The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-23
PASSED ~ THg NIGHT.
Some Things About the 1Esteors That
Failed TO Keep Engagement.

4
Some Things About the 1lsteors That
Failed to Keep Engagement.
Grand Rapids Herald: That vener-
able body Of graybeards who have
grown old sitting up nights aFmel with
10000 candle-power telescopes trying to
improve ON the time card OF the heay-
emily bodies and driving the timld into
the cyclone cellars for fear the heaven
~ bodies would clash together have had
Grape hung upon the doorbell Of their
fondest hopes.
For months these scientific gentlemen
who keep tab on the heavenly symp-
toms have been informing an eager
/ public that during the week Of the 18th
Of November the earth would meet a
stream Of stars millions Of miles In
length, 100000 in breadth and nearly
100000 in depth and that those who
looked heayenward November Is would
witness acres Of stars shooting through
space and giving a general exhibition of
high and lofty tumbling with an occa-
sIonal horizontal bar accompaniment.
But the little stars were onto the as
tronomers and decided to change the
schedule as mapped out by the COM
mittee on arrangements. They did not
propose to lay bare to an all-wise pub
lie the new method Of playing golf, tag
and other mirth provoking games en-
joyed only by these scintillating mete-
ors "up above the world 50 high" I'm
til the night Of the 18th the ever faith
full little stars stood their nightly watch
for an eight-hour twinkle. When they
observed the bald-headed sky gazers Of
the Lick observatory bringing forth
their many long-ranged. double-actiOn
telescopes from the cellar preparatory
to starting a brand-new investigating
committee and observation bureau on
the peak Of the highest mountain they
winked me other eye and disappeared.
leaving the astronomers with their
whiskers in the telescopes and their
eyes gazing steadfnstly out into wild,
shoreless waste Of shrinking, starless
night and an adamantine gloom that
stuck out into space like sore thumb.
The skies are still shrouded in darkness
and the astronomers have folded their
cameras and telescopes and wish to be
alone with their surglng thoughts. No
doubt the little stars are twinkling and
laughing In their sleeves in a realm
somewhere all by themselves at the joke
they played upon the professors, who
caused the public to become so excited
at the wonderful meteorlc display to be
seen In the heavens.
The stars, too, might have had a local
interest in not appearing according to
the astronomers predictions. The fact
that local telephone exchange had
over 800 names on Its list Of those per-
sons who wished to be called the mo-
ment the fireworks began shows the
great interest displayed here. Think of
the mad rush in the telephone exchange
to call everybody at once, had the me-
teoric display appeared. and Of the
crossed wires, cross words, cross girls
and general meteorlc diplay of fiery
words, fiery tempers and fiery wires in
the central ONCE.
The non-appearance Of the stars made
the stay of the young in the parlor
more prolonged than usual. and when
mamma would inform her dutlful
daughter Agnes that 1t was getting
late. an angelic voice would reply:
''why, mamma, we're waiting for the
meteors." About four hours later,
when papa heard the pair still In the
parlor he imagined that the dear,Eush-
ing Agnes must be waiting for the ice
man.
The doctors, too. were disappointed
in few golden sheckels by the side
tracking Of the meteorlc shower. So
many dellcately constituted young
women would have enjoyed nothing
better than gazing heavenward at an
open window, letting the crisp air fan
their cheeks and fill every vein, artery
capillary and pore with a glad exhIllar-
ating sense that they are freezing to
death.
It has been an excellent excuse for
the blase man who is second lieutenant
in the home circle, under the able and
efficient command Of his wlfe.to remain
away from home until the small hours
of the morning. when his breath
reached the commander of the home
circle several minutes before the hus-
band hove In sight, waiting for the
meteors" was the new excuse for an
unsteady gait and breath that SMELL
ed like a burning load of hay going
down the street. After assuring the
wife that he would take his breath out
doors and drive stakes in 1t and hang
bags Of dlsInfectants on each stake. he
would be allowed to sleep In the wood
shed with the cellar door over him.
The professors have now announced
that they only made the slight error of
a year in their guess, and that next
year in November the shower Is bound
to appear. In the meantime the touch
ing little school girl ballad has been re-
vised by the professors and now reads:
twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How we wonder where you are"