Nebraska Newspapers

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VOLUME XXVIL NUMBER 41.
COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 20, 1897.
WHOLE NUMBER 1,393.
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THE JUMPING BICYCLE
E was a genius
at any rate, he
himself often said
so. TVitfc consider
able fervor.
One evening he
came in tired and
hot and very grimy
but fairly brim
misg over tflth joy.
"Hullo, Jim!" he
cried. "It's an
right. I've succeeded at last!"
"Wfiat's the matter?" I inquired.
"Oh, -u rant to knox, do you.
he. said. "You're very curious, for a
"wonder. "But there is no reason now
. "s.y I should cot tell you about it
. nd . n show the working of the ma
iw ine. And you can prepare yoursell
fj.0- bo very much astonished."
it-He u-as right in saying that I was
curious about his machine. I "was.
Id folio-arms his infractions, I. was
in the garden the next afternoon at
5 o'clock, anxious to see the invention
that was to revolutionize the icorld.
When he came he brought with him
ft bicycle.
"Hello." he cried, as soon as he saw
me. "What do you think of this? A
beauty, isn't it?"
. I looked. It was not an ordinary
ulcycle, but one more heavily built,
with numerous additional cogs and
cranks and an air cylinder like that of
an air brake.
' "What on earth is this clumsy thing
. for?" I exclaimed.
"Clumsy be hanged!" he replied, ir
ritably. "My dear fellow, if you will
start criticising anything before you
understand it. how can you ever ex
pect to get on in life? Now, follow me
and I will explain it all. You remem
ber my remarking some weeks ago
how extraordinary it was that as yet
no one had hd the intelligence to in
vent a traveling machine whielf could
surmount obstacles in its path, like a
horse, by jumping over them. Very
well; hero you have the first mechan
ical invention to do so. This bicycle
is not an ordinary wheel, which loses
half its usefulness and charm by being
compelled to keep to the roads. This
is the famous Jumping bicycle I have
had in my head so long. Observe, this
cylinder is full of air at a high pres
Eure. As you .see by this little gauge.
. it now stands at 150 pounds to the
square inch. Tbe cylinder i3 con
structed to bear a pressure of 400.
These four bars with Joints in them are
connected with the cylinder by means
of the cranks and cogs which you see;
they play the part of a horsed legs;
the Joints are. of course, the knees.
Xow, how simple the whole thing is.
At my right hand I have a tiny lever,
with the powers marked 'easy,'
'strong' and 'full.' Oh. by the way, I
forgot to remark that, as even you
can possibly understand, there is an
immense waste of power in the or
dinary bicycle. Going down a steep
hill, for instance, enough power is
generated tc run the bicycle on a level
road for four to Gvc miles. All this
liitl rlo wasted energy I have uti
iizpj in compressing the air in the cyl
inder. When I come to an obstacle
say 1 want to get across a ditch I
press the lever to 'easy, and the ma
chine takes a leap in the air of about
eighteen inches, -while the forward
impetus carries us easily to the other
side. If I put the lever on 'strong, I
can take a jump of six or seven feot;
r - t-! fJL IV ..1 'V-'ir--- r -V
a -tj a :,-d
THE GENIUS WAS OVERTURNED.
while the "full' power means a leap of
anything from twelve to twenty-five in
height. In poin of fact, it would only
require a hard run of about a couple
cf miles to generate sufficient power to
carry me over a telepraph wire or a
small house."
At this point there was a loud clang
and hiss of escaping air and the bicy
cle made a. vigorous daih for freedom.
The genius was pulled Violently up the
ga-den and overturned, while the bi
cycle made several futile attempts to
leap the fence at the end. It failed,
however, and the genius, after several
ineffectual trials, succeeded in putting
the lever back to "stop." In a Ct of
absentmindtdness he had shifted it to
"easy."
Ke led the machine back again and
began explaining breathlessly.
"Confound the thing." he growled;
"I juLt touched the lever to see if it
was in proper orderand it went off.
Oh. for gccdnes3 sake, don't stand
laughing like an idiot! I believe you
are the- most irritating man in the
world. Kere, hold this, while I brush
isyself."
"When he had finished he said he
would not try the bicycle until S
o'clock.
I assented to the wisdom of this
and said that then nobody would be
about if the thing ran away with him
again.
He turned on me fiercely.
, "I tell you I have the machine under
the most absolute, perfect control."
T reolied that this was obvious.
