davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
TELESCOPES AND LENsE5 '''

reality of two lenses, the outer one being cf
crown glass and the inner one of flint glass
The crown glass is biconvex, or convex on
both sides, and the flint glass piano-concave,
or. concave on one side and plane or flat on
| the other
The reason why two kinds of glass are
used is because of chromatc alterations which
occur when single one is used. through them
the different rays of light having different
| focal lengths.
This was the most serious defect though
| there were others; but it was obviated by
combining two kinds of glass having differ
ent ratios of refractive or dispersive powers,
the piano-coHcave flint glass correcting the
chromatc alterations of the bi-convex crown
glass
IT. will be readily seen>that while it may be
quite easy to make a 4-inch lens, it is
enormously difficult to make. one Of forty
inches. The production of a disk, perfect in
all respects, for lens of this size, is task
of great difficulty.
The elements of which il is made must have
the perfect relation, OF it will not have the
necessary clearness, and the slightest discolorn,
ton OF irregularity of density is fatal
For this reason the glass has to be nodded
and remolded time and time again, until the
ninutest examination shows no defect; and
even after this the optician may find some
little inequality necessitating its return to
the crucible.
The utmost skill and patience are necessary
10 tHt REQUISITE IcouitS. ne HidS5
from which the crown disk of the Lick tele
scope was made weighed primarily about one
Thousand five hundred pounds, the flint glass
disk about one thousand eight hundred pounds
and that for the 40inch glass (crown and flint
lenses considerably. more than two tons.
Tbs, work of shaping these great lenses is
of the most delicate description, the least
departure from entire accuracy being suffi-
ciant TO spoil the result of years of work.
Some of the work of fashioning the lenses
is done nv machinery hut the most of it is
done by hand, the finishing touches being
accomplished by the rubbing of the. thumb,
covered with rouge, over. the surface. In
fact. after the lens has been to the eye of the
layman finished, the hardest work comes. In
all the arts there are those who have skill and
those who have genius. The skillful optician
should go to work and mathematically figure
the curves of the glasses and if these calcu-
lations were correct the lens would be good.
The genius fashions it out with but the incl
dental use of measurements, depending upon
his eye and judgment, which are more uner-
ring than mathematics.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
Little Jinsles

-Customer-"Is this fish fresh?"
Fish dealer Certainly; it's been fresh for
the last week or So"
Il have no grudge against fat people" said
the steamship agent, 'but 1 always give them
wide berth if l can"
-Minister-"We Bobby, do you think you
will be better little boy this year than you
were last?"
Bobby (hopefully) 81 think SO, sir; be-
gan taking cod-liver oil last week"
Mr.. Bowers-"So you have been to Eu-
rope. Were you sea-sick?'
Mr.. Sowers-''Not all all; but had terrible
pains in my head and stomach"
Drowning man."Help! am drowningl''
Stranger ION bank, hastily dvesting himself
of his clothes )-Horrible Can't yon swim?"
Drowning man (rising to the surface and
the occasion for the last time-"Of course!
But don't you see that notice on the bridge
Swimming strictly forbidden here'?"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
Spectacles Invented

Doctor johnson expressed surprise that such
a benefactor to the human race as the dis
coverer of spectacles should have been re-
garded with Indifference. Perhaps this may
be owing to the unfortunate fact that we
do not know with certainty the name of our
benefactor. Popular opinion has long ago
pronounced in favor of Florentine monk as
the rightful claimant, although some are in
favor of Roger Bacon.
M. Spoon. in his Researches Cureueses
dAntiquite," fixes the date of the inven-
ton or discovery of spectacles between the
years 1880 and 1311 and says the Alexandra
de Spina, having seen pair made by some
other person who was unwilling to communi-
cate the secret Of their construction, ordered
a pair, discovered the secret and forthwith
made it public.
italian antiquarians say that the person to
whom Spina was indebted for his information
was Salvinas who died in 1318 and quotes
from an ancient manuscript his epitaph.
which says, "Here lies Salvina Arnota de
Armati Of Florence the inventor of spectacles.
Nav God pardon his sins"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
SOMETHING HAPPENED

