The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-28

member, prophesied that the present year
Will De the last in the existence of our
globe. He has fixed upon Nov. Is as the
date of the general smash. If there were
thirteen months in a year he would. In
all probability, have fixed upon the thir-
teenth day of this thirteenth month as
date for the end of all things earthly.
AS 1t is, Herr Falb claims that on the
18th of November aforesaid the earth will
collide with comet; that on this occa-
sion, by mixture of the gases of the
comet and the earth, liquid will result
similar to benzine OF petroleum, and that
this mixture will first soak and then burn
the earth and everything upon it.
1t goes without saying that such a ca
tastrophe would be decidedly uncomfort-
able, and it Is also undoubtedly true that
even in this enlightened fin de steele there
are thousands of superstitfous and cranky
people who believe that such a general
collapse may happen. Their belief is the
stronger because Herr Falb otherwise
has quite justly the reputation Of a learn
ed professor But he is q crank not only
on the fin de steele but on the fin du
monde. 1t may be conceded on general
principles that there will be an end of
all things earthly, but the question wheth-
er this end will come within five months
or whether 1t will come through collision
with comet is another matter.
MYSTERIOUS SKY TRAMPS.
The comets, these mysterious tail stars
which come, mostly quite unexpectedly,
from the depths of the universe within
our vision, have not bothered astronomers
much of late. The last phenomenon of
this character with a particularly bril-
liant tail, silently swept its course on the
~,
comets, many millions of miles distant.
yet, when tits considered that these orbs
cover considerable part of the visible
horizon, 1t Will be readily comprehended
that they are of size scarcely compre-
hensible to human understanding
Inc Donau comet, for instance, which
appeared in 1885, had a a tail over 30. co.,
Voo miles In length-thet is, 200 times as
long as the distance between the earth
ana the moon. A comet which appeared
In February, 1S43, swept the heavens like
gigantic searchlight. It's tail was COM
puted to be 165, 900, 900 miles in length. a
distance which would reach from the
earth to the sun and 65, 100000 miles be-
yond.
Every schoolboy knows that these bril-
liant tailed orbs do not revolye Ike tho
earth and other planets in unalterable
courses around the sun, but that they are
astronomical tramps. From the depth of
the universe they come within the con-
nnes OF the suns empire, and there they
are attracted by the mighty fixed star
like moths by the light. Frequently the
course of these heavenly tramps ia
changed by their close APPROACH to the
sun, and then they have to quit their ir
regular tramp course and have to revolye
around the sun, always within the sphere
OF the latter, like decent and orderly
members Of the suns empire The course
OF such periodical comets can be and Is
exactly calculated by the astronomer:
other comets again disappear forever.
They retreat after visit to our sun to
such an incomprehensible distance that
! they getSwithin the spheres of other suns.
as Is predicted of the comet Of 1888
COMETS HARMLESS so FAR
such comet il a-peculiar fellow. II
1t Is far distant from the sun 1t an
pears-f the astronomer can see it at
all-like an enthusiastically small cloud of
light. The closer 1t gets to the glowing
sun the stronger are the changes. The
meter which composes It strives awav
from the head" Of the comet which 10
turned toward the sun; the mysterious
stranger becomes longer and longer. and
the "tail' develops, and in the head
itself starry condensation of the aonat
matter Is observed. Modern reaearchas
nave established the fact that a comat
| IS nothing else but conglomerats of
| gust and meteors, small debris. which
frequently come to the earth as ..shoot-
ing stars" to rest In the museums Of