Thereupon he completely lost his
temper and after making several un
founded suggestions as to the condi
tion, of my mind, stalked into the
house. However, at tea he generously
forgave me and became enthusiastic
once more and said he would write
out an agreement giving me a third
share in his invention before he went
. to bed which share represented, ac
cording to some close and intricate cal
culations of his, a capital sum of
240,000. Then he borrowed half a
sovereign from me for a couple of
days in the kindest possible manner
and said he didn't mind me at alL be
cause he understood me and knew that
there was not a bit of harm in roe.
The next morning I met him as
agreed. The first trial of the machine
tos to take place down the Chalk hill,
as it is called, This is a stats, grassy
. n
JJ
1. h 'V -& 2 i
Incline, with a brick wall about six
feet high running along the bottom.
He was going to leap the wall; though,
if I had been he, I think 1 should have
chosen something softer than brick to
experiment on. I did the best I could,
though, by preparing the ground on the
other side of the wall with the garden
tools until the Eoil was beautifully
soft and loose quite an ideal place to
fall on. I didn't tell the genius about
my foresight, in this matter; he had
such a wretched way of sitting on a
fellow.
He said he would try it on the road,
though we begged him to desist. He
raid the hill was not long enough; he
found that what he wanted was not so
much a hill as a good, long, level run.
He also proposed that I should get on
an ordinary beyele and accompany
him; so I left Polly and mounted my
machine.
At this time the machine was act
ing in a very peculiar manner and
seemed to have taken the bit in its
teeth,-so to ' speak.--It-began iOTtaac
along the road with the speed of a
runaway horse, shying at every post
and making spasmodic jumps at the
slightest obstacles. By the most fu
rious riding I was able to get along
side and excitedly advised the geniu3
to hurl himself from the demoniacal
machine and risk the consequences.
He didn't hear me, or if he did he
paid no attention. He had an in
tense, far-away look in his eyes and
seemed to havs no interest in mere
earthly matters. The machine, re
joicing in its newly found power, put
on an extra spurt and drew well ahead
of mc, making the most extraordinary
leaps from time- to time.
Wa Were now close to the village,
and the few people still lingering
about commenced to take a lively in
terest in the proceedings, especially
the constable, who is a very stutborn
and officious person and seems io think
that if it were not for him the nation
and the law would fall to pieces, so
I cannot say I feel very sorry for him
he should attend more to his own
business. When he saw the icycle
coming he shoyted to the rider to stop.
To this th& genius gave no heed, and
the constable prepared for action. He
ran out into the middle of the road
and clutched at the genius as he flew
by. Unluckily for him. he missed com
pletely and the front wheel of the
machine smote him heavily in the
'oose ribs, leaving him a dusty and
disheveled wreck on the side of the
read. When I passed him he was
slowly recovering and I judged from
hia expression that his emotions were
violent and mingled. We fled along
the main street amid a horrible clat
ter. At the end of the village the road
makes a sharp turn to the left and I
knew that this would be the decisive
point in the genius' furious career.
If he could but turn the corner he
would have a nearly straight road in
front of him for three miles. If he
could not, there was the ten-foot wall
of the ladies' ceminary to be sur
mounted. I confess I had no hopes
whatever, either of his turning the
corner or of his forcing the bicycle to
take the jump. The machine now
seemed to be pulling itself together
for a final struggle, which fact the
genius seemed to grasp, and he
groaned audibly as he tried to pull the
handles round in order to take the
turn. But the bicycle was too much
for him.
It was a splendid effort; indeed, 1
never saw such a tremendous jump so
gallantly attempted. But, as it hap
pened, the plucky bicycle just landed
on the top of the wall and with a hor
rid crash both machine and rider fell
at the feet of a procession of fourteen
young ladies who were about to tako
their daily airing. The bicycle used
the last of the compressed air in the
cylinder to deliver several violent
kicks at the- renius as he lay 6a the
ground.
He will be carried down from his
bedroom into the garden some time to
morrow afternoon, and the doctor says
that if his collar-bone sets well he will
be fairly sound in about another week.
SIR JOSEPH LISTER.
Humanity's Gr-at Debt to Him A Rev
olution in Sursery.
Sir Joseph Lister acknowledges his
supreme indebtedness to Pasteur for
the discovery that putrefaction was a
fennentat'.on due to microbes, which
ccald not arise de novo from the de
composable substance, says Scribner's.