faster. and finally crashed into the very midst
OF the burning woods, leaving. trail of
LET me down. / reckon / nl can Walk said
Tom.
But he couldn't. In his brothers strong
arms he was borne to the house and laid on
the kitchen settle.
Farmer Massey reached the house almost as
soon as they did. The danger to his property
was oger; the fire had passed around them,
jumped the creek and gone roaring off into
cheated of its prey
Poor Tom suffered greatly from his wound
ed limb until Aaron could bring doctor from
the nearest town next day, and the injury
kept him indoors and almost entirely helpless
for the winter.
However, the accident did some good. al
though Aaron lost his wood wagon, for the
kindly than before. and Tom has not not since since
been known to diseontentedy wish for
something to happen"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08


focal length of forty to one hundred feet,
BIT all telescope lenses are now achromatic,
and instead of increasing the focal length ct
the tube, the aim is to increase the diameter
of the lens.
In 1900, Doand had 4-inch lens, which
in 1880 developed into the 9-inch lens. From
1915 TO 1861 the 15-nch telescopes at Har-
ward Observatory and at st. Petersburg were
tue largest and most powerful instruments III
the world; then the size and power rayidly
increased, first to 1S-inch. to %. 26, 80, 36
and later ran into sizes near fifty inches.
AT various stages of the progress of tele-
scope-making it was thought that the limit
of useful power had been reached; but
after each increase, it was found that. with a
proper selection of site, the density of the
atmosphere did not interfere SO much with
the observers as was anticipated.
To the ordinary reader it seems as if the
power of a telescope might be indefinitely
multiplied by the simple process of increas
ing the size of the lens; but there are obsta-
clcs in the way
1t is not altogether the magnlfying power
of telescope, but the amount of light that
reaches the eye from the thing observed and
so assist our vision. The retina of the eye
can only receive so many rays as fall upon
the pupil
BY the use of the telescope it is virtually
increased in surface in the ratio of the squar.
OF the diameters of the objective to the square
OF one-fifth of an inch-the diameter of the
pupil of the eye.
Professor Edward S. Holden, one of the
astronomers of the Lick Observatory, has
computed the relative brightness of star
seen with the eye and with the different sized
telescopes.
Ii the brightness OF a star seen with the
eye alone is 1, with 2-inch telescope it is
100 times as bright; 4-ineh telescope it is 400
times; S-inch telescope it is 1900: 16-ineli
telescope it is 6400; 32-inch telescope it is
80. 400 times as bright.
The objective of telescope consists in
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

CONTINUED FROM PAGE -FOUR
deeply into the hardly-frozen mould, gallop-
ed the horses, and Tom soon set to work Like
hero to throw in the dry leaves.
Higher and higher grew the load, until f.
nally the leaves reached the top of the side
boards. Not satisfied with this, however, the
lad threw in more, packing them about the
stakes He had made up his mind that one
load was all that he could possibly draw from
the hollow before the FIRE reached the spot.
The approaching conhagration roared loud
er, and instead of diminishing at all, the
wind had arisen to almost a gale. Occasionally
Tom could see through the riffs of smoke
that his father and Aaron were still fighting
the fire on the uplands.
Soon the sparks began to fall about him,
and he decided that it was about time for
departure.
lie spoke to the horses and they quickly
started with their load up the toilsome as
cent The wagon had not moved ten feet,
when blazing brand came floating through
the air.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

otherwise it is termed "an explanation that
doesn't explain"
In ordinary life a great number of people
are afflicted with this muddled up state of
mind, which, in attempting to explain any
thing, generally makes it smore difficult to
comprehend.
Any one who has had the misfortune to be
lost in the country win appreciate an expla-
nation that explains. The general direc-
tions given to the wanderer are something
like this:
Follow this ere road until you come to
the blacksmith shop, then turn down the lane
to the right, past the second house; take the
valley road to the forks and then past the
red barn to where you see the creek, and
then it's half mile further until you come
to the church, and there any one will point
out where the squire lives!"
Such an explanation Of the route generally
lands the traveller six or eight miles out of
his way.
Equally obscure perhaps more so-are the
explanations given by scientific and profes-
sional people, who use technical terms in
talking to listeners who can hardly tell the
difference between the diaphragm and cere-
bellum.
One OF the most comical sights in exist
ence is to see jury listening to doctor CIV
ing evidence To any ordinary observer it
is evident that fve-sixths of the jury are
hopelessy bewildered, and the more the doc
tor explains the less they understand.
But the most obscure of all explanations
are those which emanate from people who
don't know what they are talking about, but
think they know enough to explain to others.
One of these gentlemen was showing a
friend around town. and in the course of
their travels they came to place where ice
was being manufactured
'FDo you understand the philosophy of
making ce?" asked the resident.
"No,' answered the stranger; II never
saw one Of the machines, and never had the
thing explained to me-
"I'll explain it," said the resident, kindly.
''You see they have kind of tank"
Eyes"
"And they fill that tank about two-thirds
full of water"
Eyes. What them"
'eWhy, then they freeze it."
''Oh," exclaimed the disgusted stranger,
chats it, is it? had an idea that they
boiled i'll"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

