The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-05-22
The park par.

Wednesday, May 10. was the one hundredlh
anniversary Of the Ozark Day. May 10,
1850, which spread darkness and gloom over
a large part Of this couatry. The darkness
was most Intense ia New England, aRd es.
pecially in Massachusetts, where It was com.
monty thought to be the Day Of Judgment.
The early morning was cloudy, with indica.
tons OF coming thunder storms, and even
when the sun rose toward the zenith and there
were but few distinctly marked clouds it was
so dark that il was hardly possible to read
except by candlelighs What clouds there
were were strange and lurid, and, it is said,
shadows were cast in all directions, irrespee
tive Of the position Of the sun, unusual re-
fractions aRd reflections playing their part in
the phenomena Of the upper air. Where rain
fell the water was presently covered with n
peculiar scum, which on the Merrimac river
was several inches thick, as it also was along
the shores Of several other New England
rivers. Peculiar Tapors descended from the
clouds, while others assembled from the earth
to meet and mibgle with them. As is said
generally TO be the case in unusual disturb
anee Of nature, birds and domestic animals
showed great distress, budding together aud
uttering cries Of alarm. According to obsery.
ers in New England, where, as has been said
The phenomena were most marked, the inten.
sity Of the darkness was greatest between 10
and II o'clock IN The morning. IL continued
throughout the day, bgtihe degree Of obscur.
ity varied at different places: OF soma the sun
vas seen AZ the darkest hour, while at others
Il was entirely Invisible People left their
sg;ployments and throRged to tho churches
IN terror as great as thai Of the beasts of the
field and the ministers held up their sins be.
fore them and retold The history OF mer and
nations swept away from the face Of the earth
by the Lord in His anger at their iaiquities. A
story has come down to US to which is refera.
Bile name commonly given in New England
u those portentous hours-that Of "Dayen.
ports Dark Dny.n The Connecticut LegisIa.
fuFe was in session, and as the gloom settle
down mora and more frightiglly the members
cried that i was the Day Of yqdgmepi, and
motion was made 10 adjourn. Then arose
Col. AbFahap Davenport and said: "Mr
Spesker, i is either tbs Day Of Judgement OF
L Is not. lit 10 not, ihers is no need Of adj
journmsnt II IL Is, desire to be found do.
ing my duty. | move that candies b8 brought
and that We proceed TO business IA motion
which brough, the Legislators to their senses.
As the day wore on the excitement and
dread forebodiRg Of what was coming increas
ed. The moon Was 10 rise Of o clock aud
il was hoped that her beams would dispsl the
gloon, but at 8 clock the darkness was such
That the earth could not be distinguished
from the sty end Shsp the hour arrived at
Which, accordingly ~ tbs simsEae, the moon
should sac potb;pg vas 10 ke Hsen Ct her, aud
tiu toward more,ss ksF eopFss eoplt pos te
traced in the heavens. fhess was Itile sleep
Throughout New England that night, bot tbs
morning Of the 20tb dawned bright and beau.
tifal, dispelling the terror as il dispelled the
siaom. No satisfactory explanation Of these
phepppena has ever been offered By
science, &Pa H.5saehel ssia ofthe day that II
va OBa III tboke pfe9og.srn 81 neigsa which
philosophy IA af q loss "a eSpisip, r = -