With this as a basis the great surgeon
persisted, in the face of much opposi
tion, in perfecting a simple antiseptic
dressing that is, one which would de
stroy any microbes that could fall on
the wound and purify the surgeon's
hands and instruments. His success
accomplished a veritable revolution in
surgery. To select a single instance:
The general hospital dt Munich had
come to such a state of unhealth that
fully SO per cent of all wounds were
infected by the poisonous gangrene. A
surgeon was sent to England to learn
the new "Listerism." and after his re
turn not a single case of hospital gan
grene appeared in the Munich Kran
kenhats. Many allied dangers were
totally destroyed by this gospel of
cleanliness, and in addition the suffer
ing of patients during necessary opera
tions was vastly relieved, owing to the
absence of inflammation. The most
conservative savants estimate that the
Lister antiseptic has increased the field
of remedial surgery twen.yfold and
that the mortality of hazardous opera
tions has been reduced from probably
50 per cent to something like 1 per cent
With antiseptic treatment the skull,
even the viscera, can be safely entered
for operation, and it is literally true
that modern surgery can without dan
ger remove any part of the human
organism which is not itself essential
.o life-
Body Falls from CotOn.
During the funeral services over the
body of J. Frank Williams, a promi
nent citizen of Seaford, Del., the floor
of the room gave way and precipitated
the entire party a distance of eight feet
into the cellar. The casket was broken
and the corpse rolled out Several
women fainted, and great, excitement
prevailed, but no one was seriously in
jured. Exchange.
JTotUaff.
Lawyer (in-vestigating client's story)
Now, ,you must keep nothing from
me. Client I haven't I paid you
every cent I had in the world for your
retainer. Tid-Bits.
BIC COMET COMING OUR WAY.
A. Sp'eadJd TrsTeler Dae to Be KltTkls
Hainan Tkloa la 1911.
Haliey's comet i3 coming back the
comet which in the year 106S shed a
celestial splendor over the Norman
conquest and whose terror-inspiring
visit was commemorated by the hand
of Queen Matilda In the Bayeaux !
tapestry, says the Providence Journal;
the comet that in i435, the year of the
battle of Belgrade, scared the Turk and
Christian alike and was anathematized
by a bull from the pope; the comet
whose strange, scimiter form stiil
chilled the marrow of the ignorant
and superstitious at its latest return
In 1835. It Is yet far away, but the
eye of science sees it, already within
the orbit of Neptune, rushing sunward
and earthward with constantly increas
ing velocity as it falls along the steep
curve of its orbit. And a call to arms,
a call for preparation, has just been
issued from one of the chief watch-
towers of astronomy. "Prof.' Glassfrtipp
announces that the computing "Bureau
established by tht Russian Astronom
ical society has undertaken the calcu
lation of the true path of Haliey's
comet with a view to predicting the
exact date of the next return. He
hopes that astronomers acquainted
with unpublished observations of the
comet will communicate the informa
tion to the society. After its peri
helion the comet was watched retreat
ing out into space until May, 1S36. when
it was finally swallowed from sight
It will be in perihelion again about
1911, but with the great telescopes now
in existence, and the greater ones that
may then have been constructed, it
is probable that the comet will be de
tected coming sunward a year or more
earlier than that The fact that the
labor of computing the precise time
of its return is already about to be
gin gives assurance that the next time
It will not be a question of how many
days, but rather of how many hours,
or even minutes, the calculations will
be in error.
BEFO THE VA."
rba
Sunset Then Were Far Mor4
lloautlfu!.
Southerners who lived in more luxury
before the war than they have been
able to do since have a very natural
way of dating everything by compar
ing every event of the present time to
those palmy days "befo the wa," says
the Country Gentleman. It is quite un
necessary to add that all things suffer
by the comparison. It was the custom
of the guests at the sanitarium to as
semble on the perches just before sun
down, to watch the retiring process of
old Sol as he slipped away to bed be
hind Mount Pisgah, one of the loftiss1
peaks of the Blue range. Some of the
guests were asserting they could see
the gray hairs on the back of the "Rat,"
another elevation, so called from its
resemblance to that animal. A little
patch of fleecy clouds had evidently
caught fast on the pines in passing a
cliff, and some one said Eeancatcher
peak was Girting with Beaumont; while
the Balsam range, others said, had al
ready put on a nightcap of mist, with
now and then a blue-black peak pro
jecting above the clouds. Otherwise
not a cloud W23 to be seen save a few
mackerel scales just above the waster-
horizon. Just as but half of the sun's :
orb was left in view and shadows were
rapidly deepening and the last depart
ing shafts of sunlight were gliding th:
domes of the most lofty hills and every
one was all but spoechless with admira
tion at the splendor of the sunset, one
woman, a northerner and a newcomer
was able to keep her tongue going.
