The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-07-19

Of the heavenly bodies, ana the next
night began again the discussion of
tho question: Resolved, That tho
earth is nat and stationary, and that
the sun moves around it once In "a
hours"
The discussion of the second even
ing developed no great or new ideas
on either side, but the arguments
grew more earnest, and on the side
OF our opponents more personal. The
second speaker was in dead earnest,
and was dramatic as well. He chose
position beside my chair, and made
occasional hammering gestures de-
scending toward my head. I thought
of the trip hammer so finely adjust
ed that it could touch q watch on
the anvil and not break the crystal,
and I hoped his mighty poundings
would continue to stop above my
head. At the close of each heated
period he cleared his throat with
threatening gargle, looking down at
me the while. At times he INDUCED
in sarcasm.
"He's q college student-ah! And
he's come out here to instruct US
ali! Yes, and to iarn us about the shape
of the yarth-ah! And he knows
more'n what Joshua did-ah! Breth-
ering, do ye reckon Joshua didn't
know what to pray fur? Did he say
'Yarth, stand thou still on thine axel-
tree?' No! He says, sezee, Sun,
stand thou still upon Gibeon-ahi
And thou moon in the valley of
Ajalon-ah!' But he knows more'n
Joshua! Yes, shouldn't wonder eff
he allows he knows more'n God
Almighty that writ this book-ah!
I tell We, brtehering, hits the docterin
of infidelity-ah! And any man that
II teach it ought to be drummed out
of the country-ah! R-r-r-r-r-ck!"
Truly, there was more to be said
ON this side of the question than 1
had thought. And it was evident that
the audience was by no means unit
in our favor. The hour drew late.
The discussion ended, and the judges
went out in the dark to decide.
The vote stood two to one in our
favor The constable cast the decid-
ing vote. But he admitted to me that
he was not fully satisfied. The deci-
sion lay somewhat heavily upon his
conscience. He sought an interview
with me soon, explaining that his
vote was on the merit of the argu-
ment as he understood it, and not an
Endorsement of my position on the
question. He asked me to come home
with the children and spend a night
and answer some other questions.
So few nights later stayed at his |
house.
After supper set candle on a
stool, and, taking ball of yarn,
stuck knitting needle through it,
and walked round and round the |
candle, holding the ball high on one
side and low on the other, and turn
ing the ball the while. The explana-
ton lasted long, but at last it was
counted satisfactory. Ny friend, the
constable, declared himself converted
So we went to bed, and the earth |
rolled out into the sunlight again.
After all, we are not so far removed
from the same opinion. When Cotton
Mather preached in Boston that the
sun is the center of the solar sys-j
tem-and Cotton Mather, spite of his
vanity and follies, was a progressive
man in his day-so learned and intel
ligent man as Chief Justice Samuel
Sewall, went home and recorded in
his diary his protest. Let us not
hasten to call people ignorant who
went into isolation in Sewall's time
and have kept pretty well the ideas
of his age on some matters.
But I must tell about two of my
converts. One of them came to me
when I returned next year. He had
been to London, the county seat of
Laurel county. The railroad had just
been finished to that point, and he
had seen it. The rails, he said, were
as far apart as he could reach, but
rs they stretched away in the dis
lance they almost came together.
"Don't that show" he asked with
the zeal of new convert, "that every.
thing works toward the center of !
The other was my friend the con-
stable. The subject came up in our
irst meeting. brought it up, and he {
fought shy of it. So I pressed the
natter, for I suspected that he had
ALLEN from grace. At length, he said: ]
"Well, reckon mought as well
'wn up. They say an honest confes- !