The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-10-24


embracing an area Of 500, 900 square miles
was known to be covered by the cloud,
aud 50 far as can be asccrlaiued, a popula.
lion Of zee, 900 souls sat for portion OF
the day and night in gloom more or less
profound aud iuexplicsblo
Just how dark the day was is attested
by iudispulable evidence The hour and
minute could not be discovered on the faco
of a clock or watch by persons Of unlm'
paired cyesight Candles became an ab
solute necessity both outdoors aud in, as
it was impossible to transact ordinary bus
iness without them. Fires on The hearth.
stone shoue as brightly as on o moonless
November evening, and oil diuner.tablcs
we're set with lighted candles upon them
as if it were the evening repast Tue
kccnrst eyes in doors could not see TO read
the common print So far beyond any or
dinary fog was the effect that stages on the
road either pu, up at the nearest hotel du.
ring the midday hours, or carried candles
or lanterns to enable the perplexcd driver
to we'll see his way.
Aud the brute and fcathcred creation
seemed puzzled and agitated. Tho birds
ceased 10 fly. and hid themselves in the
branches of the trees. AS the darkness
increased they sang their evening songs
as they do vt twilight aud then became
silent Pigeons on the wing took to the
shelter Of the forest as they do at night =
The whippoor.sill, as if it were truly
night, cheerfully sapg his song through
tic gloomy hours Wooicocks, which
are nightAirds. whistled as they ouly do
10 the night time Bats came out OF their
hiding places and 0ew about The fowls
marched sokmnly to their roosts "a they
DO only atnishtinll, aud after cacki"g for
a while oyer the mystery of so short day
became still. Cocks crowed as is their
cuspm at nightly intervals and the early
breiking Of day. Frogs pipea their even.
log concerts, and dogs wbined and howlcd
and ran away as on tho approach of an
esrh hpake The herds Of cattle on New
Eiseald,s q thousand bills, sought lhs: shol,
,tf'of No sid Of he Dafnyard, lowing as
they came ,otde gate. and sheep huddled
around tile circle with their heads Inward
.-hls invariable token ofapprebended dan.
ger.
'0aithc human family the effect was still
more curious aud dterrilyins The mech.
anic left bis tools in the shop, the farmer
his plvw in the'furrow and each moved
in silent aud marseling mood toward tho
barn Of dwelling. 0u the home thresh-
hold they we're met by pale aud anxious
women, who trembliugly inquired: What
is coming?' The alarmed traveller, seek.
ing tbe sympathy of bis fellow. man as one
with sense Of impending per.
i. put up at the nearest house, aud Mug
led his anxious questioniugs aud forebo-
diugs with those Of the family Strong
men met and spoke with surprise on their
and little children peered
timilly into the .:leepcnins gloom, aud
then sought the shelleriug parental arms
Schools broke up in alright. and the won.
dering pupils scampcred homeward with
many expressions Of childish fear. The
inevitable candle shone out Of the windows
Of all dweIliugs-every countenauce gath.
cred blackncss all hearts were filled with
fear of an approaching, unparalleled
storm, or the occurrence of terrestrial
conyul,ion; but il was not the blackness of
the cloud, such as sometimes, with
frigh,ful agitation, breaks over single
city; it vas the silent spreading Of the pail
cloth over the earth by strong invisible
hands Many annecloies Of terror are re.
lated. In Boston, from the hours Of II or
| til 3 o'clock, business was generally sus.
pended and shops were closed. At Gro;
ton, Cour! was 10 session iD a meeting
house full Of large windows, as was the
old style of houses Of worship; but at half
past eleven all faces began to wear som
bre hue, whereupon magistrate and people
followed sui with all New England, and
called for candies. Connecticut went to-