The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-12-25
MISCELLANY.
THE DARK DAY.

of all the wonderful stories that my great
grandmother used TO tell my mother when she
was little girl, the most wonderful was
about the dark day. Friday, May 10Th, $780,
This was during our Revolution, You will
remember, and the same year in which the
traitor, Benedict Arnold, attempted to be-
tray his countrysto its enemies.
For several days before the nineteenth, the
air was full efryapors, as we often see it when
fires are raging IN tlewoods near us, and the
clear light did not reach us, especially when
rising and setting. The winds blew chiefly
from the southwest aud northeast, and the
weather was cool and CLEAR The morning Of
the nineteenth WAS cloudy, and in many plac-
es showers fell, sometimes accompanied by
thunder and lightning but as the sun arose
it did not increase the light, and the darkness
deepened and deepened until the children,
standing before the tall clocks, could not see
to tell the time, and older people, peering ov-
err the almanac were not able to distinguish
the letters The birds sang their evening
|
the poultry hurried to their roosts, while the
cattle in the 4ields sutter strange cries and
leaped the stone fences to gain their stalls,
and the sheep all huddIed together, bleatins
piteously.
Color, which you know depends upon the
light of the sun, filled many. with astonish-
pent by IFS lnpsssal Appearance. for the clouds
were in some places ora light red, yellow
and brown the leaves on the trees and the
grass in the meadows were Of the sdeepest
green, verging on indigo, the brightest silver
seemed furnished, and everything that is
white in the sunshine, bore q deep, yellow
hue. ss# 9ss aAss -
The shadows, which before noon fell to the
westward, and after noon to the eastward,
were observed during the darkness to fall in
every direction. nAs5 ahs,
The rain, also, was unlike any other rain,
and it set all the people to wondering as they
dipped it from tubs and barrels for scum
fogmed on it, resembling burnt leaves, emit
ting sooty smell and this same substance
was seen on streams and rivers especially the
Merrimac, where it lay four or five inches
thick, for many miles along its shore. sst
Another popularity was the vapor ; in
many localities it descended to the earth from
high in the atmosphere but at one point a
gentleman saw the vapors, at nine o'clock
rising from the springs aud lowlands one
column he particularly noticed, rapidly ascend
ing far above the highest hills, then it spread
into large white cloud and sailed off to the
westward, second cloud formed in the same
way from the same springs, but did not rise
as high as the first, and the third formed fif-
teen minutes afterward. AT a quarter of ten
the uppermost cloud was of reddish hue, the
second was green indigo and blue, and the
third was almost white. E7 HAT
So unwholesome was this vapor that small
birds were suffocated in It, aud many of them
we're so frightened and stnpefied that they
flew into the houses, adding to the fears of
ignorant people, who considered it bad sign
for bird to enter dwelling.
The commencement of the darkness was
between tepand eleven IN the forenoon when
the men were busy sin the 1i6 Ids and offices
and workshops tlie.@oiuc 4 spinpipg weaving
and prepafipg dinner and's re fehildren at
school 81 be lping their fathers and mothers
atfon,e, and it continned until the middle of
the following night ; butihe degree Of dark
ness satied il spms-places the disk 81 the
SUI, was ,seen wien tue daa knessswas the most
dense. W
Lights were seen burning IN all the houses,
and the people who passed outof doors carried
torches aud lanterns, which sshone curiously,
on the overhangipg clouds.
Thousands Of people were sure that the end
of the world had come, many dropped then
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
neiQhborhood prayer-meetings were formed
and the ministers and old church members
4 prayed long prayers, mentioning the nations
and individuals Of Bible times who had beer
destroyed on account Of their sins, and beg
giug that as Ged spared the rea city Of Min
eyeh when il repented, so lie would forgive
them, cheer them again by the light Of TIN
sun aud give victories to their armies.
1t is said that the Connecticut Legislature
being in session, the members became terrifl
ed when they could not see each others faces
and motion was made to adjourn, when Mr.
Davenport arose and said
g Mr.. Speaker, it is either the day of judg
ment or it is not. If it is not there is no nee