"Oh, I do think," she was saying to a
southern lady, "that it is the most ex
quisite sunset I ever saw; tell me, is it
a custom down here for the sun to set
like that?" "Oh, that's nothing," was
the reply; "you should have seen it
befo' the wa'!"
Asparagus for t!ic Czar.
The asparagus served at the Elysee
banquet cost the respectable sum o!
3 francs per piece, or 33 francs the
bundle, and any one fond of reckon
ing may form a guess as to the prob
able total ccst of this course alone
and the amount consumed among 200
guests. Still, the price was not un
reasonable, all things considered, as
asparagus during the month of October
has hitherto been an unrealized dream
of cultivators, who so far have enly
managed with the greatest difficulty tc
raise a poor apology for the real vege
table in December by means of hot
houses and unceasing care and pains.
Every one knows ths difference be
tween the latter and fresh spring
asparagus; but that placed before the
czar was freshly ait and in no wh!:
inferior to the very best grown in April
or May. The expensive dainty cami
frcm the far-famed garden of Carpen
tras, whence all the finest produce ol
the kind in Paris comes, and the grow
ers cf that district are justly proud of
their latest success, which has excited
much interest in horticultural circles,
and will no doubt do lasting good te
the growers. Gentlewoman.
The Upper Air.
Scientific curiosity knows no bounds.
One of its latest manifestations is the
ittempt of Messieurs Basancon and
Hermite at Paris to ascertain the com
position of the air at great heights
ibove the earth. For this purpose they
send up balloons containing an instru
ment invented by Monsieur Hermite,
which consists of a tube exhausted of
lir and fitted with a valve which auto
matically opens at a time fixed in ar
rance. As soon as air has rushed into
the tube the valve closes. The height
it which the tube was filled i3 known
j$ means of a self-recording barome
.er. No important aiscoyery has yet
seen achieved with this instrument.
2ut interesting results are expected
Iroiii it It is the converse cf the in
struments which are used to bring up
specimens of vater from great depths
n the sea.
Death Brought CIOO.OCO.
Life insurance to the amount of $100.
HW was recently paid to the widow of
Sdson Keith, who committed suicide in
Chicago some months ago.
The Cherre Pongee gourd, which
rrows in Iniia, increases its leagta
three times dally for thirty-four days.
The cemeteries of the city of Lon
ion cover over 2,000 seres of ground, t
Mp 1i"WiW
PKUbLbM
9
That lovely orange-colored .object
which gleams with unmatched splendor
high up In the eastern sky cvry cleaf
evening just now is the planet Mari
Although one of the smallest of the
eight large bodies which revolve around
the sun. it has probably excited more
popular interest than either the giant
Jupiter, with his belts and great red
spot, or Saturn, encircled with a ring
that makes Tammany and the circus
manager turn green with envy. Mars
has only half the eartll's diameter, and
only about one-seventh its Weight hut
it is believed to he more nearly in the
same condition as the earth than any
other extra terrestrial sphere, in the
solar svsteia. And susDicions"haTe
been entertained that perhaps it might
even he inhabited by turkey-eatfng7
ncvel-reading, opera-loving, cigarette
smoking mortals like human beings.
Hence, whenever the earth catches lip
with it in the race around the sun,
as it does once in every twentsix
months, and comes within hailing dis
tance Of the ruddy little ball, astron
omers scrutinize it eagerly. Just now
the earth is running about neck and
neck with it, and will continue to do
so for two or three weeks to come.
On December 10 the earth, which has
the inside track, crosses a straight line
drawn from the sun to Mars, and the
latter is then said to be "in opposition"
to the sun.
Distances from the Earth.
The earth does not approach Mars as
closely at this opposition as it does
sometimes. His orbit is much more
elliptical than the earth's, and the two
are farther apart lii some places than
in others. In early August, 1S92, they
came within 35,000,000 miles of each
other, and Mars then spanned an angle
cf nearly twenty-seven seconds; in Oc
tober he was 40,000,000 miles away at
the nearest &d na1 a diameter of
twenty-three and a half seconds; and
this time his least distance will be 52,
GOO.OOO miles and his diameter only
eighteen seconds. A partial compensa
tion for this diminished size, however,
is found in the greater elevation of the
planet above the southern horizon,
when it crosses the meridian. On sev
eral recent occasions it was so low that
atmospheric impurities embarrassed
:he astronomers who studied the Mar
tian surface; but on the present occa
sion the circumstances are exceptional
iv favorable in this respect
" now great an advantage this is will
be partially realized when one recalls
the controversy recently started m re
gard to the extent of the atmosphere of
Mars. This has been considered less
than that of the earth's, but still rather
considerable. One class of evidence ad
duced in support of such a notion was
that which Huggins, Vogel and other
astronomical spectroscopics believed
t'nt thev had found years ago. In the
spectrum of Mars they detected lines
indicative of the presence of water va
por, and this created the necessity for
an aerial envelope in which the water
vapor could be suspended. During the
opposition of 1S94. however, Professor
V.. Wr. Campbell, of the Lick observa
tory made spectroscopic observations
which led him to suspectthat the moist
ure previously detected was really in
the earth's own atmosphere, and not
in the environment of Mars. In fact.
