Scheherezade。 I am glad she did n't smile on the pipe and the
Bohemian…looking fellow that finds the best part of his life in
sucking at it。 A fine thing； isn't it； for a young woman to marry a
man who will hold her
〃Something better than his dog； a little dearer than his horse；〃
but not quite so good as his meerschaum？ It is n't for me to throw
stones； though； who have been a Nicotian a good deal more than half
my days。 Cigar…stump out now； and consequently have become very
bitter on more persevering sinners。 I say I take an interest in our
Scheherezade； but I rather think it is more paternal than anything
else； though my heart did give that jump。 It has jumped a good many
times without anything very remarkable coming of it。
This visit to the Observatory is going to bring us all； or most of
us； together in a new way； and it wouldn't be very odd if some of us
should become better acquainted than we ever have been。 There is a
chance for the elective affinities。 What tremendous forces they are；
if two subjects of them come within range！ There lies a bit of iron。
All the dynamic agencies of the universe are pledged to hold it just
in that position； and there it will lie until it becomes a heap of
red…brown rust。 But see； I hold a magnet to it；it looks to you
like just such a bit of iron as the other；and lo！ it leaves them
all；the tugging of the mighty earth； of the ghostly moon that walks
in white； trailing the snaky waves of the ocean after her； of the
awful sun； twice as large as a sphere that the whole orbit of the
moon would but just girdle；it leaves the wrestling of all their
forces； which are at a dead lock with each other； all fighting for
it； and springs straight to the magnet。 What a lucky thing it is for
well…conducted persons that the maddening elective affinities don't
come into play in full force very often！
I suppose I am making a good deal more of our prospective visit than
it deserves。 It must be because I have got it into my head that we
are bound to have some kind of sentimental outbreak amongst us； and
that this will give a chance for advances on the part of anybody
disposed in that direction。 A little change of circumstance often
hastens on a movement that has been long in preparation。 A chemist
will show you a flask containing a clear liquid； he will give it a
shake or two； and the whole contents of the flask will become solid
in an instant。 Or you may lay a little heap of iron…filings on a
sheet of paper with a magnet beneath it； and they will be quiet
enough as they are； but give the paper a slight jar and the specks of
metal will suddenly find their way to the north or the south pole of
the magnet and take a definite shape not unpleasing to contemplate；
and curiously illustrating the laws of attraction； antagonism； and
average； by which the worlds； conscious and unconscious； are alike
governed。 So with our little party； with any little party of persons
who have got used to each other； leave them undisturbed and they
might remain in a state of equilibrium forever； but let anything give
them a shake or a jar； and the long…striving but hindered affinities
come all at once into play and finish the work of a year in five
minutes。
We were all a good deal excited by the anticipation of this visit。
The Capitalist； who for the most part keeps entirely to himself；
seemed to take an interest in it and joined the group in the parlor
who were making arrangements as to the details of the eventful
expedition； which was very soon to take place。 The Young Girl was
full of enthusiasm； she is one of those young persons； I think； who
are impressible； and of necessity depressible when their nervous
systems are overtasked； but elastic； recovering easily from mental
worries and fatigues； and only wanting a little change of their
conditions to get back their bloom and cheerfulness。 I could not
help being pleased to see how much of the child was left in her；
after all the drudgery she had been through。 What is there that
youth will not endure and triumph over？ Here she was； her story for
the week was done in good season； she had got rid of her villain by a
new and original catastrophe； she had received a sum of money for an
extra string of verses；painfully small； it is true； but it would
buy her a certain ribbon she wanted for the great excursion； and now
her eyes sparkled so that I forgot how tired and hollow they
sometimes looked when she had been sitting up half the night over her
endless manuscript。
The morning of the day we had looked forward topromised as good an
evening as we could wish。 The Capitalist； whose courteous and bland
demeanor would never have suggested the thought that he was a robber
and an enemy of his race； who was to be trampled underfoot by the
beneficent regenerators of the social order as preliminary to the
universal reign of peace on earth and good…will to men； astonished us
all with a proposal to escort the three ladies and procure a carriage
for their conveyance。 The Lady thanked him in a very cordial way；
but said she thought nothing of the walk。 The Landlady looked
disappointed at this answer。 For her part she was on her legs all
day and should be glad enough to ride； if so be he was going to have
a carriage at any rate。 It would be a sight pleasanter than to
trudge afoot； but she would n't have him go to the expense on her
account。 Don't mention it； madam；rsaid the Capitalist； in a
generous glow of enthusiasm。 As for the Young Girl； she did not
often get a chance for a drive； and liked the idea of it for its own
sake； as children do； and she insisted that the Lady should go in the
carriage with her。 So it was settled that the Capitalist should take
the three ladies in a carriage； and the rest of us go on foot。
The evening behaved as it was bound to do on so momentous an
occasion。 The Capitalist was dressed with almost suspicious nicety。
We pedestrians could not help waiting to see them off； and I thought
he handed the ladies into the carriage with the air of a French
marquis。
I walked with Dr。 Benjamin and That Boy； and we had to keep the
little imp on the trot a good deal of the way in order not to be too
long behind the carriage party。 The Member of the Haouse walked with
our two dummies；I beg their pardon； I mean the Register of Deeds
and the Salesman。
The Man of Letters； hypothetically so called； walked by himself；
smoking a short pipe which was very far from suggesting the spicy
breezes that blow soft from Ceylon's isle。
I suppose everybody who reads this paper has visited one or more
observatories； and of course knows all about them。 But as it may
hereafter be translated into some foreign tongue and circulated among
barbarous； but rapidly improving people； people who have as yet no
astronomers among them； it may be well to give a little notion of
what kind of place an observatory is。
To begin then： a deep and solid stone foundation is laid in the
earth； and a massive pier of masonry is built up on it。 A heavy
block of granite forms the summit of this pier； and on this block
rests the equatorial telescope。 Around this structure a circular
tower is built； with two or more floors which come close up to the
pier； but do not touch it at any point。 It is crowned with a
hemispherical dome； which； I may remark； half realizes the idea of my
egg…shell studio。 This dome is cleft from its base to its summit by
a narrow； ribbon…like opening； through which is seen the naked sky。
It revolves on cannon…balls； so easily that a single hand can move
it； and thus the opening may be turned towards any point of the
compass。 As the telescope can be raised or depressed so as to be
directed to any elevation from the horizon to the zenith； and turned
around the entire circle with the dome； it can be pointed to any part
of the heavens。 But as the star or other celestial object is always
apparently moving； in consequence of the real rotatory movement of
the earth； the telescope is made to follow it automatically by an
ingenious clock…work arrangement。 No place； short of the temple of
the living God； can be more solemn。 The jars of the restless life
around it do not disturb the serene intelligence of the half…
reasoning apparatus。 Nothing can stir the massive pier but the
shocks that shake the solid earth itself。 When an earthquake thrills
the planet； the massive turret shudders with the shuddering rocks on
which it rests； but it pays no heed to the wildest tempest； and while
the heavens are convulsed and shut from the eye of the far…seeing
instrument it waits without a tremor for the blue sky to come back。
It is the type of the true and steadfast man of the Roman poet； whose
soul remains unmoved while the firmament cracks and tumbles about
him。 It is the material image of the Christian； his heart resting on
the Rock of Ages； his eye fixed on the brighter world above。
I did not say all this while we were looking round among these
wonders； quite new to many of us。 People don't talk in straight…off
sentences like that。 They stumble and stop； or get interrupted；
change a word； begin again； miss connections of verbs and nouns； an