North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-08-25

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Aid ,tis wllly beating yet
Per its little stranger pss. m as
y Hsr.,' sss,., c:s - s.sa'
IL the fellow last sicws
Tell him. II be doesn't kn1w.
I'M net leave you. not Tor Joe,
earahphim.
THE TOTAL EctiP3E OF 1905.
All Of ~, over 40 years Of age, remember
10 havehsard our parents and their ac'
quaintances talk Of the eclipse of 1906.
In Patnan's Magazine for September will
be found graphic, Lot to say thrilling
description Of that grand phenomenon,
given at the time BY J. Fennimors Cooper,
tho great American Novelist. . Science to-
day i 90 generally difFased that but little
fright accompanies the visits Of celestial
exhibitions, but IL was not 50 in 1906. Az
late a. 1894 We well remember the fears
entertained by many Of the uninformed
that the world wss ''coming to an end
while the annular eclipse Of that year was
doing business. How people felt % years
prior to that time can be learned by read
ing the following interesting article: ss
when left the court house . sombre,
yellowish, unnatural coloring was shed
over the county. A great change had
taken place. The trees on the distant
heights had lost their verdure and their
airy characters; they were taking the
outlines Of dark pictures craven upon an
unfamiliar sky. The lake wore lurid
aspect, very unusual. All living crea-
lures seemed thrown into q state Of agita-
tion. The birds were huttering to and fro
in great excitement; they seemed to mis-:
trust that this was not the gradual
approach Of evening, and we're undecided
in Sheir movements. Even the dogs,
honest creatures, became uneasy and drew
closer to their masters. The eager, joyous
look Of interest and curiosity, which
earlier in the morning had appeared in
almost every countenance, was now
changed to an expression of wonder, or
asxiety, or thoughtfallness, according to
the indi vidusl character.
Every house now gave up its tenants.
As the light faded more and more with
every passing second, the children came
Hooking about their mothers in terror.
The women themselves were looking about
ureasily for their husbands. The Amer
ican wife il more apt than any other to
turn with afFectionate confidence to the
stronger arm for support. The men were
very generally silent and grave. Many
laborer left his employment to be near his
wife and children. as the dimness and
darkness increased.
The birds, which quarter Of An hour
earlier had been auttering about in great
agitation, seemed now convinced that
nj ght was at hand. Swallows were dimly
seen dropping into the chimneys, the
MARITIME returned to their little boxes, the
pigeons few home to their dovs-cotes, and
through the open door Of small barn we
saw the fowls going to roost.
The usual food of sunlight had now
become 60 much weakened that we could
look upward long and steadily without
the least pain. The sun appeared like a
youpe moon Of three or four days cid,
thossh, of course, with . larger and more
brilliant crescent. Looking westward a
moment, spark appeared to glitter before
INV eve. For second l believed it to be
an Optical deluyion, but in another instant
saw it plainly TO be star. One after
another they came into view, more rapidly
than in the evening twilight, until per-
haps ffty stars appeared to US in broad,
dark some il the heavens, crowning the
pines on the western mountain. This
wonderful vision Of the stars during the
noontide hours Of day filed the spirit with
singular sensations.
Suddenly one Of my brothers shouted
aloud, "The moon!'' Quicker than
thought my eyes turned eastward again,
and there Aoated the moon, distinctly ap-
parent, to degree that was almost fear.
full. The spherical form, the character,
the dignity, the substance Of the planet,
were clearly revealed Is I have never be-
held them before or since. 1t looked
grand, dapk, majestic and mighty, as it
thus proved il power 70 rob Us entirely OF
the suns rays. We arc all but larger
children. In daily life We judge Of OBJ
iects by their outward aspect. We are
accustomed to think of the sun, and also
of the moon as sources Of light, as ethe-
rial, almost spiritual, in their essence.
But the positive, material nature Of the
moon was now revealed to our senses.
with force of conviction, clearness OF
perception. that changed our usual ideas
in conrection with the planet. This wa
no interposition of vapor, no deceptive
play of shadow but vast mass of oh
yious matter had interposed between the
sun above us and the earth on which we
stood. ~
Twas recalled by familiar and insig.
pi6cant incident, the dull tramp Of hooii
on the village bridge. A few cows,
believing that night had overtaken them,
were coming homeward from the wild
open pastures about the village. And nc
wonder the kiadly creatures were deceiv>
ed, the darkness xas now much deeper
than the twilight which usually turns
: their faces homeward the day was failing