he was inclined to believe that that
planet was almost or quite as devoid
of air as the moon, which is credited
with an exceedingly small quantity.
Professor Campbell's announcement of
these observations and convictions cre
ated a sensation in the astronomical
world. The question is now regarded
as an open one, and special researches
will doubtless be undertaken at the
present time with a view to its settle
ment The Seas and Canals.
Another problem which is receiving a
greSt deal of attention relates to those
dark areas hitherto called "seas" and
the narrower lines called "canals." Are
they really bodies and streams of wa
ter, or are they masses and streaks of
vegetation? Perhaps three-fourths of
the surface of Mars has a hue almost
uniformly yellowish-red. Pretty much
all of the northern hemisphere (shown
in the lower half of the drawings, be
cause an astronomical telescope inverts
the image), and a large portion of the
southern hemisphere, present such an
appearance. This area has generally
been taken for a land surface. A large
tract surrounding the south pole, and
some detached, oblong patches near it
are greenish-blue in color, and were
long thought to be oceans and seas.
The narrow lines called canals, which
are not over fifteen or twenty miles
wide, and which intersect the conti
nental area, are also dark, sometimes
definitely black and sometimes only
gray, bat strongly resembling in color
the somhre-hued regions just men
tioned. Now, while these various markings
have been seen often enough in exactly
the same position to give them an ap
pearance of permanence, and to make
possible an elaborate chart of the Mar
tian surface, they have, exhibited some
puzzling changes of outline and tint
It will sosetimes happen that a so
called sea will fcesharply denned. On
other occasions its edges are vague,
their color shading away to a pale gray,
scarcely distinguishable from conti
nental borders which have also lo3t
something oftheir characteristic hue,
'Moreover, the extent cf the "seas" is
-greater at one time than at another.
SCHIAPAHELLI'S 3IAP OF MARS.
' .
islil'sa JUsl afessV
A10UT MARS.
w
it
J-,'
noticeable encroachments of the
'k areas upon the bright ones have
tecofded. Then again, the "ca-
" are more numerous at one time
at another: And the phenomsnou
doubling, first observed abciit fifteen
ago by the Milanese astronomer
iparelli, is also visible only at cer-
in times,- aid to very different de
es of abundance;
The Seajons of Mars.
much as the axis of Mars is tilt-
over like the earth's only a little
sd the ruddy planet has seasons.
gradual disappearance of white
iches around the poles; presumably
low, every summer, ana tne icrma-
m of dark belta around these shnnk-
'"areas are among the best known
of the seasonal changes on Mars; "hot
the other variations referred to have
also been found to be related, to a
great extent, with the time of year at
which the observation was made. It
was not an unreasonable surmise, then,
that the occasional encroachment of
dark areas on the bright ones might
represent an inundation of low-lying
and almost perfectly level lands, in
consequence of a slight rise of the sea.
If, as is credible, the Martian oceans
are very shallow, one can understand
why their color fades out near the
edges, and how the' access a! a little
water from the polar regions might
produce the effect observed. So. too,
with the canals. If they are veritable
water courses, and if the little dark
spots at their intersections be "lakes"
(as they have sometimes been called),
their visibility and the duplication of
both canals and lakes might well be
dependent on the time and plentitude
of the water supply from the poles.
Schiaparelii, however, has suggested
that the variations in the sizeand color
of the dark markings might possibly
bo due to "changes of egetaticn over
a vast area," and cvej the result of
"agricultural labor and irrigation upon
a large scale." At the same time, hs
emphasizes the paucity of the informa
tion on the subject. ?nd observes, with
true scientific caution, that the wide
liberty of supposition thus afforded
"constitutes the gravest obstacle to ac
quisition of well-founded notions." No
definite prcof of thn existence of either
vegetables or animil life on Mars has
yet been afforded, although the pre
sumption . in favor of the former is
probably stronger than that in support
of the latter.
