The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-06-16
For the Guardian.
FRIENDS RrCH & JORDAN:

Happening to be out late last
night--or, rather, very early this morn.
ing-I was favored with the sight of one
of the most beautiful phenomena of ma
ture, in one of her pyrotechnic exhibi-
tions, that ever beheld. The moon set
at 81 minutes past midnight. AT that
time l was some eight miles from this
place. and approaching town from
north -east direction Soon after the
moon had sunk beneath the western hor-
izon, l was surprised at the sudden in
crease of light. On looking for cause
for this, beheld in the north the most
most beautiful Aurora Borealis that i'm
agination could picture.
Along the northern horizon was what
appeared to be a bank of dark clouds.
This was surmounted by strip Of light
forming an ark, the summit of which
was about 80 degrees above the horizon
from which spires of light shot up
nearly to the zenith. This soon changed
by depression at the top of the ark.
and corresponding elevation on either
side-and an increased length of the
flashes that passed up the sky. Soon to
the north-eas the aura almost disappear
ed, while to the north-wes it was intense
ly brilliant. Almost that entire quarter
of the heavens, from the horizon to the
zenith, was covered with streaks of
beautiful light that almost turned night
into day. This was the condition of the
aoura when arrived at Independence.
As l alighted from the carriage, l OBJ
served that to the northeast, and extend
ing far around to the east, there was an
undulatory or waving motion to the
light. This was neither flashes of light.
nor streaks passing up the sky. These
waves, that at first seemed faint, gradu-
ally grew more visible, and extended to-
wards the northwest, till the whole aura
had the appearance Of being agitated by
some gigantic force. | can think of no
other illustration than to imagine the
whole heavens to be sky-blue canvas,
streaked with white in its northern part,
and that some gigantic individual had
got hold Of the north least corner of the
same, and was trying to shake the dust
out of it. These waves had the same ap-
pearance that would be given to screen
similarly painted and fastened by two
sides to frame and let some one take it
by the opposite corner and shake it up
and down.
While this waving still continued, the
light at the northwest gradually decreas-
ed in brlliancy, and in the height it ex-
tended above the horizon, while to the
north east it grew brighter and brighter,
and sent up spires further into the heav-
ems.
The waves now became less regular.
Along the horizon there appeared lumin-
Gus spots in what had heretofore appear
ed to be a bank of dark clouds. From
these luminous spots shot forth flames
and balls of luminous matter, resembling
a volcano in state of eruption. l no
ticed four of these places. Between
these, and also extending far to the east
of north. the raying continued, though
with less regularity.
From the centre of the north hemis
phere Of the heavens, and at an angle of
about As degrees from the horizon,
very bright meteor shot forth. and pass
ing off in southeast direction, disap-
peared. For moment the aura stood
still. as though appalled, by the more in
tense light. This continued so long that
l was sure twas no delusion on my part,
produced by the flash of the meteor
Then, as though to convince mortals that
1t was not to be outdone BY any such
small affair as meteor, along the whole
northern sky it sent forth one grand flash
of light, and from various parts of the
heavens streaks of light shot up to the
zenith. Then the whole northern por-
ton of the heavens commenced waving
as though old Boreas was shaking his
table cloth after breakfast
Just then the cocks of Independence
began to send forth their shrill clarions
of approaching day. The aura, like the
ghost in Hamlet, seemed to fear the COM
ing morn. for in less than ten minutes
the whole heavens were cleared of this
exhibition. The stars, that had before
shed but dim light, shone forth in their
accustomed splendor. Thinking the ex-
hibition closed for the night, | retired.
but could not sleep but fell off into
reverie upon the great amount of beauty
that nature exhibits TO us which We might
all behold. did not Morpheus claim SO