brother yell. as he darted toward the reced-
ing wagon.
He found a stone as he ran, in STOPPING
to place it under the rear wheel, he slipped
and fell directly in the path of the now
rapidly-moving wagon.
The wagon stopped with sudden jerk,
but not before it had run partly over Toms
extended leg
The boy felt the heavy weight press down
upon his limb, seemingly crushing it to jelly.
The fire snapped and cracked over his head,
and the burning leaves fell around him in a
perfect shower, scorching his hands and face
and setting fire to his clothes.
He lay there only moment, yet it was a
moment of terribly agony; then the breath
wagon, drew him out of danger and lifted
him in his arms.
"Stop the. wagon, Aaron!" cried Tom.
cts started again"
81 don't care" rejoinsd Aaron, hoarsely.
''Let the old thing goi''
Slowly it started then moved faster and
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

Tom shouted "Whoa!'' and sprang upon
the wheel to extinguish the flame, but be
and were blazing fercely: To add to his dis
comfture, the horses, frightened by the roar
of the burning woods behind them, started,
throwing the boy from the wheel to the
ground.
He was unhurt by the fall but the fire had
spread SO rapidly among the leaves that to
extinguish it was now out of the question.
He ran to the plunging horses and hastily
the wagon.
Just then he was aware of figure ap-
preaching him with prodigious strides, and
Aaron's. voice exclaimed
"Stop it-stop that wagon Do you want
it to run right into the fre?"
Dropping the reins and turning about the
startled Tom saw that the wagon, unhitched
from the horses, had started down hill,
gathering speed at every revolution of the
wheels.
"Chuck it with stonel" Tom heard his
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

ed with Alden. 1t became necessary for the
two ships to communicate with each other in
order to complete the work. This was done
by one of them telegraphing to Bombay and
thence around to Alden, and the other from
Alden around to Bombay. Thus. as q speedy
means of sending messages half mile, they
were sent around by a route nearly four thou
sand miles in length
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
A ROUNDABOUT MESSAGE

The utter annihilation of time and space
by electricity was never better illustrated
than by an incident which occurred on the
coast of India. where two English ships were
repairing telegraph cable, near Bombay.
The two ships were but half mile a part,
one of them holding the shore end of the ca
BILE in close communication with Bombay. the
other having the sea end, which was connect
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

~ ISTANCE lends enchantment to the
h view to such an extent that nearly
| ~ i every man looks back on his boy.
Gc4TtQAI hood days as a time of perfect hap
VY4Yy piness. If he remembers his tribu
iations they are now subjects for
merriment. and the joys of his youth are en-
HANGED by memory until they are perfectly
glorious. Of course, there are very few boys
who really have a nice time, but they thlnk
So and that amounts to the same thing
For instance" says a writer, "a boy
thinks it is real good fun to go to bed with
ali mis- clothes on, and lie awake for three
hours till his father has sought his downy
couch. Then the boy gets out of bed, climbs
out Of the back window and down a rain
spout, barking his shins. and, skinning his
knuckles on the way, and walks three miles
across plowed fields to steal watermelon out
of a farmers patch. And the next day,
home, do you suppose that makes the boy feel
sore, as it would man? Not much. The
boy has had his fun, and the chances are that
he'll get up and do the same old act all over
again day after tomorrow.
"Again, boy thinks it's fun to put an
empty soap-box on top of two logs, and pad
die himself up and down a brook where there
are no lighthouses, no harbors, and not more
than twelve inches of water, counting the
mud on the bottom.
"a boy thinks it's fun to row boat, too.
He will get aboard big, heavy skih, with
pair of seven-foot oars, when the thermome-
ter indicates ninety degrees in the summer
house, and he'll pull himself around and
around in ring, and cut SIS and figures on
the water, and think he's having glorious
time.
"a boy thinks it's fun too. to get four old
bricks and build himself an oven, and then
to make a wood-fre in it, and roast four
peachblow potatoes with skins on, and eat
them without salt.
''Two boys, who can have unto themselves
small feast like this. accompanied by edifv-
ing conversation about the determination of
the Sioux, think they're having more fun than
you or / would at public dinner Of fifteen
courses.
When boy gets over being a boy and
looks back over his period of disorder, he
often wonders how it happened that he lived
through it. But it appears to be pretty
generally admitted by medical experts that
the boyhood disease is not necessarily fatal.
"It does do away with few Of its victims,
to-be-sure. but they are those who are af-
fected with the acute form in which twenty
foot rivers appear three feet deep, and dou-
ble-barreled shot-guns are mistaken for Pan
dean pipes
"There is one form of the disease which
ought to prove fatal, but for some inscruta-
BILE reason does not. That is the form which
causes the patient to imagine that jewsharps,
flies. banjos and horse-fddles produce music
Usually, however, they just let the disease
wear itself out. 1t wears great many peo-
pie out, too; but that doesn't hurt a boys
feelings in the least"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
1000
Explanations

