Newspaper Page Text
84
BURKE'S WEEKLY
FOE BOYS AND GIRLS.
MACON, Ga., SEPT. 14, 1867.
Contents of No. 11.
The Esquimaux —with an illustration —(original) page 81
Little Rose—poetry 82
Marooner’s Island, Chapter VIII., by Rev. F. R.
Goulding—original
Noble Thoughts
Biographical Sketch ®4
Editorial—
Renew your Subscriptions; Photograph Al
bums ; More about Lightning; Take particular
Notice: Geographical Puzzles : Scripture Ques
tions ; To Correspondents 84—85
A Ride in the Country—illustrated—original 85
Cherish Kindly Feelings—poetry 8G
Jack Dobell: or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas,
Chapter V,— original, 80
Little Pearly, by Mrs. E. P. M.—original 87
A Delightful Legend 87
Sowing Little Seeds 87
Our Chimney Corner, with two illustrations, 88
Photograph Albums.
HIT frE are enabled to offer some very beau
§ 1 tiful Photograph Albums as premiums
for new subscribers to our Weekly.
fFor three new names and SO, we will
send, as a premium, a handsome Al
bum, holding 24 pictures, and worth
$1.50; for five subscribers and $lO, we will send
a beautiful Album, holding 50 pictures, and worth
$4 ; for eight subscribers and sl6, we will send
a very beautiful Album, holding 50 pictures, worth
$6 ; for ten subscribers and S2O, we will send an
elegant Album, holding 50 pictures, and worth
$lO. Any of our present subscribers who have
paid $2 for a year’s subscription, may count
their own subscription in the above, sending us
two names and $4, instead of three names and $6,
and so on.
The Albums we offer are of the handsomest
patterns and best make, and are warranted to give
satisfaction. A little effort only is necessary to
secure one of these beautiful and useful ornaments
for the centre table. Our paper is richly worth
the subscription price, and is popular wherever it
is presented.
Remember that two half yearly, or four quar
terly subscribers count as one yearly subscriber
n all clubs.
Benew your Subscriptions.
tL L those who subscribed for three
months are reminded that their subscrip
tions will expire in two weeks, and they
are earnestly requested to renew in time,
as we cannot continue to send the paper
vC after the subscription has expired. As
an inducement to three months’ subscri
bers to renew, for a year, we make the following
proposition : Send us $1,50 and we will send you
the paper for twelve months from the time your
subscription expires, or send us $2,00 and we will
credit you for fifteen months from the date of re
newal. These are liberal propositions, in either
case giving you fifteen months' subscription for
$2,00.
is a storm like a fish after a hook ?
When it is going to abate.
33 TT RKE ’ S WEEKLY.
More about Lightning.
our last we briefly noticed some of the
-J peculiarities of lightning, and the safest
-> places to be found during the prevalence of
f thunder-storms. Such of our little readers
as have studied Natural Philosophy, know
that lightning is accumulated electricity dis
charged from the clouds. Clouds arc chaiged
with electricity in three ways, viz : by evapora
tion from the earth’s surface; by certain chemi
cal changes which take place on the earth’s sur
face, and by currents of air of unequal tempera
ture, which excite electricity by friction, as they
pass each other.
Some clouds are more highly charged with
electricity than others. When two clouds ap
proach each other, the one overcharged and the
other undercharged , the fluid rushes from the
former into the latter, until they both contain the
same quantity of electricity.
Sometimes, what are called “lightning clouds
are four or five miles above the earth, and some
times they actually touch the earth with one of
their edges. It is generally believed that they are
discharged by objects on the earth’s surface when
they approach within seven hundred yards of
them. Lightning passes from the clouds to the
earth when the former are in a positive state of
elictricity ; that is to say, when they are more
highly charged than usual. During a thunder
storm the clouds are always in this state, and
therefore the discharges of electricity are con
tinual.
We told you last week that tall objects, such as
church steeples, trees, or very tall houses, were
apt to discharge a lightning cloud, because they
were nearer to it than the earth. For example :
Suppose a lightning cloud were a little more than
seven hundred yards above the earth —it would
be too far off to be discharged, but a church
steeple fifty yards high would be within about
six hundred and fifty yards of the cloud, and
would instantly discharge it.
