Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-09-30

The 10Th of May, 1880, was a re-
marnable one in the annals of New
England, on account Of the thick dark
ness that overspread the land, like a
funeral pail. 1t was day long to be
remembered and talked Of by those
who witnessed the strange and, at that
time, fearful phenomenon. There was
much writing upon and discussion of
the subject at the time and afterward,
but believe no satisfactory conclusion
was ever arrived at as to its cause
There were some who thought that it
must have proceeded from total
eclipse OF the sun, that had, from some
cause, escaped the calculations of math-
ematicians and astronomers, but that
was easily shown to be impossible by
facts and figures.
1t was then the darkest and most
hopeless period of the war of the Rev
olution, and it was thought by many
of the desponding and discouraged to
be significant OF the end of that which
then appeared to thom hopeless
struggle. Some Of the more sanguine
insisted that az the hour before the
dawn was always the darkest, SO this
strange and portcntous gloom was but
the prelude to the bright dawn of Lib
erty and Independence that was soon
to follow.
The father OF the writer was then a
boy OF thirteen years, and was at work
with his father and brother, planting
or preparing the ground. 1t was a
dull, hazy morning, and as the time
passed it gradually thickcned, and by
10 o'clock the increasing darkness be-
gan to be quite apparent. They kept
on withthcir work, and as the gloom in
creased they observed that he would
pause once IN while and look intent
ly all around the horizon and over
head, but made no remark until he di-
rected the oldest boy to 60 to the barn
and turn the horses and the cattle that
were inside out into an open lot, and
to close and secure every door aad
window. 1t appeared that he was ap-
prehensive that some sudden and turi-
Gus gust or squall would soon mani
fest itself, and that the animals would
be in less danger out in the field than
inside the building.
Still the darkness grew thicker and
deeper, till presently he said they
might as well quit work for the pres
ent. On reaching the house the moth
er and sister were about their usual
duties, pale and silent. Little was said
except an occasional remark or direc-
ton III low tone. No one seemed
inclined to conversation or demonatra-
ton of any kind. Soon dinner was
ready, with candles lighted the same
as at night, but not morsel was eaten.
4 dead silence seemed to pervade all
nature, broken only by occasional
bleating of lamb, or the distant low
ing of the kline, which wandered about
restless and uneasy. The domestic
fowls seemed to be inclined to come
to the conclusion that if it was not
night they could put no other con-
struction upon it, SO: after cluckinS
over the matter tor 4 while, went to
roost. And thus the long and dreary
hours passed away. Along in the at
terEoon the veil was lifted in some de-
gree, and at the time of sunset it was
about the same as in an ordinary dull
cloudy day.
The night which followed was, it is
SAID, as dark proportionately as was
the day. 1t WAS the perfect "blackness
of darkness Not the taintest object
could be discerned against the sky
4 light would penetrate it but little
way, and seem to disclose but a solid
wall OF blackncss around.-[Cape Ann
AdvnrfiSor