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Show running towards me from the neighboring houses anj they helped me to quiet the horses, which had becon- much excited. We were afraid of being burned. We a!l asked what could be the matter. In a few moments, whe5 we had recovered from our fear, we saw the light disa pear. Bringing lanterns, we found a hole in the grouty and in it a ball of light. We retired to a little distant fearing it would explode and harm us. Looking up to tt sky, we saw exhalations or stars which went out withoct noise. We returned after a little and found in the ho! a hot stone we could barely handle. This, on the next day, wc saw looked like a piece of iron. All night It rained stars. We saw none fall to the ground, as they s all seemed to be extinguished while yet high up." If this stone, the only one known to have reached JJnk the earth out of the "rain of stars," U &Mjs , i all that Is left of Biela's comet, ther PlsA T"2l 18 101 Punds left of 14 ,n the shaft Y.AfchJ of a mas3 of iron ore, showing sucli 'l JiMk "nit:s" rom contraction after grKt . rasssaBEEaHE astronomers announce ""B?? r that Halley's comet Is ap- 4t proaching the earth at the rate of a million x5 . B miles a day. As Halley's is the most splen- j didly attractive (otherwise the most alarming) of all i ,igg our regular comets, they add that we need not fear 1 yOK I tnat it wili strike the earth, because It will not come LSbn Hogor to us thnn 13,000,000 miles. "ntific schedule, but that does not Vishes to be inspired with proper Ich illllBlm - - r - r r "" 4" "-iiv - running towards me from the neighboring houses ao &V$mVa ' " '1 ' - -sT 4 ' ' " V' they helped me to quiet the horses, which had becom iWSfix O- ' 1 r - - s 1 r V - much excited. We were afraid of being burned. We bq t t? - f it l l asked what could be the matter. In a few moments. whtJ , twRu "V 7 - sl we had recovered from our fear, we saw the light disa AvvSO!S?sV c' f , : Pear. Bringing lanterns, we found a hole in the grout,! SnWaV V ' jA ' V - - y p- -J and in it a ball of light. We retired to a little distance VtSV -C v v- " s . v1 r r T " f fearing it would explode and harm us. Looking up to tt VSwV&! ' i 1J - r" r " ' sky, we saw exhalations or stars which went out withoct V VS! " , fr r . ( 1 noise. We returned after a little and found in the ho! O'Vt Ttw 1 4, '--tK vi a hot stone we could barely handle. This, on the neit N0i' f 'V " -V filS day. wc saw looked like a piece of iron. All night It ktSSw - 4 ' h 3? Vi J rained stars. We saw none fall to the ground, as they SSbSS 1 a11 seeraed to be extinguished while yet high up" TV ff W this stone, the only one' known to have reach, tHt - J&mWk earth out of the "rain of stars." U -SgOjmjAvg v i .- ' LAtsJ of a mas3 of Iron-ore, showing sue SM-U'' ' -Jf,7 htmtMFHX "nits" from contraction, after gr saBamaaaHE astronomers announce ' WkMtk ' " $$lmWf' tSfXo5a that Halley's comet is ap- tHfc "40 pMlffli ife1 . proaching the earth at the rate of a million ''MwMl 7$ . B miles a day. As Halley's is the most splen- SJWW 1 iV ! A X 1 ; didly attractive (otherwise the most alarming) of all WgJS S h 4HHM, hJi.f; our regular comets, they add that we need not fear 1 ' fs X'Av VSfl OCv I that it will strike the earth, because It will not come wl)fMfe ' Jteo miles. WlMlM ' ,W fl vntific schedule, but. that does not , t h ' Vishes to be inspired with proper 4" S 1 ' - v'' Irf r'f S ave T",,'"nn",'in "'"""tfALLEYb COMET Tid Sl ' ' " 7 " a lump of nickel-Iron which fell in Mexico. APPEARED ILgU iWSr ifiSftHfev ' ' 1 4 i , V cr Jlost comet (called "Bielids" after the as- Xi v fl:-,-1 3! 7 - trUo diacuvered lt were being watched for and expected to '-sRi V- ZUTlUND X fall in a shower somewhere on eaf.th. if they were not burned to vapor by -Jifai. Wi $S 1 MATT FY ') heat from friction as. they were beinl whirled through thB earth's atmosphere NV, , I f U in falling. 'Although Halley's comet la-tou coming back regularly every VSlffi WrK 'jAJ 76 or 77 years since it is supposed to have append with its tail filling the rjl I - I' -heat as the telescope shows in i ' Jvjzt this was considered "fWh SiJfc& distinguished 'consideration by Pro! y y a4 'Spls 'WteP'pvM Bonilla to William Earl Hidden, si s I V IP one of the most distinguished AmerT 0tfh I . .lt V- IpTJ!' 1 Will Wi d can mineralogists, who was also ai Wt (W"' SSlfSSBfelii? authority on meteors and meteori ir cyMAo-. -N-- V7 ;i;iyJlmJ!L!