The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-23

deepest green, verging On indigo; TIN
brightest silver seemed tarnishcd, and every
thing that is white in the sunlight bore
deep yellow hue. ot
The shadows, which before noon fell t,
the westward and afternoon the eastward
were observed during the darkness to fal
| in every direction. =
| The rain also, was unlike any other rain
and it set all the people to wondering a.
they dipped it from tubs and barrels for {
scum formed on it resembling burnt leaves
emitting sooty smell, and this same sub
pecially the Merrimac, where it lay four O,
ivc inches thick, for many miles all along
its shore .rJ
Another popularity was the vapor; in
many localities it descended to the eartl
from high in tho atmosphere; but at one
point q gentleman saw tho vapors ut nine
o'clock, rising from the springs and low.
lands; one column he particularly noticed
rapidly ascending far above the highes,
hills, then it spread into allargc white cloud
and sailed off to the westward, n second
cloud formed in the same way from the
same springs, but did not rise as high as the
first, and third formed fifteen minute.
afterward. At a quarter of ten the upper
most cloud was of reddish hue, the second
was green, indigo aud blue, and the third
was almost white
So unwholesome was this vapor that
small birds were sutfocated in it, and many
of them were so frightened and stupcfied
that they flew into the houses, adding to
the fears of ignorant people, who considered
1t a bad sign for bird to enter dwelling.
of ia,
between ten and eleven in the forenoon
(When the men were busy in the fields and
offices and workshops, the women spinning,
weaving and preparing dinner, and the he
children at school, or helping their fathers
and mothers at home), and it continued un-
til the middle of the following night but
the degree of darkness varied; in some
places the disk of the sun was seen when
the darkness was the most dense.
Lights were seen burning in all the houses
and the people passing of-doors carried
torches aud lanterns, which were curiousy
reflected on the overchanging clouds.
Thousands Of people were sure that the
end OF the world had come, many dropped
their work and fell on their knees to pray,
others confessed to their fellows the wrongs
they had done and endcavored to make re-
stitrtinn.
The meeting house was crowded, and
helghDorhood praycr-meetings were formed,
and the ministers and old church members
prayed long prayers, metioning the nations
and individuals of Bible times who had been
destroyed on account OF their sins, and beg
glng that as God spared the great city of
Ninevch when 1t rcpented, 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 legislature
being in session, the members became ter
rified when they could not see each others
%en nTa Fa DagehbSl ajSa Saa 1made to adjourn
'.Mr Speaker, it is either" tiiiee iiie' day OF
judgment or it is not. If it is not there is
no need of adjourning. If it is, desire to
be found doing my duty. move that
candles be brought, and that we proceed to
business"
All the shivering, frightened people be-
gan now to look forward to evening, hoping
that as the moon rose full at nine o'clock,
her light would penetrate the gloom; but
all the children who coaXcd to sit up and
see her, grew very sleepy, their strained
eyes were not rewarded by her beautiful
beams, for at eight III the evening the dark
ness was total; one could not distinguish
between the earth and the heavens, and it
was impossible to see hand before ones
face.
Then all the weary children werc sent to
bed after the most honest prayers that they
had ever prayed, and the older people sat
up to watch for the light that never before
had appeared 30 glorious. "'''.
And never dawneh fairer morning than
the twentieth of May, for the sun that OPEN
ed the flowers and mirrorcd itself in the
dew-drops brought the color again to the
children's faces, and filled every heart with
confidence.
The birds sang joyously, the cattle re-
turned to their pastures, the places of bust
ness were opened, and every one went about
his work more gentle toward man and more
grateful toward God. .@,'#'' ~.
After the darkness was passed, several
persons travelled about to gather all possible
information concerning this memorable day,
and DIR. Tcnny wrote an account Of what he
had learned while on q journey from the
east to Pennsylvania. He says the deepest
darkness was in Essex county, Mass, the
lower part of New Hampshire, and the
eastern portion of Maine, where my great
grandmother lived, In Rhode Island and
Connecticut 1t was not 80 great; In New
Jersey peculiar clouds were observed, but
the darkness was not uncommon; and In
the lower parts Of Pennsylvania nothing
unusual was observed.
1t extended as far north as the American
settlements and westward to Albany, but
it's exact limits could not be ascertained.
In Boston the darkness continued four
teen or fifteen hours, varying in duration al
other places.
AS IL was impossible to attribute the dark
ne ss to an eclipse, the wise people formed
many theories respecting it; being con
vinced that 1t was due to fmmense fires II
tile woods, winds blowing in opposite di
rections, and to the condition of the vapors
but Herschol says, 1.-THE dark day in north
ern America was one of those wonderful
phenomena Of nature which will always b'
read of with interest, but which philosophy
is at a loss to explain" ,IHat ~
!, ;ntf A Bears Freaks.2 ..,
A bear has an appetite very similar t,
that of a goat On board the United State
1e - t. IL