Lightning sometimes has a forked or zig-zag
appearance, because the cloud which discharges
it is a long way off, and the current, meeting with
great resistance from the air in its passage to the
earth, flies from side to side in order to pass
where there is the least resistance. When the
cloud is very near the earth, and the current
meets with but little resistance, the flash is
straight. Sheet-lightning is either the reflection of
distant flashes not distinctly visible, or of several
flashes so nearly simultaneous as to appear like
one.
Sometimes lightning assumes a globular form,
which is more dangerous than any other. Some
times balls of fire fall to the earth during a thun
der storm. These are masses of explosive gas,
which are formed in the air, and when they fall
they explode like a shell from a cannon, and oc
casion much mischief. Sometimes they run a
considerable way along the ground, and explode
in a mass; at other times they burst into
several smaller balls, each of which explodes
with a loud noise, setting fire to whatever com
bustible matter comes in their way, and destroying
life.
We intended this week to say something about
the means to be used to restore persons who have
been stricken by lightning, but we have already
said as much as our space will allow, and must
defer any father remarks till some other time.
Carefully preserve every number of this paper.
Biographical Sketch.
time is the eleventh century; the
1 place, the town of Amiens, in Picardy,
a provine of France.
We see a boy of mean and insignifi
“tCg cant appearance, standing aloof from
e) his play-fellows ; perhaps he feels that
he cannot compete with them in games requiring
strength and hardihood. But observe him a
little more closely. See, someone speaks to
him ; look how his eyes flash and light up with
wonderful fire and brilliancy. What is it that has
aroused him ? He is listening to a horrible tale
of some new cruelty inflicted on the Christians in
Palestine. Already deep down in his heart he
vows some day to avenge his countrymen. Time
passes away ; lie becomes a soldier, and a brave
one, too, notwithstanding his mean stature—but
the life of the soldier does not satisfy him—there
is a yearning within him for something higher,
holier. He changes his profession for that of a
priest, and soon becomes renowned for his sanc
tity.
Again we see him. He is preaching to a vast
assembly, composed of all ranks, and poor work
men and noble princes alike listen to him with
breathless attention. He has been to Jerusalem,
and is describing the cruelties practiced upon his
countrymen. When he speaks ot their suffering,
his hearers weep ; when he calls upon them to
march to their relief, they shout with one accord,
“ God wills it! God wills it!” The power of
eloquence has transformed the poor priest into an
inspired prophet. Those were the days of chival
ry, when it was the ambition of every boy to
become a knight, and now all brave and adventu
rous spirits enlisted under the banner of the
Cross. The first Crusade was undertaken, led by
the soldier-priest.
He distinguished himself at the siege of Jeru
salem, and his exploits were afterwards celebra
ted in the verse of the poet Tasso. He was one
of those men whom God permits from time to
time to rise from obscurity, take a prominent
place in the history of the world, and even some
times change the destiny of nations.
This celebrated person was called — Peter the
Hermit ! E. P. M.
—
Take Particular Notice.
When you send enigmas, charades, or anything
else for publication, write on only one side of the
page. If you send new contributions to our
“ Chimney Corner,” and answers to those which
have already appeared, write on separate pieces
of paper, so that we can file them separately
Attention to these matters will save us much labor
aud annoyance.
—— —
Geographical Puzzles.
We have received several geographical puzzles,
sent in competition for the prize we offered tince
weeks ago. We shall keep the offer open f ()r
another week, in order that our more distant sub
scribers may have an opportunity of sending > n
their contributions. In the meantime, our Ht-tle
friends must “possess their souls in patience.
There are four good habits — punctuality
accuracy, steadiness and dispatch. Without the
first of these, time is wasted ; without the secon ,
mistakes the most fatal to our own credit n’> (
interest, and that of others, may be committcu ,
without the third, nothing can bo well done; all(
without the fourth, opportunities of great a
vantage are lost, which it is impossible to reca