-J - - minerals. Analysis showed that t HZJf"Z r(X)r V!!5 was 91.26 per cent, iron, 7.84 p W-v -Xfe jiar SUPPOSED FRAGMENT cent nickel. 65-100 per cent, cobaj ra y? OF DIE LA'S COMET 20-100 per cent, phosphorus, wiS ru AAAn-nt'i e., traces, of sulphur, carbon and chlorine. B ZteyjT ' w Hidden wrote its history in the American Josi V7tJ1W1,7r'a?J" uafM0pr within range of the earth and be captured and nal o science. In the century Magazine i ?sv r&Wsr pulled down to the surface? If so. would it August, 1885, he answered the question, 1 2MJti ov:x r.j4 jar the earth in its orbit or set the planet jt a pieCe of a comet?" by summing up ti "Si otSSQW vv. i ,i i ii fr opi "m on fire? evidence in connection with the known histrt "2 SJ' JM , I, ii All we will ever have In the way of a final of Biela's lost comet, since it split in 1816 ts ocr. t rZh ry answer to these questions as they belong to returned as two comets in 1852, to disappef i J xj' ar rjngj jf. is jg the compiete and final loss of Biela's comet finally in what were supposed to be & swafl J" wo Z9Toi9ioto g ts9 909 ' ia given officially now in the records of Mex- of "bielids. j ico in the statement recorded by Senor Jose "At the time of the fall of this meteorit( JJM(iKMrj oflOWNG COURSE OF HALLEYiS COMET JURJIi( 909 AliD 90 A- y BonIlla. director of the astronomical ob- (in Mexico), Hidden writes, "it was 10 houi rk- ik- ke le live is. I on Ised f'U hip- and be lun- Tex. the by rof. net nlv I ! Jo lio fid ng lei er ng in or a- sr ' o the cruel remark that Napoleon, the great French soldier, once cynically remarked that Providence is on the Bide of the heaviest battalions. ' Sir Thomas Lipton reveals the Inherent In-herent nature of his persistency in struggling for the America's cup by making provision in his will for continuance con-tinuance of the contests in the event of his death. The document is practically prac-tically notification to the New l'ork Yacht club that it cannot expect to hold to Its determination not to race under the universal rule long enough r to escape another Lipton challenge. Edward Ginn of Boston, believes in peace and has given substantial proof of his inclination in that direction. He has just given $1,000,000 to promote the cause of peace, and says he will set aside $50,000 annually for the same purpose hereafter. The field is an attractive one for cultivation, and few objects are more worthy than trying try-ing to 6ave life and expense by maintaining peace among the nations. Apparently there still is a strong disinclination to serve in the Spanish Span-ish army, particularly when it Is quite possible the soldiers may be sent to fight in Morocco, where everything is not going SpainV"Yvdy- present A "BpzLfilsh steamer which has just arrived ar-rived at San Juan, Porto Rico, brought 7,500 young men from Spanish Span-ish colonies, every one of the party bent on escaping service in the king's military establishment. It is pointetd out by the New York Bun that Freshman Sidis, the youth who has matriculated at Harvard at the more than usually immature age of 11 years, is not In a class by himself. him-self. Andrew Preston Peabody was graduated at 15 and Edward Everett entered when he was 13, while Cotton Cot-ton and Increase Mather were on the university rolls when 11 and 12 respectively. re-spectively. 'The Sun believes that the attention that young Sidis has - received is not only undeserved but regrettable. 'A. Every few days there comes a dispatch dis-patch from Los Angeles saying that a party has been lost In the mountains or that a family has perished on the desert. Southern California Beems to need more guide posts. . The most accommodating man on record lived until lately in Pennsylvania. Pennsyl-vania. He was hanged, but before his execution expressed willingness to have granted the request of his wife to see him hanged and to have her share that pleasure with the man she intended to marry after It os (ive a lump of nickel-Iron which fell in Mexico. !st comet (called "Bielids" after the as- "' " ' it) were being watched for and expected to fall in a shower somewhere