Are the Dark Areas Vegetation?
Professor William H. Pickering has
also advanced the theory that the dark
areas on Mars represent vegetation.
His most effective argument is that
light reflected from them is not "po
larized," as it should he if they are
water, except in the case of the tempo
rary belt formed around the melting
polar cap. It would seem to be of the
utmost importance, therefore, that
careful tests be made with the polari
scope by other skilled astronomers at
this opposition, to verify or disprove
Prof. Pickering's statement Percival
Lowell, of Boston, who. erected a special
observatory at Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1S34
for the study of Mars, imagines that
the canals are belts of vegetation lining
water couvses that are much narrower
and consequently are themselves in
visible here. He thus assumes that
Mars has inhabitants of as much in
telligence and engineering skill as men
possess: but he is almost alone in con
sidering the case proven. If one will
observe the distinction between natural
growths, like forest and prairie, on the
one hand, and, on the other, the arti
ficial flower bed and market garden,
he will find it easy to accept the vege
tation theory in a general way, without
going so far as the enthusiastic Bos
tcnian docs.
It ought to h pointed out in this con
nection that Mr. Lowell speaks of the
changes In tint and size of the dark
areas and the development of the canals
as being gradual; but the veteran
Italian expert, who is everywhere re
garded the highest authority on this
subject, describes some of these phe
nomena, and especially the duplication
of the canals and lakes, as occurring
rather suddenly. Of course, the abrupt
ness with which these things are first
observed may be due to some extent
to obscurities in the Martian atmo
sphere and the earth's own, which
would hide for several days a gradual
change. Then, with a rapid improve
ment in the conditions of seeing, the
situation would be mere distinctly and
unexpectedly revealed. A further com
parison of notes as to the rapidity with
which these alterations occur is, ap
parently, greatly needed. It might as
sist in determining the nature of the
dark patches and lines.
The "DoabliBE" Phenomenon.
The fact that both canals and lries
Cilr. Lowell calls the latter "oases") are
sometimes doubled, the duplicate lyfcg
exactly parallel with and about 3v-enty-five
or a hundred miles away from
the original, renders the theory of con
struction by the inhabitants of Mars
a still more difficult one to accept It
i3 hard to understand the motive for an
arrangement Then again, while it is
conceivable that a system of cross ca
nals and gates might account for the
time intervals between the appearance
cf cne twin and the other, the seeming
rapidity with which the latter develops,
Often within twenty-four hours, is not
easily reconciled with what we have
I observed in connection with terrestrial
vegetaUon alon rtifi5il water-conrs
ea. Thfrt is another queer thing about
the "geminatfea" tha la"5es. Their
shapes differ greatly, !tm tZZe l
time, as It they were the prcew-w o
accident rather than design. For in
stance, fsmefilcs Is at the intersection
of the canals Euphrates (running north
and south) aad Protonilus (running tast
and west). Now, 6a December 23, 1SS1,
Schiaparelii perceived that the latter
was double, and there were two !2!ws.
one north of the other, and both greatly
elongated in an east and west direction.
The lakes were, lit fact, bands continu
ous with the channels of Protoniras, but
much wider. But oil May 27, ISSS, th
distinguished Italian discovered Eu
phrates double and Protonilus single
Ismehics was again a pair of twins,
but utterly unlike tho twin lakes of
1S81. In the first place, ieir positions
relatively to each other were different
One was due west of the other. Sec
ondly, their shape was changed. Tfiey
were round, not elongated. A large
number of such cases can be eitedV
which cannot, easily be explained on
any theory of design, but which strong
ly suggest mere chance.
At the next opposition of Mars, late
in January. 1S99, the planet will be
still farther away from the earth than
he i3 this time, but at an equally good
elevation. The outlook for new and
startling revelations during the next
few years is not, therefore, particularly
good.
REFLECTIONS IN A CHAPEL.
Large Brass Cross Which Serves a a
Slirror.
Recently the governor of one of out
county prisons was greatly perplexed
by the discovery that the female crim
inals in hi3 charge managed in some
mysterious manner to ascertain the
presence flf every Individual man oa
the other side cf the impervious divid
ing barrier which separates the male
from the female worshipers in the jail
chapel, says the London Hospital.
One 5f the women inadvertently made
an exclamation, showing that she had
suddenly become aware that ler hus
band was within the same walla, al
though his presence ought, according
to the rules, to have been completely
unknown to her. None of the officers
could account for an unpermitted
knowledge which was found to be
shared by all other women. At last a
very careful examination of the chapel
gave an explanation of the mystery.
