The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-17
TWOLECTURES at ACTON
EDITOR BROWN, OF GRAMS HORN"
AND b. s. SUTTON THE SPEAKERS.
One Was "a Very Witty Talk ON "Spec-
tacIes" and the other Was
on Electricity.

IN resting. The old soldiers had departed
and the camp was left in the sole possess
sion of the tenters. They sat about on
their verandas and watched the pattering
raindrops. There was a certain drowsiness
in the air, a certain stiffness in the camp
and certain feeling of happiness in hav-
ing "nothin' at all to do"
The programme for the day contained
two lectures, one by B. S. Sutton. in the
afternoon, and the other by e. p. Brown,
editor of the Rams Horn, in the evening.
Mr. Browns lecture was humorous, and
was entitled In the Spectacle Business"
There was very little about spectacles in
the address, however, and a great deal
about people as other people see them. Mr.
Brown constituted himself an oculist and
found many defects OF vision in a large pro-
portion of the human race. For instance.
many people are very defective in viewing
political, social and religious subjects. Some
people see double and some see too much
to get any good out of life. Then there are
the people who wear the blue glasses of
melancholy and people who wear the green
glasses of envy and prejudice. The speaker
delivered himself of many epigrams, for
which he is famed He said: Some poll
ticians can see no more for the public good
than they can see from the public crib
the policeman stops being an optimist
when he puts on the blue coat" put a
pig in a parlor and his first question will
be, Well, where's your mud put him in a
street car or a well-carpeted pew at church
and he will spit tobacco juice all over the
floor" in the meadow where the artist
catches a sight of heaven, the farmer sees
nothing but hay" the man who has to
live on corn bread at home is always find
ing fault with the pie when he travels"
and other equally pointed mots.
But it was the near-sighted man who re-
ceived the particular attention of the lee
turer. Some people,, he said, can see
no further than the tip of their nose, like
the lrishman who swallowed a potato bug
and Immediately took a dose of paris green
to kill it." This feat of the Irishman is an
historic fact, having been reported, the
speaker showed, in the Journal last May.
The man who was SO near-sghted as to
give his wife apy money until he has to
received his just deserts. IF women spent
the money said Mr.. Brown, the devil
would have abandoned this world long
ago. Every good woman, continued the
speaker would rather have the flowers on
her grave distributed through her life
only think OF the irony of putting AT
Rest on the headstone of the wife who
was worked to death. It's a sad fact that
AletIy d man nlueS his WlI6 = cOIIln III roses
VINO never gave her So bill to do as she
pleased with. The reason why he spends
SO much money on her funeral is to keep
the neighbors from finding out how mean
he is
The lecturer also paid his respects to
near-slghted women, into which class
among others, he placed the sensible girls
who can see no difference between a man
and dude the woman who turns the baby
over to the nurse in order that she may
nave time to care for the poodle dog, the
woman who does not think it worth while
to make home pleasant and the woman
who pleaseS the devil by sending the chill
wearing out the carpet. The lecturer closed
by urging the mothers TO follow the exam
pie OF Queen Victoria and have their daugh-
tiers taught the means of earning a liveli-
mood The audience greatly enjoyed the
treat given them by Mr.. Brown, and showed
their appreciation by continuous laughter.
MIR. SUTTON'S LECTURE.
The lecture by B. S. Sutton was a care
fully prepared and valuable paper on the
subject of electricity He said:
This subtle, unseen and mystic force we
can neither define nor analyze. It's unseen
and hidden currents ebb and flow like the
and bounds across unlimited ether fields of
space and its radiant energy is ever rest
less 1t penetrates the mountains rocky
heart and rolls in mimic waves through the
abysmal depths of old ocean. Science sees
in it the key to the knowledge Of the ulti-
mate basis of matter and force 1t has
been the riddle of the ages-wholly and
entirely indescribable understandingiy.
Many centuries ago the priests OF Egypt
and wondered at its meaning. Pliny and
Aristotle marveled at this mysterious power
as exhibited in torpedo fish. But ages
passed and no clew was found for entering
the portals wherein such priceless secrets
were hidden and locked up"
The speaker then went on to say that
having been built up by the labors Of many
instead of by the genius of one. DR.. Gilbert
gave the science it's name three hundred
years ago: Long after him Gray made va
ried and interesting experiments and Ben
jamin Franklin proved the identity of cleo
tricity and lightning; About one hundred
years ago Galvani brought the subject
prominently before the world. Volta in
vented his battery, Davy discovered the
Voltaic arc, Ampere announced the funda-
mental principles of carbohydrates, while
Farraday, the master mind of all, produced
electricity from magnetism and brought
forth a system of principles by which it
was shown how electricity would be util-
lied in supplying the wants of man
The lecturer then gave comprehensive
and eloquent account of the many uses to
which the electric fluid is put, speaking of
the mariners needle the telegraph, the tele-
electric machinery in shops, mines and fac
tories and the death chair. He said: "Elec-
tricity is tightening the drudgery of field
and factory to an untold extent for mans
pleasure and comfort. The age of steam
is drawing to a close. The world now
stands trembling and expectant on the
threshold of the electric era. Every cas-
cade, every coal mine every lumber dis
trict, will soon become center of power
from which cables will radiate, bearing to
all sections of the land cheap electrical
power. Bicycles and tricycles operated by
storage batteries will soon come into use
We shall soon be able to hold interviews
with person in any part of the globe and
not only hear his voice but see his image
kilograms now received on moving
trains and at this time communication is
being held with ships far out at sea. Small
cars contained in mail tubes will soon be
sent at high rate of speed between dis
tant cities, enabling us to peruse the prints
of such cities while yet wet from the press
Electric stoves will soon adorn and heat
our dwellings. Coal will be a thing of the
past and with it viii depart the annoyances
of dust, smoke and SCOT. The men of
wealth and refinement of the twentieth cen
fury will find in this subtle and useful force
a servant capable of performing the magic
work of the genii and riValing the splen-
doris of Aladdins palace.
POSSIBILITIES OF ELECTRICITY.
prof Edison, one of the master minds
of the world, predicts that within a short
time electricity will be produced without
heat at a much reduced cost, and thus the
energy or force will be saved which is now
expended in the form of heat rays. Nature
gives us an example with the glow worm
and fire flies, light without heat. President
Ingalls, of the Big Four system, says that
within ten or fifteen years he expects every
engine on that entire system to be operated
by electrical motor power
You ask me" continued the lecturer,
what is electricity. l cannot answer you.
One scientist says a kind of matter an
other a form of energy another "a mani
festation of ether still another matter
and ether combined The best authorities