on eafth, if they were not burned to vapor by heat from friction as they were being whirled through thB earth's atmosphere in falling. Although Halley's comet lasfe$lU coming back regularly every 76 or 77 years since it is supposed to have append with its tail filling the . heat as the telescope shows in I much larger way on the face of h moon. As this was considered the nW distinguished visitor that had ert reached the earth from infinite spaa it was presented as a mark of U distinguished consideration by Tri Bonilla to William Earl Hidden, a one of the most distinguished AmerT can mineralogists, who was also u authority on meteors and meteori minerals. Analysis showed that t was 91.26 per cent, iron, 7.84 p cent nickel. 65-100 per cent, cobafl 30-100 per cent, phosphorus, wifli within range of the earth and be captured and pulled down to the surface? If so. would it jar the earth in its orbit or set the planet on fire? All we will ever have In the way of a final answer to these questions as they ' belong to the complete and final loss of Biela's comet is given officially now in the records of Mexico Mex-ico in the statement recorded by Senor Jose A. y Bonilla, director of the astronomical ob- traces, of sulphur, carbon and chlorine, si Hidden wrote its history in the American Josi nal of Science. In the century Magazine i August, 1885, he answered the question, 1 It a piece of a comet?" by summing up ti evidence in connection with the known histrt of Biela's lost comet, since it split in 1SI6 si returned as two comets in 1852, to disappef finally In what were supposed to be swaf( of "bielids. j "At the time of the fall of this meteorit( (in Mexico), Hidden writes, "it was 10 houi 1, t , . j A sky before the fall of Jerusalem, It may end finally, as Biela's comet did, falling in a star shower on earth, or on some other planet, or Into the Bunfc or scattering through Bpace ' around the sun In masses perhaps of nickel-iron, nickel-iron, unseen on earth, unless the earth captures cap-tures them out of space and sets them blazing through the sky as they fall. Suppose we were to capture Halley's comet and it were really to fall, what would become of the earth or of the comet? That is a fair question for all w.ho wish to keep a proper scientific awe of our finest regular reg-ular comet. It may offer something to take the place of the unscientific awe which used to send thousands to their knees, remembering remember-ing their sins and praying for pardon as soon as Halley's comet began to spread its magnificent magnifi-cent tail across the sky. In other words, it "made them try to think, which was, no doubt, the best thing a comet could do for them. Another important question is whether Halley's Hal-ley's comet will bring Its magnificent tail back with it, restored to its ancient and awful splendor. If it does not, the world, learned and unlearned, will be disappointed, for a comet without a tail Is not awful or sublime enough to be worth growing either enthusiastic enthusias-tic or repentant over. We cannot tell about the tail. It may come back with the comet, reduced 30 per cent., or it may finally be lost altogether or increased back to awful magnificence, magnifi-cence, streaming across the sky in such a spectacle as can be hoped for on earth only, once in a lifetime. If it recovers its tall in Its full historic splendor, Halley's will be too magnificent a comet to be lost, according to our ways of ''nkine at comets. It is not a third-rate as tronomer's comet, like Biela's, but a comet for everybody, with all mankind interested in it. It may set all the gongs in Asia beating while " we are watching it through telescopes. Mil-, lions who do not know enough to be frightened fright-ened at the idea of its striking the earth may find it awful enough to make them try hard to think, with results which, while they last, may seem to them the most awful they ever felt in their lives. While all who are intelligently interested in comets will want Halley's back regularly, tail and all. as something to think about, there Is a chance that it will lose its tall and also a chance, very remote now, that it may be shipwrecked finally and lost in space. It Is a "chance" only until the law is learned. The chance is worth discussing only in