The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-22
From the Boston Herald.

NN FIEH an aDsence UT ff yeais , \P0 since its last appearance in 1885.
 the familiar astronomical ad- venturer called Halley's comet has come back, manifesting itself first to expect ant scientists in Germany.
 This is one of the most regular of the soldiers of fortune that fare along the broad highways of the solar system; those care-free registering blades that impru- dently switch their fiery tails, millions and millions of miles long, in the suns face; and then go fristing on about their business, if they have any, with all the jaunty officiousness of an urchin in country grocery.
 They are not exactly of the tramp type, these comets; one might fancy them as solar messengers, rather, of cavalier instincts, bent each on it's own particular mission through the illimitable blue; and the idea is intensified by their occasional speed of over 5000 miles second, which is very fit progress even for travellers from one solar system to another.
 A period of three-quarters of a cen- tury, like that of Halley's comet, is of little enough moment to the Armament; many comets undoubtedly have periods in excess of thousands of years, if, indeed, they ever return at all. If such ab- sences seem long to us, it is only certification of the reflection of one of our early observers of the heavens, that "man cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he f1eeth also as shadow, and continueth not"
 Halley's comet, though by no menas the most wonderful of these enigmatic visitors, has been a persistent one, and Is celebrated as the first whose return was observed and predicted. Edmund Haley, the English astronomer, 1denti- fled it. on it's appearance in 1882, as the comet previously observed by the German, Johann Kepler, in 1907. Before that, he found it had appeared in 1851 and 1456; and this was sufficient proof.
 after he had calculated it's orbit, to con-
 vince him that 1t might be looked for in another three-quarters of a century. So arbitrary an assignment to the
 path of a comet did much to destroy the influence of all comets, to which matters on earth had been very sub servient and flattering, in times past. As objects of superstitious terror this class of heavenly body have reigned su- preme.
 The comet of 43 B. C., which made its appearance just after the assas- sination of Julius Caesar, was regarded by the Romans as a chariot of fire
 that had come to bear him to the skies. like another Elijah. The comet of 1456, an early and particularly. splendid dem onstration of our present visitor, appeared soon after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks from Asia Minor; and was consequently looked on as the
 precursor of Turkish subjection of all
 Europe, with Christian throats put to the scimetar and the bowstring.
 The comet of 1S11 was considered by the Russians as sign or the dis
 astrous defeat of Napoleon on his Rus sian campaign; and must have done
 much to confirm popular ignorance, when the dreaded invader was forced to drag his shattered army back across the fright full wastes of snow, and henceforth sank
 rapidly downward, destiny and all. The great comet of 1S43, which mar rowlv escaped collision with the sun, was hailed by the Millerites then in their ascendency, as the herald of the destruc- tion of the world; the American Indians stated confidently that 1t was the Man itous unmistakable indication of long continued pestilence and famine; every body, in fact, had sign for it, and all the signs were bad.
 We have largely ceased, however, from causes that must make themselves mani fest, to recognize anything in comets but one of the many manifestations of a force that we are powerless to compre- hend; and that force we have no reason l to rega-% as ominous, since it has all ways been held to be, and has always proven itself, benefcent Nowadays, per- haps, a comet like Halley's, which appears at comparatively brief intervals, has some reason to feel disgruntled at its reception.
 At each return it finds that it's l tributary following of superstition has been noticeably forced back to narrow CT bounds; and that enlightenment is occupying the conquered territory. Where this comet once impressed the mightiest of the earth, it must now be content with the dumb and transient wonder of ignor- ant savaGea. WherA but faw short