The noble young man removed his hat, placed his eye to the instrument, a cloth was thrown over his head, and the astronomer continued:—
"Behold the bright star of Venus! A sight of this star is worth a thousand dollars to any man who prefers education to money." There was an instant of deep silence, and then the young man exclaimed:—
"I say!"
I stood behind him, and knew that the telescope pointed at the fifth storey of a building across the square, where a dance was in progress.
"All people indulge in exclamations of admiration as they view the beauties and mysteries of nature," remarked the astronomer. "Young man, tell the crowd what you see."
"I see a feller hugging a girl!" was the prompt reply. "And if there isn't a dozen of them!"
"And yet," continued the astronomer, "there are sordid wretches in this crowd who hang to ten cents in preference to observing such sights as these in ethereal space. Venus is millions of miles away, and yet by means of this telescope and by paying ten cents this intellectual young man is enabled to observe the inhabitants of that far-off world hugging each other just as natural as they do in this!"
The instrument was wheeled around to bear on the tower of the engine-house some distance away, and the astronomer, continued:—
"Behold the beauties and the wonders of Saturn! This star, to the naked eye, appears no larger than a pin's point, and yet for the paltry sum of ten cents this noble young man is placed within one mile of it!"
"Well, this beats all!" murmured the young man, as he slapped his leg.