the hope of learning more of the law. Can a comet lawfully get out of its regular path and be pulled down finally by the earth or some other planet? That is a question of law and as far as we have learned the law the answer is that it can. We do not know much yet about the law. All we are beginning to find out dates from the night in January, 1846, when Prof. Challls looked through his telescope at the Cambridge observatory and could not believe his eyes. The spectacle he saw in the heavens was too astonishing to believe. It was Biela's comet split Into two distinct comets. Such a thing had never been heard of or imagined as possible. pos-sible. But in some way it had actually oc-. oc-. curred. Had the comet exploded by its own 1 forces? Had It cjme in reach of the attrac- tion of one of the planets and been pulled apart? What must become of a comet after being thus split in pieces? Cojdtcome BrrvolUf V 111 IUB o La lo uj. iiav-oi.-v,uj. k -" vember, 1885, it was supposed that between the twenty-fourth and twenty-ninth of the month the earth would pass in space through or near the fragments left by Biela's comet. As they were' then called "Bielids," it had been concluded that they were a swarm of hundreds of thousands or -perhaps of millions mil-lions of small masses of meteoric matter, perhaps per-haps weighing from an ounce up to a ton or more. It was feared that if the earth passed through them and drew them to the surface in. daylight they would not be seen at all, but would either burn up in gas or else fall in a few scattering stones on distant parts of the earth. This may have occurred in other places, but on a ranch near Mazapil, in the state of Zacatecas. one of them (or a mass of nickel-iron belonging to some group of the same kind) was seen to fall and recovered at once by the owner of the ranch, who made the deposition taken down In Spanish by Senor Bonilla and translated by William Earl Hidden, Hid-den, to close the last chapter in the story of Biela's lost comet: "It was about 7 o'clock on the night of November No-vember 27 (1885)," said the ranchman in his deposition, "when I went out to the corral to feed the horses. Suddenly I heard a loud, siz-zlng siz-zlng noise, exactly as though something red hot was being plunged into cold water and almost al-most instantly there followed a somewhat loud thud. At once the corral was covered with a phosphorescent light, while suspended in the air were small, luminous sparks, as though from a rocket. I had not recovered fnyn my surprise before I saw this luminous X sappejsajp-shere remained on the J ht as is made when a S imber of people came unci me uiiaijluuiii uuiuuer ui meieuis was v Berved. The earth was meeting with only ti stragglers of the train. It cannot be doubte that the cosmical dust proceeding from t disintegration of Biela's comet wholly er oped the earth and was seen as meteors fr every part of it. . Such was the magnificent of the celestial phenomena in some parts ( the eastern continent that some people lieved there would be no more stars left i . the sky." ' ' ' Biela's comet had. returned regularly in! period of a little less than seven yeads until I j underwent complete shipwreck in the heavea No one ever expects to see it again. The 3 as far as known, is this star shower in til night the Bonilla bielid was picked up in $ zapil, to give us the best knowledge we of what may be expected when a comet fo Biela's lost comet does not compare 1$ Halley's, which must have billions of stot or small and large masses of matter, probsM cickel-lron, in its magnificent head. If it shipwrecked by Jupiter, by the earth or V any other planet, these, Jf they were drt close enough by the planet to break the the sun has on them, may do a number Interesting things. 1 They might revolve around the earth atj distance, collecting in such a ring as tbatj Saturn, which is supposed to be compose, an infinite number of such 6tones, or w might whirl closer and closer in revol around it until finally the largest of tt; le which do not burn up in the atmosphere () friction, must fall as this bielid fell in Ico. The hope of getting a beautiful f' ring, such as that of Saturn's, by captu ai comets, is very small. If only because cftf' have not matter enough in theoi o ma'. r' f |