The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-01
THE DARK DAY.
a CURIOUS PHENOMENON IN NEW ENG
LAND A CENTURY AGO.
tSt. Nicholas

most wonderful was the dark day In
New England, Friday, May 10. 1880.
This was during our revolution, you
will remember, and the same year In
which the traitor Benedict Arnold at
tempted to betray this country TO lts
enemies.
For severa; days before the nine
teenth, thel mir was full OF vapors, as
we often see it when fires are raging III
the woods near us, and sun and moon
appeared. ana their usual clear !lght
did not reach us, especially when rising
and setting. The winds Diew chieny
from the southwest and northeast. ana
the weather was cold and clear. The
rnorning Of the nineteenth was cloudy
and in many places rain fell, sometimes
accompanied by thunder and lightning,
INT as the sun rose it did not increase
fhe light. and the darkness deepened
and deepened until the children stand
ing before the tall clocks could not see
To tell the time, and other people peep
ing over the almanac could not distin-
g,iish the letters. The birds sang their
evening songs and flew to their nests In
the woods, the poultry hurried to their
roosts, while the cattle In the fields
uttered strange cries and leaped the
stone fences to gain their stalls, and the
SHeep III Hauuiou "oso'oA 'o
piteously.
Color. which you know depends upon
the light OF the sun, filled many with
agtonishment by its unusual appear
ance. for the clouds were In some places
of light red, yellow and brown; the
leaves on the trees and the grass on the
meadows were OF the deepest green,
verging on indigo; the brightest silver
seemed furnished, and everything that
la white In the sulight bore deep vel
low hue.
The shadows, which before noon fall
To the westward, and afternoon to the
eastward. were observed In the dark
ness to fall in every direction.
The rain also was unlike any other
rain. and it set oil the people to Won
dering as they dipped 1t from barrels
and tubs, for scum formed on IL re-
sembling burnt leaves, emitting sooty
smell. and this same scum was seen on
rivers and streams, especially the Mer-
rimac, where it lay four or five inches
thick for many miles olong It's shore.
Another popularity was the vapor; In
many localities it descended to the earth
from high In the atmosphere. but at one
point gentleman saw the vapOrs at 3
O'Clock rising from the springs and low
lands; one column he particularly no
ficed. ascending far above the highest
hills. then 1t spread into large white
cloud and sailed off to the westward;
second cloud formed In the same way
from the same springs. and third
formed fifteen minutes afterward. Alta
quarter OF 10 o'clock the uppermost
cloud was Of reddish hue. the second
was green, indigo and blue. and the
third was almost white.
SO unwholesome was this vapor that
4 o,,ff,oofnd n ~ md
MANY of them were 30 frightened and
stupefied that they flew into the houses,
adding to the fears of the ignorant peo-
ple. who considered il q bad sign for
bird to enter a dwelling.
The commencement Of the darkness
was between ten and eleven In the fore
noon. when the men were busy In the
fields and offices and workshops, the
women spinning, weaving and prepar-
ing dinner, and the children at schools
or helping their mothers and fathers at
home, and 1t continued until the middle
of the following night; but the degree
OF darkness varied, in some places the
disc OF the sun was seen when the dark
ness was the most dense.
Lights were seen burning in all the
houses, and the people passing out OF
doors carried torches and lanterns,
which were. curiously reflected on the
overhaDging clouds.
Thousands of people were sure that
the end OF the world had come; many
had dropped their work and fell on their
knees to pray others confessed to their
fellows the wrongs they had done, and
endeavored to make restitution.
The meeting houses were crowded,
and neighborhood prayer meetings were
formed and the ministers and old church
,nI Innu nnnntinn.
ing the nations and individuals OF Bible
times who had been destroyed on &C.
count Of their sins, and begging that as
God mad spared the great city OF Nine
yah when it repented, 80 he would for
give them, cheer them again by the
light OF the sun and give victory to their
armies.
1t Is said that the Connecticut Legis-
lature being in session, the members
became terrified when they could not
see each others faces, and motion was
made to adjourn. when Mr.. Davenport
arose and said:
"Mr. Speaker, it is either the day OF
Judgment or 1t is not. II it is not, there
sire to be found doing my duty. j move
that candles be brought and that we
proceed to business"
All the shivering, frightened people
began now to look forward to evening,
hoping that as the moon rose full at 9
O'Clock, her light would penetrate the
gloom, but all the children who were
coaxed up to see her grew very sleepy,
their strained eyes were not rewarded |
by her beautiful beams, for at in the |
evening the darkness was total; one
could not distinguish between the |
earth and the heavens, and 1t was i'm
possible to see hand before ones face.
Then all the weary children were sent
to bed after most honest prayers that
they had ever prayed, and the older
people sat up to watch for the light that
never before had appeared 80 glorious.
And never dawned fairer morning
than the twentieth Of May, for the sun
that opened the flowers and mirrored
Itself In the dowdrops brought the color
aa,ain to the childrens' faces, and filled
every heart with confidence.
The birds sang joyously; the cattle
-eGurned to their pastures: the places
of business were opened, and every one
IA &C. l. 4 1