The La Jara chronicle., 1905-12-08

the atmosphere OF the earth, fact that all
scientists accept, Some OF these bodies are
small as pinheads, while others may be
larger Tint inis last was corrcct was eti-
dent; yet now 1t had never been discovered
by the earth's astronomers was puzzle
10 me.
That is a simple matter of explana-
tion.' said our leader; this nsteroid has
never been discovered, for tine same
son that many small but important things
have been for years overlooked by scien-
quer. 1t is within less than one hundred
miles Of earth, while the very nearest
object that has ever attracted the tele-
scopes OF our astronomers Is the moon,
you not understand tbnt no astronomer
would ever train his instrument so as TO
focus an object less than a hundred miles
distant.
THAT sounds reasonable. yet I ask
him how i was thnt 1t had never been
seen with the naked eye.
this little planet is less than ten miles in
diameter. SO small an object. with a
color nearly Identical with that of the
earth's atmosphere. would never be no.
,iccd. and having no light Of its own.
could not be seen Mt amy time. It Is
mere speck In the sky, and no man can
tell how long 1t has ioated around our
them, but for the present we will connne
ourselves to this one, and soon shall land
and see what there Is to see.'
'An aneroid barometer was then iet
through the trap In the floor. in order to
ascertain the pressure of the atmosphere
before we dared to open the car and step
onto the little world we had discovered
ment. and we were now within less than
n mile of its surface. The Instrument
showed TINT the pressure was eight
pounds to. the square Inch, which about
equaled that on high mountains the
earth. so we were safe to land. The
anemometer attached to the car at this
time showed nm entire lack of breeze, and
'Nebula, as had volunteered to call the
discovery. As we looked upon the land
scnpe, IT seemed as If we had suddenly
could not possibly Justify this condition
of verdnre with the small size of the tiny
world. for such little thing could not he
expected to obstruct enough of the heat
Puzzled. ] myself dropped Thermometer
through the trnpdoor and noted It's reg
lister. 1t was eighty degrees-a fact that
further y ,srr surprised mend .sn, ss'd so;
are other sources of heat besides the sun.
said one OF my companions: ana no
sooner had we opened the car door ana
which hnd been cast out. than we dis
covered the correctness Of his prophecy.
There were boiling springs everywhere.
and the verdure was magnificent
"Tyipg the anchor rome about n bowl.
der. we began survey of our world.
But first of nll, took n good look at the
earth we hnd left few hours before
It was a more magnificent sight thnn
words can ever tell It filled almost tho
entire dome Of the sky. and the continent
nf North America looked cNnctlv rs It
does on raised globe such as we have
Francisco as well as II had had map
and pointer; and from that Western nl-'-
United States to the city OF Chicago, and
SO on to the gateway of Europe-New
York. 1t was wonderful. The air was
not so rnre as to be hard on lungs used
to mountain conditions; but some of the
party complained. and one suffered nose
bleed. There was a ripping brook near
Mt hand. its banks lined with plant life.
and went toward II to get n drink. '
felt wonderfully eIated In mind and body.
and ran lightly toward II. falling my
chest, and .quenching my thirst with the
most refreshing water ! had ever drank
The stream was not more than ten feet
wide. and. as far as we could see from
where we stood. there was no narrower
fancied I could make. the leap. old man
ward. and then ran toward the bank and
sprane into the air.
1T scared through that air like bird.
and landed at least twenty yards beyond
the farther bank. Ny companions. as 7
alighted with the ease Of feather, FIRST
looked bewildered. and then broke II 70
peals of almost uneeasing laughter. For
they understood the reason before did.
''No. Wen. the explanation is as sim
ole ss all ths others esvs bean and fol-