business and political life, when
a man is in trouble or disgrace and
makes statement which is intend
en- to exculpate himself from any
intention or wrong-doing, it must
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
Copyright by james Elverson.,

tC0pyr1Hht by JuIne5 fIVeTsUh'I
-NCE the invention of the telescope
in 1850 it has been the ambition
of the astronomer to probe deeper
and deeper into the fathomless
depths of space. The first tele-
Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
Being q Boy

- ISTANCE lends enchantment to the
D view to such an extent that nearly
? every man looks back on his boy
al hood days as time of perfect hap
~ piness. If he remembers his tribu-
iations, they are now subjects tor
The Colorado statesman., 1907-12-21

and had nasty pains in his side, and
seemed to be burning all over.
He moved in on the morning of
Christmas eve, and explored the
house with a kind of numb curiosity.
He spent most of the morning in the
shop parlor in the armchair in front
of the fire. He did not even go out
to the quick-lunch room for the beau
tiful dinner that he had promised
himself. He had taken a lot of milk
from the milkman. and he kept drink
ing that. He did not seem to care
about anything but milk. and every
thing felt strange and uncanny. The
figure on the mantelpiece-a white
bearded old gentleman which he be.
lieved was called Santa Claus-was
the strangest and uncanniest of all.
The fire was almost out, so he put
on some more coal. He saw that it
was nearly four o'clock. "Lumme!"
he muttered. I've let the day go, an
'aven't done no business. This won't
do. I'll take down the shutters, an
open the shop"
1t had been a hard autumn, and
the people on whom Paxton alley
preyed were short of money So Pax.
ton alley was short of money, too.
If few entered the shop, there were
enough outside. A dozen cold, red.
blue noses flattened themselves
against the glass; dozen shrill
voices clamored; dozen little hands
pointed with grimy, chilblainy fingers
here and there.
Jimmy remembered when he was a
kid" how he used to spend hours at
the toy-shop window, and how the
woman he lived with then had thrash
ed him for spending on marbles a
penny of the money he had taken for
papers. 1t was his own money, he
held, or he wouldn't have done it.
For, by some freak of nature, Jimmy
was honest. But now he could hard
ly sit up in chair, and he didn't
believe he could walk; but when a
woman came in for ten-cent doll
he managed to crawl to the window
to serve her.
The Colorado statesman., 1907-12-21
Jirnnie's
Christmas
Stocking
By OWEN OLIVER.
&e&14se,Y&0Y.Nv.sVevSsyl-
tCopyrlght. 1901. by Joseph b BowIos.5

