Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-07-13
CHAPTER L

worlds Its outlook l. immeasurably
wider than that from the topmost point
ri the l8ftiest peak Of the Andes. The
neculiar charm surrounding one IS quite
unlike anything else on our eartlL The
wise ..uI the ignorant alike feel it, the
ignorant, perhaps, even more than the
WISE
Of things Astronomical Abel Hitch
-ocl. had little knowledge. 1t may be
confidently stated that he could not
point out a single constellation in the
heavens, not even Orion, the magnifi-
cent? He could probably show you the
Big Dipper, but if you were to mention
Ur-a Major to him his mind would in
nowise connect the two Yet he felt
the charm of the place, and an interest
in things quite new TO him was awak-
ened when, responding to an invita-
lion from his friend Ingraham, he Wis
tied the observatory connected with the
Urania university. Percy Ingraham
was a tutor ut the university, man of
no great scientific attainments, but
fond Of displaying such knowledge as he
had
1t was on the night Of Aug. II
that he and Abel Hitchcock visited the
observatory night destined to be-
come memorable They arrived early
for Ingraham wanted Hitchcock to look
through the bis@ telescope, and any
time after il was really dark the uni
versity professors were likely to want
to use It. As it happened, none Of them
wanted to this evening till rather late
and the two young men had n good
chance to see celestial wonders at close
range. A man whom Ingraham intro
duced to Hitchcock as Mr.. Arnold was
in attendance looking to the mechan-
ism Of the telescope while they were
using il. He seemed tacituTn, making
few other than monosyllabic responses
to the chatter of the tutor. About half
past 8 Arnold announced that Profess
or Gilman had come and wanted to use
the telescope Ingraham and Hitchcock
went ont on the platform encircling
the observatory, and, lighting cigars,
sat down.
'This N one Of the seasons when
meteoric showers prevail, and we may
see some brilliant meteors, Ingraham
said
There's oner' exclaimed Hitchcock
suddenly as a shooting star Of no great
brilliancy was seen to travel few de-
grees Of the heavens and vanish.
"And there's anotherH said In
graham. pointing to the constellation of
Perseus. THAT the place to look for
them, for at this season that is their
radiant point. These meteors that you
see are called Perseids because they ap-
pear to come from that constellation.
For like reasons those seen about April
90 are called Lyraids, as they radiate
from the constellation Of Lyra. and the
Orionids, seen in October and Novem-
Der, because they appear to come from
Orion. Other prominent meteor systems
are Andromeds, Taurids and Leou.ds
all Of which are to be seen in Novem-
Der.
Hitchcock listened to Ingraham' s
words as if they were the wisdom Of an
oracle Indeed what Ingraham told him
was as new to him as if no one had
ever known it before.
''What is meteor anyway" he in
quired
"A snowflake, answered Ingraham.
WHAT" Hitchcock asked in puz-
zled tone.
Ingraham laughed eyes, " he said,
"a snowflake is a meteor, and so is a
hailstone or raiudrop. So is fog or
dew. 1t is only in technical sense,
however, that they are called meteOrs
The rain, snow, etc, are called aqueous
meteors. Then there are aerial meteors
the air currents. This night wind
tanning our cheeks is meteor Lumi-
nous meteor5 include the aurora, rain
bow, etc. But what you had in mind
and what is commonly meant by the
word meteor is a shooting star, so
called, which, like lightning is an
igneous meteor.
Ingraham was not one to lose an op-
portunity Of impressing his friend with
his erudition, even if the latter did not
understand very well what was told
him, and so, pleased at chance to
display his knowledge, he branched off
into a long and wearisome discourse
upon the history Of metcors and meteor
ties
Once, when Ingraham paused to re
light his cigar, which he had suffered
to 90 out, Hitchcock asked
''If "A meteOrite were to hit man, it
would be apt TO hurt him some wouldn' t
it,
81 should say it would, " replied the
tutor 81 don't believe he'd ever know
what struck him
''Has anybody ever been hit by one ?"
81 don't remember TO have ever heard
Of a case, said Ingraham, though |
suppose it may have happened. / be
lieve I've somewhere heard Of a tradi-
tiOn, or superstition, that once in 400
years man is killed by falling mete-
orite
"Mete0rites have been -worshipe,i in
n religious way sometimes, pursued
the tutor with wearisome persistence
''At Emcsa. in Syria, the sun was
wor.Ilipcd in the form Of black stone
said to have fallen from the heavens
and the holy Kaaba Of Mecca "A well as
the great stone Of the pyramid Of Cho-
lula in Mexico is''-
There is no telling how much more
Of his encyclopedia knowledge the tutor
would have poured forth if just then
be had not turned and seen Professor
Gilman standing in the doorway. The
professor, a man Of about ~, had been
standing there for a moment listening
to Ingraham with n half amused smile
He came out now, lighted n cigar and
sat down not far away. Arnold also
came ont and sat down near shc pro-
fcssor.
Gilman Is one Of the most promi-
ucnt astronomers in this part Of the
country, Ingraham whispered to
Hitchcock. Then the tutor began to
talk about things other than astronom-
ical, probably thinking that the pro-
fcssor would Ee more critical auditor
than his unlearncd friend.
Professor Gilman appeared 10 be in a
mcditativc mood, after the manner Of
his profession. for he smoked and spoke
but seldom Once they heard him ask,
"Wherc Is Burke tOnightY' and Arnold
answered, "Goue across the river.
Then the professor was silent again.
Many metcors Of moderate brilliancy
were seen while they sat there, but
suddenly one brighter than the other.
blazed out The landscape round about