, 1922-01-16

EltlonlE was ned one nltnt reorAe
iy At = wei known ranch house Up
here In 0ooseberry creek. at which
there wa a big attendance. inciud'
ing human beings and old bachelors
About half a dozen OF US Of h lat
ter species huddled together in a GER
tain apartment. while he more sen
slble folks tripped the light fantastic
IN another building.
Talk being the chief social asset Of
those composing u little group, we
made the most OF the occasion, and
amid tie smoke and fumes of tobacco.
discussed a number OF more or less
interesting subjects, including Boil
shevism, the latest In stills. the neigh
bors' wives and s1ch subjects as gen
tiemen naturally would discuss. FL
naiiy-what do You think. gentle read
er az you read this at alll7 The con-
~versaiion turned to astronomy. Facts.
and as all know that mono OF US knew
anything about sale science. each felt
safe IN handing out almost n kind
OF G line OF Astronomical talk. with
out inviting contradiction by the
other.
But. n IS extremely doubtful wheth-
en- the astronomical lore displayed by
any Of our little coterie could much
further transcend the bounds OF COM
mon sense, than some OF that 10 which
a more or less creduious world has
beon treated. by certain reputed as
Economical authorities within the last
four or Ave years In fact. We have
been subjected TO such a deiuge OF
startling predictions and wildeyed
theoaeS-not a few go fanciful-as to
cause some of us unlearned sheep
herders and farmers. in this neck Of
the Hagebrush. TO conclude that an
additional IS" inserted in the first
syllable OF the word Astronomer"
would render said term more sug-
gestive Of the mentality OF some Of
those scientific gentlemen.
However. II this outpourins OF as
Economical sensationaiism did MOTH
ing more. It caused lots OF people TO
turn their eyes heavenward. OCCASION
aily-a practice TO which some OF us
were not. perhaps. very strongly ad-
dicted in the past.
So, returning from the aforesaid
party. tho writer did a little star-Enz.
ing along the way. II was some time
past midnight. The weather was ex-
ceedingly mild for the a OF the
year. No moon was in a perfectly
cloudless sky, thus enhancing the
brightness of the thousands of astral
lights cleaning in the azure dome.
Thu rather fanciful outlines OF the
consultations seemed unusually dis
tlnct. High in the southeast appear
ed that hnest constellation IN the
heavens. the glorious Orion. Majes-
tically the giant stood facing Tau
rus. brandlshing his club In his right
hand. and with the other holding up
the Hons skin. the bull with his one
vicious. rcd eye (Aldebaran). appar-
emily about to charge down upon him.
As epaulettes. on his shoulders gleam-
ed Betelguege and Belatrix. the for
mel said TO be SO immensely greater,
and 80 immeasurably more distant.
thnn u sun as to bafflo comprehen-
sion. Like three huge sanphires ap-
peared hat trio of finely matched
stars In his belt. while the three
smaller ones constituting his sword.
and even the triangle of minute bodies
marking his head, were exceedingly
distinct.
Orlon's trappings certainly furnish
n wealth Of food for meditation and
suggestion. Take. for instance. old
Rigel. that splendid star in his left
foot. II some lady only had such an
ornament on her slipper! Yes. and
that other fne star In the neighbor-
hood Of his right knee-wouldn't some
fair dame Ike to have a similar gem
in the buckle Of (no further, old
timer)i
Close behind Orion came his ever
faithful dog. CAMS Major, ready to
assist his master in the combat. Truly
a noble brute. with imperial Sirius. be
yond comparison the grandest of all
the stars. shining in his muzzle. Still
closer to the meridian. and not far
from the Hyades. blazed the Pleaides.
and yet near the celestial pole. those
two great stars. Vega and Capella.
Far away in the northern heavens
stood that ever-recognizable skymark.
Ursa Major. or Dipper. while over
head, mysterious and awe.inspiring.
streamed the Milky Way.
Reflection on the grandeur and
mysteries OF the universe finally re-
called, among other things, the fact
that practically all Of the more con
spicuous stellar groups. and individ-
ual bodies. including those in our own
system, are identified by tho names
Of mythical personages. beasts. and
monsters Of q legendary past. For.
1t must be remembered that these BIZ
zarre names were conferred upon
them by the Egyptian. Chaldean,
Greek and Roman astronomers-some
of them before the days of Abraham.
Few of these expectations nave any
meaning for the modern world.
Now the writer is not one OF those
~unenviable few who have no rover
ence for things ancient. Far from
It. indeed. But. es everybody knows.
those prehistoric heroes, gods. demi.
gods and ~goddesses did, and
never could exist. However, saying
for arguments sake that sone stch