The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-01-15

infirmity make them at times fretful,
bear with them patiently. not forgetting
that time may ere long bring you to need
the same care and attention.
METEORlC SHOWERS.
An Eyewitness Account Of tho Display
In November, 1888.
from the Columbus (Ga.) Hnquirer.1
The meteoric display of Nov. 13, 1883,
was by very far the most remarkable
natural phenomenon I have ever wit
messed. The event came unhera1ded, and
took us all by surprise. I was residing
at the time in McDoncugh, Henry coun-
ty. Suffering at the time from an in
famed eye, aud being unable to sleep,
I rose about o'clock on the night in
question, and went ont to my kitchen
for the purpose Of lighting q lamp (lu-
cifer matches had not then been in
vented, or had not, at least, come into
use in that section). In passing to the
kitchen I did not happen to look up;
but a. soon as our cook (old Aunt
Nary opened the door she drew back
in alarm, exclaiming, Lord, master, tho
world is coming to an endl Just look
at the stars. They are falling!" My
faith in the scriptures (such as Matthew
XIV, IA, and others of the same i'm
port) precluded the idea of it's being the
end of the world, and was not alarmed.
Returning to my room, I prepared my
wife for viewing the phenomenon, which
she did without undue excitement. I
then sailed forth to rouse some of my
neighbors. that they also might enjoy
the wonderful display. The two near
est wree lawyer and preacher, both
of whom were terribly alarmed, and,
despite my expostulations, greatly
alarmed their wives. Without going
further, I had my hands full in endeav-
oring to restore them to some degree
of composure.
From o'clock until daylight I wit
messed the grand display. Looking
upward, it seemed as the meteors all
started from common center, and fell
in curving lines to the very earth, and
there were thousands, if not millions,
of them in sight at the same moment,
until daylight put an end to the scene.
It literally rained fire. Sometimes the
shower would slacken for q moment or
so, and then it would be renewed until
the very heavens seemed to be ablaze
Some were brighter, some of paler hue
but they were all fire Tor seemed to
be SOY, and all were pouring down
toward the earth. But am attempt
ing to do what I promised myself I
would not undertake, to describe a
scene which no imagination can con-
ceive, nor tongue nor pen portray. It
was az clear night as ever saw. I
would fix my eyes on q given star, and
in few moments it would seem to fall,
owing, I suppose, to the fact that it was
obscured by a passing meteor. The
illusion was perfect.
For two or three days after the &C.
currence the atmosphere was so smoky
as to prevent the stars from being seen
at night, and to cause the sun to look
like ball of fire in the daytime, upon
which one might gaze with the naked
eye without pain.
A few occurrences connected with
the event may interest your readers.
In. Covington, Newton county, at 2
o'clock, the church-bell was rung and
the whole population was aroused, who
repaired to the meeting house and
spent the remainder of the night in
devotional exercises.
The gold mines in Faulding and ad.
jacent counties had drawn together
many NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and gam
blers. A gentleman direct from that
section informed me that soon after
midnight guns were fred, horns blown,
and the sleepers for miles were aroused.
The gamblers threw their cards in the
fire, enemies made friends, and there
was such praying as was never heard in
that section before, and perhaps has
never been heard since.
Only q few days after tho phenomenon
! was passing from McDonough to
Zebulon, and stopped to spend the
night with friend. He had two North
ern men employed in erecting mill
on small stream near his residence,
the elder one Of whom had been q sea-
falling of the stars" became the sub
ject of conversation. Seeing the North
ern men coming up the hill, my friend
said: Engage those men-especially
the elder one-in conversation on the
subject" supper over, i managed to
draw them out. The older one said j:
Il have spent most of ny life on the
sea, and have passed through many
dangers. But I never had to look
death and eternity 80 squarely in the
face before. You know, parson, that
sailors believe in the North star. Well,
1saw that the other stars were falling, but
I thought that as long As the North star
kept its place all was safe. So went
out there and sat on the ground, with
my back against the chimney tit was q
rock chimney, and then I watched that
star, trying not even to wink. In few
minutes it cut loose, and here it came.
And then, parson, fell on my knees
and did some of the tallest praying you
ever heard, and I have not sworn an
oath since" I have seen many people
since who have waited for the North
star to fall before they would pray.