Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-10-27
THE AURORA BOREALIS, &c.
DY CoSMO URANIA.

| Stu LILY uIo, Do tuVt SAO hO'S WIN
t monty called; is a luminous phe-
nomenon which appears generally in
the northern horizon.
This mysterious phenomenon cen
sists OF luminous rays of various
colors, apparently shooting upwards
from the surface Of the earth, into
the heavens.
A meteor Of such striking appear
ance could not otherwise than at
tract the attention of philosophers
in all ages : and give rise to vari Gus
theories, respecting the cause Of
this phen omenon. Accordingly we
find quite diversity Of opinion as
to the producing cause.
Some have imagined that these
Lights were due TO the refraction of
the Suns rays. The celebrated
Euler supposed that they were iden-
tical with the tails Of comets. Some
have supposed they were caused by
the intermixture Of the SUMS atmos
phere with that of the earth. But
all these opinions are now abandon
ed.
1t is now supposed that the trans
sion of electricity through the at
mospLere (when in highly rariiied
condition. is the cause of this phe-
nomena. This theory was adopted
when the relation between magnetism
and electricity vas demonstrated.
But as yet the complete details
have not been given. To great
extent this phenom ena Is shrouded
with mystery; and an opportunity
is yet given to some one to enroll
his name on fame's record.
| A few days ago the citizens of our vii
lage had an opportunity of witnessing an
exhibition Of one of these singular phe-
nomena. il was indeed beautiful sight,
calling forth the highest admiration Of one
part and the most alarming apprehensions
of another class The former looked upon
the moving shafts of colored lights as the
varied expression of the glory aud gran
deur of Natures Laws, tremendously and
silently working out some benevolent
scheme in the economy of creation while
the latter could see in the crimson sky,
hostile armies marching in battle array to
meet each other IL the struggle of bloody
conflict.
Another of these beautiful scenes came
of this morning, monday Oct, 2lsD re-
yealiDg TO human eyes one of the most
grand and imposing sights which we ever
witnessed.
first observed it about o'clock a. ". !
The whole northern hemisphere, from |
the borizon to the zenith, was Illuminated |,
with almost every variety of colors. |
Shafts or pillars of whiIish light con-
trasted with these Of varions tots of red /
from a deep crimson to pale tint scarce
" visible. These vertical shafts stool |
out bold and prominent, while they alter
mated with intervening openings of blue |
and yellow.
Ursa major and Ursa minor. Andromeda |
and indeed all the circumpolar Stars,
shone at times through seemingly blood,
stained sky.
AlthOnUl, Orfl \ I'll -, &c
latitude are very attractive and beautiful, |
yet this beauty will not compare with |
that exhibited IN nortber attitudes. The |
description which travellers in high |
Northern ATTITUDES, give of these interest |
ing phenomena, are, indeed, most won
derful. In these regions the bright ness
of the rays vary more suddenly than with
US. Their .brilliancy surpasses the splen-
dor of the brightest stars. Sometimes these
rays dart out in curves like the folds of a
serpent--and are very transparent. The
base or lower part of the folds exhibit
blood rcd-the middle a pale emerald
green, and the upper part pale yellow.
Sometimes, an arc like a rainbow sud-
denly appears, accompanied by a multi
tude of jets of light. which issue from all
points of the Northern horz on, and the
vertex of the bow will reach nearly to the
zenith.
To the Inhabitants of high Northern lat
itudes, the Aurora is of much benefit. In
| the absence of the Sun (Which in some
localities is not seen for weeks and
months, these phenomena give light to
the Inhabitants. They bring joy and glad
ness to the fur-clad hunter, whose home
is with the white bear who roams uyer
tie snow fields and ice hills of the frozen
zohe, and with the aryk and penguin,
which scream around ice bound, desolate
shores.
The Northern Lights are not, as some
have supposed, meterolo gical pheDome-
non of modern times. They were seen
in the days OF Aristotle and even in The
times Of Pliny, Cicero and Seneca.
During the dark ages superstition con-
verted the singular exhibitions, and APP
pearance of those lights into the forms of
chariots and horsemen, and armed war
riors driv ing through the heavens with
murderous hate in their hearts, to deal
out death and desolation in their path
way.
Nor is this superstition yet banished
from the minds of many American citi
zens. The Aurora, failing stars, CON-
cts, and the wandering Jack % -the-Lan-
terms" are yet regarded by many good
meaning people, as evil omens. proguosti-
eating harm to the human family.
1 But, thanks to the progress of educa-
ton, this weakness of poor depraved hui
man nature is fast fading from the human
mind; aud we have but to wait a few