The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-14

sonnoed across the housetops from the
fort IN New York haraor. Then locking
up into his mothers face. he progounded
the startling aaery: Where does the man
stand when he aims al the sun TO shoot
1t DOWN." And at a more immature
age he tried to seize the lunar orange. SO
very near and yet SO far" But the little
ones are aos the only folk with strange
vagaries OF sight and insight.
Some years ago. in the ieng;hen.ag days
OF April. was speeding homeward up tue
valley OF the Hackensack in y wheeled
apartment dedicated 10 the worship Of the
goddess Of Nicotine, where men of high
and low degree assembled TO offer burnt
SACRIFICES OF the soothing weed imported
from Connecticut Some wh.led away the
tedium Of the hour with playing upon
pipes of thu dudeen and briarwood vari-
ery, as comforting as the reedy ones with
which old Bion and Theocritus dis
coursed sweet music. Behind me sat two
brawny sons Of Erin performing their to-
baccona Ian devotions; that. the Baccha-
nasian fibations had been poured my nose
attested. The setting sun was standing
''uptoe upon the misty mountain top"
across the valley. And this is what
heard from the Celtic sages:
II say. Dennis. tn days do be gettin'
quote long. l Dunno
'Dade they be. Nike; the sun sets b
daylight now"
I know q very estimate old gentleman.
high In the councils OF the church, who
seriously dep.ored the impiety of friend
of mine, who asserted that the stars were
huge suns. and those visible We're alto
gether inconAderabie In number COM
pared with the vast archipelago of shin
ing o.bs unsen by the naked eye. each
1rh ay fh0 mar nf vx1o 20 IN,
The venerable child had taken his stand
on the statement that they were made to
give light to the world. The eccentric
geocentric Interpreter of nature might be
almost prepared TO accept the assertion
of the genial Snowman, Artemus Ward.
when he says that THE yearfa resolves
onto its ax.etree onct In twenty-four
hours: subject to the constitution of the
L. s. Omitted Statesy' lie might even
accept the dictum of the southern colored
preacher, that 1.-The sun do move"
Some time ago noted astronomer con-
nected with one OF the largest obGerva-
tories in the world and whose achieve
ments in his profession are OF the first
order, criticised the rejection of Venue
in the still water represented In picture
called ''The Evening STAR asserting that
such thing was Impossible IN nature.
And yet Venus IL not the only star whose
the inverted sky of watery mirror. I
have often seen the phantom of Jupiter
worn like a gem on the broad and quiet
bosom of the Hudson river. Who that
has lived In the country has not seen the
brilliant Vega, when near the zenith,
weirdly reflected from the still ard dark
ling deeps Of a well or spring?
One evening last winter, while taking
an evening walk, ] noticed at frequent
intervals a bright CLINT OF light f5.Ia the
sidewalk like the brief flash OF a FREELY.
I soon discovered that I was glimpsing
the reelection OF beautiful Venus III the
little pools OF water from q recent rain.
The astronomer from much gazing into
space had become blinded 90 the ideal
heavens often at his feet. We are all too
apt to Itttle note the beautiful around us:
trying to grasp that which is unattain-
able. or mat would prove to be of lesser
W. was schoolboy I was informed
by ~ teacher that the moons OF Jupiter
could be distinctly seen reflected In q mir
rcr he'd to receive their rays. Years az
terward / tested 1t, holding thick plate
looking glass to get the reflected image
Of the Jovian orb. was delightedly sur
prised to see miniature Copernican sys-
tenn In the clear glass. On either side OF
the planet showed a bright point OF light.
in line running through the center OF
Jupiter. each distant about half the APP
parent diameter OF the moon. But when
turned the glass to eaten me rays OF
Vega, Antares and ArcturM the same
phenomenon showed. only the outlying
LIGHTS were mach fainter. Moreover. a
lamp, shining from a distant window.
also had its two mock moons. The effect
is produced. OF course. by compound re-
Election and refraciion OF the rays from
the luminous objects The new moon
seen under the same circumstances pre-
sents a peculiarly unique and weird ap-
pearance. This faiiacy in regard TO Jupi-
ter's satellites rejecting in q mirror Is
widespread and sometimes 1t receives the
Endorsement so convincing with many: Ii
gets into print
Notwithstanding that the brilliant
planet dedicated to love ard lovers has
so short a period between her successive
terms TO grace. the morning or the even
ing sky. doubt IL at any time when she
Is the morning ssar-stfning at her
brghtest-some creduious folk uniearned
In the movements of the celestial clock,
do not almost worsbipfu.ly gaze at IL in
the belief that the Star Of Bethlehem"
has pierced the veil of time and spake.
The seif-deception is pardonabIe from its
pious character; but when prominent
newspapers print. and clergymen preach
grave discources based on the assertion
that the starry herald of the birth OF
Christ has appeared In the heavens. not
90 speak of other distortions of the vari-
Gus aspect OF natural phenomena. IL Is no
wonder that scientific Journals seoff At
the lamenfable and iudercusly grotssGue
Ignorance displayed I'm regard 10 the most
commonplace phases OF nature.
II Is only few years ago that Venus
set the auid nuncs agape 10 such degree
that many newspapers-West and South
observation-disclosures TO her as the mirae-
uIous star that usherea in the Christian
era. Ministers preached upon II. and the
news" was even cab'ei from European
Observers" One Western Martinus
Scriblerus considered It's light sacred and
unearthly."
wonder if The man ia the moon con-
siders earfhshine unnloonlyT Or prognox-
sicate- lunar weather by the dip OF the
crescent earth. what time the mother ora
shows wet or dry"
How often one hears the prediction OF
change in the weather when the rneoa
changes" A faIacy almost as gsnerH.sy
believed az that the crossing by the earth
Of an imaginary line In its trip around tho
sun causes an eqaninoctisi storm.
A.