Doi It is because Of merry Yrletide
You know the moon has good deal 10 40 WIN M tne
tides. moon
the earth on one side and sort OF pulls the eartn
away from the water on the other side. and tnat
makes a high tide on both sides at once. And !
think there are hve moons tonight just because IL
took Ave to make such a merry Yuettde as tnls
has been. Say. what time Is tT -.
-Four of your moons say II Is quarter ol
twelve" the reporter answered. -.
"Young man." said the astronomer, you are get
ting ahead OF me. | those five moons before
YOU did but can't hear what they say. quarter
Of twelve is it? WELL l must be getting along. l
was just coming down on the Sixth-ave. train rain to
take the Chambers-st ferry for Jersey CITY,
live in Jersey City-and just as came out into
broadway from Park Place saw those five moons
and knew that your paper would want an inter,
view with me. Say. don't suppose you would feel
like lending 10 cents to get across the ferry and
home on the streetcar. would you You see, I've
been celebrating the merry Yule--
The reporter thought that all the wisdom he , had
got was cheap at 10 cents and he paid IT. the
astronomer directed his orbit toward Chambers-st.
and the reporter looked up at the four moons over
the CITY Hall and The Tribune Building Almost
IT," he said TO himself; Il think this story Will
be lust as good any other night as 1t Is tonight,
and may we'll go home; He started toward
the station and then thought struck him SO nara
that II stopped him. ''lf that man was on his way
to the Jersey ferry. what did he come out to Broad
way at all for? Is 1t possible that he went through
all that just to get ten cents!