Although strictly divided, as we have
said, both the male and the female
prisoners faced the altar in their seats
and over it had been fixed a very large
brass cross against the wall, so highly
polished as to form a very good mirror,
and in its clear surface the women saw
the reflection of every man as he passed
to his place and had enjoyed the spec
tacle with impunity till the wife's affec
tion overcame her discretion. The'
brass cross instantaneously disap
peared. A Boy with a Quick TTlt.
George Pomeroy was a very mis
chievous boy in school, but quick to
think of some means to escape punish
ment when caught in a scrape.
When in the sixth grade his cousin
from New York state was visiting him,
and one day they went to school to
gether. They sat in a double seat be
hind the high stove and were having
a good time, but becoming rather
noisy the attention of the teacher was
attracted and she stole down unno
ticed by either until she was just in
front of them. Eefore she could reDri-
mand them, however, George arose
perfectly composed and said:
"Pardon me. teacher Miss Pavne.
this is my cousin, Frank White, from
Buffalo, who with his parents is visit
ing us. Mother would be pleased to
have you call."
The introduction and invitation were
so naturally and 'cordially given the
teacher could not repress a smile, and,
it is needless to say, no punishment
was given.
Stole Clothes from Corpses.
Tramps are causing a good deal of
trouble in certain localities in western
Kansas. They open newly made graves
and exchange clothing with the
corpses. The dead bodies, after being
attired in the old clothes, are placed
back in their graves to await Gabriel's
signal. Exchange.
Hilled While Felling a Tree.
On Files creek, W. Va., while G. W.
Daniels and Vincent Louk were cutting
a tree, a splinter rebounded as the
trunk broke from the stump, striking
Louk, and killing him instantly. He
wa3 20, and had been married six
months. Exchange.
WORTHY WORDS.
The slander of some people 13 as
great a recommendation a3 the praises
cf others. Fielding.
Let us bind love with duty, for duty.
i3 the love of law, and law is the na
ture of the eternal. George Eliot.
Things divine are not attainable by
mortals who understand sensual things,
but only the light-armed arrive at tho
summit Zoroaster.
Every man feels instinctively that all
the beautiful sentiments in the worlij
weigh lss than a single lovely action.
James Russell Lowell.
Liberty is the right and the duty ol
the human soul; he who pretends ts
enslave the conscience must desira tc
enchain the body. MazzinL
That there should one man die igno
rant who had capacity for knowledge
this I call tragedy, were it to happen
more than twenty times in the minute.
Carlyle.
To pardon those absurdities in our
selves, which we cannot suffer in
others, is neither better ncr worse thou
to be more willing to be fools ourselves,
than to have others so. Pope.
No quality will ever get a man more
friends that a sincere admiration of the
qualities of others. It indicates gener
osity of nature, frankness, cordiality
and cheerful recognition of merits.
Dr. Johnson.
Virtue" is not a mushroom, that
sprlngeth up of itself in one night
when we are.asleep, or regard it not;
but a delicate plant, that groweth
slowly and" tehdjily, needing much
pains to cultivate it, much care to
guard it, much time to mature it, in
our untoward soil, in this world's an-
kindly weather. Barrow.
SOME H0K0SC0PES.
FEATURES OF LIFE INDICATED
BY THE PLANETS.
Boat laatnletloM to Applicants for
Free Readlas Fall -ae ami AU
4raa Xast Aic pay Every Letter
-Frigate Keadinc.
HE Astrologer in
sists that every ap
plicant for a free
reading in these
columns must give
full name and ad
dress. The answer
will be by initial
unless some other
means of identifi
cation is adopted
v srinlicant It
you do not fcnow the exact date or
hour of birth send TWO two-cent
staaips for- ' special - instructions
Every request for a horoscope wilt
he answered in it turn. Several
hundred, have already been filed. Fer
sons wishing private readings by mail,
at once, must inclose TWELVE two
cent stamps. Address all letters to
Prof. O. W. Cunningham, Dept L 10 1
South Clinton street. Chicago, III. This
week's horoscopes are as follows:
X. V. Z Crrtr, Xeb.
You are a mixture of the signs Aries,
which Mars rules, and Taurus, which
Venus rules, and therefore Mars and
Venus are yocr ruling planets. You
are medium height or above; medium
to light complexion: the eyes have a
peculiar sparkle and sharp sight and
are of a medium to light color. You
are very active and energetic and quite
ambitious to push business; yet, if this
time is correct you have no constitu
tion that will allow you to carry out
your ambitions, and your worsu ail
ments will be in some way connected
with your head. You have a great love
for the beautiful in art and nature;
you are possessed with a great ability
to talk, write and work fine embroid
ery and paint: you have natural abil
ity in some of the fine arts. However,
only those that know you well will
fully appreciate you, and the first half
of life will be uphill work, the last half
will 'be some better. Marriage is un
fortunate for you.