Copyright 1901. by Joseph Bowles)
- HERE is honor among the deni-
" zens of Paxton alley, bur Mr.
Smiths toy-shop stood at TIE
very entrance, and they reckoaed him
out of bounds.
From time to time evil-looking men
muttered to one another about the
long stocking that Mr.. Smith was
supposed to have filled; but he had
figured in the prize ring in his young
er days, and he was said to sleep
with big knob stick beside him
So the matter ended at mutterings.
big, powerful man was Mr.. Smith
and he had a powerful edge to his
tongue. Every one in the alley feared
him except Jimmy
Mr.. Smith knew him as the extra
ordinary paper-boy who brought back
dime given him in mistake for a
penny, an event which was his
torical in the alley. At the time it
gave rise to doubts as to Jimmy's
sanity, but afterward it was held that
he was playing up to the old
man"
Anyhow, Mr.. Smith took two pa
pers regularly afterward; and the day
after his funeral-which was the day
before Christmas eve-a sleek man
in shiny top hat invaded Paxton al
ley, escorted by a policeman, and
took evidence as to the identity of
the boy called Jimmy who sold pa
pers" to the public generally, and in
particular to the late Mr.. Smith
When the sleek man was satisfied
upon this point he proclaimed Jimmy
the sole 1egatee of the estate, which
| comprised the little shop and house
and all their contents.
You'll find a long stocking some
where, l expect" the lawyer said,
"and you'd better bring it to me to
take care of; and if l were you l
should take the name of Smith"
Under ordinary circumstances jim
my would have been elated by his
good fortune, but somehow the world
had not interested him lately. He
had had a terrible cough for weeks
his business exposing him to the
climate-and just now he felt tired,
The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-03

Mr.. A. j. Hess, who had been
spending ten days with his
daughter, Mrs Frances Carberry
at Chester, w. Va has returned
to his home. He also during his
absence visited relatives in
Pittsburg, his two daughters
Amy and Rosa, in Altoona, his Sis
ter Mrs. Aultz, at Huntingdon, and
his daughter Mrs. Rilla Greene,
at Rockhill Furnace. He also
visited the "Old Pottery City"
East Liverpool, Ohio, but saw the
largest pottery establishment in
United States at Newell, w. Va.
it having forty seven kiins.
The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-03
TALUABLE FHRM
III Pirate Sale,

The undersigned, intending to quit
farming, will offer at private sale his
farm situated on road to Covalt, II
miles north of Plum Run. This farm
contains about ITO acres, in addition
to which is 20 acres OF good timber
land. These tracts will be sold sep
arately, provided the home farm is
sold first; or both together, as may
suit the purchaser. The land is in
a good state of cultivation, most of it
has just been lined, and kiln ready
to burn now. There is plenty of fruit
OF all kinds, and good well Of water
at the door. The Improvements con-
sist of a "a story dwelling house, e
rooms and basement and cellar. just
been remodeled. Good barn and all
other outbulldlngs. For further in
formation, call on or address
II. II. FITE,
Plum Run, Pa.
The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-03
BITTEN BY A SPIDER.

Through blood poisoning caus-
ed by a spider bite, John Wash
lngton, of Bosqueville, Tex,
would have lost his leg, which be-
came a mass of running sores,
had he not been persuaded to try
Bucklen's Arnica Salve. He
writes "l'he first application re
lieved, and four boxes healed all
the sores" 25c. Guaranteed al
Trout's drug store.
The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-03
Autumn Arbor Day.

The 18th of October has been
designated by State Superin-
tendent Of Public instruction
Schaetfer as the autumnal arbor
day, and he has issued an an.
nouncemeut, urging that the
tall arbor day be observed by
teachers and Tupils, especially
by those which bad no chance to
observe the spring arbor day.
DR.. Schaetfer says that 1t Is I'm
portant TO have a spirit OF pro
lection for trees and saie9 uard
ing them inculcated IN the minds
of children.
The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-03
"qneumou!a's Deadly wo.k

had so seriously affected my
right lung" writes Mrs. Fannie
Connor, of Rural Route /.
Georgetown, Tenn, that l
coughed continuously night and
day and the nelghbors' predlc-
ion-consumption-seemed ln-
evltable, until my husband
brought home a bottle Of DR..
Kings New Discovery, which IN
my case proved to be the only
Keal cough cure and restorer of
weak, sore lungs" " When all 9th.
er remedies utterly fail, you may
stlll win in the battle against lung
and throat troubles with New
Discovery, the REAL remedy.
Guaranteed at Trout'sdrug store.
soc. and $l00. Trlsl bottle free,
The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-03
Manageable Young Women.

The remarkable exodus of
marriageable young women from
England 20 the United States
aud Canada is emphasized by the
departure recently of 1000 un-
married women on the steamer
Baltic, alone, while several hun
dred more were among the to
tai of 5000 passengers carried
on three transatlantic steamers
which sailed at the same time.