Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-13
BosToN's LURlD SKY.
Amusing Incidents Connected with
the Phenomenon -. Superstitious
People.



There were some very amusing incidents
connected with the extraordinary illumina-
ton of the skies on Tuesday. One of them
was the appearance at Hanover and Wash
ington streets of an aged darkey, who is an
adherent of the doctrine of Brother Jasper
of Richmond fame. 10 loud tones he made
the exclamation that ''the sun do move"
and that it was burning through the sky and
would lap up the earth before 1t got through.
The most widely circulated and prevalent
opinion In the city among that class Of per-
sons who delight to indulge in superstitious
ideas was that the light in the heavens had
something or other to do with the removal
of President Garfield from the White House
to Loug Branch. An old lady was noticed
to kneel on BrattIe street and lift up her
emaciated hands while her lips articulated
almost incoherent prayers. The restless
throng of people passed her by, and only
the representative of this journal knew that
she had been just Informed that President
Garfield had arrived safely at his cottage at
Long Branch.
Among the liquor dealers the appearance
OF the sky had marked effect. They are
always superstitious, and in this instance sew
eral of them could not stand the great yell
low sky without some qualms of conscience.
One man on Dover street wss known to
close his place and take his family to pray
ers.
In the shipping in the North End, the
sailors now 10 port showed many symptoms
OF fear at the sight in the heavens of such
peculiar light. "Did you ever see anything
likeit anywhere ?" an old tar was asked by
the Post Tuesday evening. "No, sir: I've
travelled in every sea in the world, and never
saw such an awful sight as that of to-
day." 'Do you call 1t awful ?' the reporter
asked. "Well, it was beautiful, and Just
fh0nOhf (fO6 oh IN fhrOUOh
the Clouds" the poetic reply came From
the steamers the sky appeared even more
beautiful than In the city. Persons who
were passengers say that the golden light
fell on the water and turned each wave-top
into miniature mountain of half yellow,
half crystal green. To descend to the prac-
tical: People were obliged to light their
gas In private families, In stores and count
ing rooms. 1t was a semi-moonlight even
ing the entire day.
The excitement of the day, and the ques-
tioning, was concerning the phenomenon of
the red sky. Nothing else, perhaps, could
have drawn away the excited attention of
the populace from the bulletin boards of
the newspapers. Several scientists and
popular meteorolOgists were called upon,
but they could not furnish positive informa-
ton as to why the country should have such
a day. One gentleman, who is temporarily
stopping at the Parker House, and who
lives in London, says that he has often no.
ticed such days in his city. Another gen
tleman said that he also lived in London,
and that he never saw such a day.
London seems to be the foundation for
precedents in the matters of this sort of
weather, but representative of the Post ran
against Scotchman at the Crawford House
who once upon time seen Just such day
He said that 1t was in Aberdeen in 1861, and
that the heavens were of the same golden
hue, and that the people of bis parish were
as much, iffnot more terrified, than the resi-
dents of Boston. Business in the city was
much affected by the strange light in the
sky, and merchants, clerks, errand-boys
and children all stopped their usual occups-
tions to accost each other upont the curiosity
Of the event. Between 4 and O'Clock the
red appearance of the heavens began to
fade into graYish tint, and before the lat
ter hour had been told the sky had assumed
its natural appearance.