-Flas," Smlthboro. III.
Data proclaim you a mixture of the
signs Libra, which Venu3 rules, and
Scopio, which Mars rules, and, there
fore, Venus and Mars are your ruling
planets. You are medium height; well
set figure; medium complexion; hazel
eyes; hair was flaxen when young, but
has been getting some darker as you
have grown older. If you had been
born a few minutes earlier there would
be indications of a dimple in your chin.
You are endowed with the indications
of both the gentle, confiding, modest
Venus; also the bold, aggressive, re
fractory, warlike Mars, and you will
act in accordance with whichever one
of these happens to be called forth.
You are fond of anything that relates
to chemistry and mystery; also the
beautiful in art, such as music, paint
ing, drawing, sketching, etc. You need
some special instructions or you will
get rid of all the money you can make
and have nothing left to show for it
Marriage fortunate.
"Mr. Helena. Cairo.
According to data, the sign Sagitta
rius, which Jupiter rules, was rising at
your birth, and, therefore, Jupiter is
your ruling planet or significator. You
are medium height or above, with a
well-set figure. The complexion very
clear and healthy; the hair medium
to light; eyes light; you are noted for
being of a cheerful, happy disposition;
you do not allow anything like the bluss
to come near you; you are also noted
for being fully appreciated by all, and
you can secure and hold a good posi
tion at any time you wish; you have
had a very eventful life and have been
a great traveler, and the last half of
life has been the most fortunate; you
can always command a good salary if
you wish, and will make and haidle
large sums of money during your life,
yet will meet with many losses. You
are a great lover of horses. You have
great ambition for a large business.
You have a remarkably strong consti
tution. Helen. Dabor,ar, Iowa.
You have the zodiacal sign Libra ris
ing, and therefore Venus is your ruling
planet You are medium height or
above; slender figure; medium to light
complexion, hair and eyes. If born
far minutes earlier you have Uranus
also for ruling planet, and that would
denote a little darker shade to the
eyes. You are cheerful and happy
most of the time, yet will be subject to
short spells of the blues, and if any
one does you aa Injury you arc not
apt to forget it very soon; yet you
will forgive them and be very just to
them if you had any dealings with
them, for you are a lover of justice, and
have also a great admiration fcr the
fine arts. You will have very strong
intuitions at times, yet this will only
be spasmodic in its actions. JIarriage
will be more than average fortunate
for you.
FACTS-ABOUT GAMES.
On the old-time cards used in India
the vizier is represented as mounted on
a horse, a camel or a tiger.
It is said by some writers 'that the
game of dominoes was known to the
Jews in the time of Solomon.
Dice of ivory and marble have been
found in the ruins of Roman houses in
various parts of Great Britain.
Dice almost exactly similar to those
now used have been discovered in
Thebes and other Egyptian cities.
Both Aeschylus and Sophocles, in
their tragedies, allude to the game of
dice as being common in their day.
The Arabic cards are believed to have
been originally associated with necro
mantic or fortune-telling practices.
According to one historian, cards
were brought from the East and rst
used by Europeans in Italy in 1379.
French historians say that the intro
duction of dice into France was in the
reign of PhiIlp"Augustus. 11S0 to 122J.
The name of chess is supposed by
some philologists to have been derived
from Shah: the Persian name forking
THE OLD RELIABLE.
Columbus State Bank
(Oldest Bank In the State.)
Fajs Merest oi TiED-jQiif
3D
Males Loas-8 Real fclai?v
ISSUES SIC.I1T OSATTS OX
Omalia, Chicago, Xeir York aad
all Foreign Couatries.
SELLS STEAMSHIP TICKETS.
BUYS GOOD NOTES
And helps Its customers when they need hela
OFTICERS A!?D DIRECTORS:
LeasdeuGerkaud, Pres't
It IL Henry, Vice Pres't.
M. BitUGGEK, Cashier.
John Stauffek, Wa Bucuei
L
OF
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FHAXK ItOKER. .Vsst. Cash &
C. II. Shkldo.v, ' II. P.'if. OEIILIUCn.
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I"IL5K KOUREH.
STOCKII 'LT1ER5:
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REaCCCA KECKEIt. II. M. WlSsLOW.
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