The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-25
ZR. PICns,a CK and Sam Weller
MI were aiding Mr.. Nathaniel Wrinkle

II XR. PICnn4CK and Sam Weller
i" were aiding Mr. Nathaniel Wrinkle
1 4 to carry away Miss Arabelle Al
In prosecuting this benevolent nocturnal
purpose Mr. Pickwick chased up and
down a lane like an amiable Guy
Fawkes,'' as Sam Weller said, causing his
dark lantern to omit strange and erratic
lights. The remarkable scientific specula-
lions to which these Pickwickan CLEANS
gave rise are not without interest in these
days of wandering comet and of scfen-
tifc comet parties.-K. C. Star. - ssa'a
From the Posthumous Papers of the
Pickwick club
While these things were going on in
the open air an elderly gentleman Of
scientific attainments was seated in his
library, two or three houses off, writing
a philosophical treatise, and ever and
anon moistening his clay and his labors
with a glass OF claret from venerable
looking bottle which stood by his side.
In the agonies of composition. the elderly
gentleman looked sometimes at the car
pet. sometimes at the ceiling and some
LILIES at tDc wall anu WITCH AcithSf III
pet, ceiling nor wall afforded the requisite
degree of inspiration he looked out of the
window.
In one of these pauses of invention the
scientific gentleman was gazing abstract
eddy on the thick darkness outside. when
he was very much surprised by observing
a most brilliant light glide through the
air short distance above the ground.
and almost instantaneously vanish. After
a short time the phenomenon was repeat
ed. not once or twice, but several times;
at last the scientific gentleman, laying
down his pen, began to consider to what
natural causes these appearances were to
be assigned.
They were not meteors; they were too
low. They were not glow-worms; they
were too high. They were not will-o'-the-
wisps; they were not frefies; they were
not fireworks. What could they be!
Some extraordinary and wonderful phe-
nomenon of nature, which no philosopher
had ever seen before; something which 1t
had been reserved for him alone to dis
cover and which he should immortalize
his name by chroniclng for the benefit
of posterity. Full of this idea, the scien-
rihc gentleman seized his pen again and
committed to paper sundry notes OF these
UNPARALLELED appearances. with the date,
day. hour, minute and precise second at
which they were visible, all Of which were
to form the data of voluminous treatise
of great research and deep learning,
which should astonish all the atmosphere
cal wiseacres that ever drew breath in
any part of the civilized globe.
He threw himself back in his easy
chair, wrapped in CONCENTRATIONS of his
future greatness. The mysterious light
appeared more brilliantly than before;
dancing to all appearance up and down
the lane, crossing from side to side, and
moving in an orbit as eccentric as comets
| themselves.
But the scientific gentleman could not
rest under the idea of the ingenious
| treatise he had projected, being lost to
the world. He put on his hat and
walked quickly down the garden, deter
very bottom.
/ Now, shortly before the scientific gen.
tleman walked out into the garden Mr..
Pickwick had run down the lane as fast
as he could, to convey false alarm that
somebody was coming that way. occasion
i ally drawing back the slide of the dark
lantern to keep himself from the ditch
The alarm was no sooner given than Mr.
| Wrinkle scrambled back over the wall and
Arabella ran into the house; the garden
gate was shut and the three adventures
were making the best of their way down
the lane when they were startled by the
scientific gentleman unlocking his garden
gate,
Hold hard" whispered Sam, who was
OF course. the frst of the party. SHOW
a light for just yum second. SIR
Mr. Pickwick did as he was desired
and Sam seeing a mans head peeping or'
very cautiously within half yard OF his
own gave It sentletap with his clenchet
nst, which knocked It with q hollow
sound against the gate. Having per
formed this feat with Great suddennesl
and d>xtsrity, NJ Weller caught NJ