Delta chief., 1884-01-30
sIxTy.EIGHT YEARS AGO.
Remarkable New England snow-storn
Thunder and Lightning, and Snow
That Giowed Like Raging


Fire.
This is the story that the ''oldest in
abitant' told Boston Globe reporter
be other day: 1T was in the month of
january. 1916, just sixty-eight years
- this very month that it took place.
Il nearly scared all Berkshire county
Il of their wits. Hem let me see, it
as on the night of the 10Th or l6th-
p. the 18th was correct. lived there
nth my father in the south part OF
dams. just about hslf mile north OF
he Cheshire line. Soon after supper
I, Ind two or three other boys took our
6leds and went ::out for coast. We
lad great ime. tell ye; we start on
little hill. side Of q pond, go down
With rush and buzz. away on the ice
t3o the other end of the pond. Oh, it
Was grand sport! But that hasn't any
hing to do with my story, not mite
81 grain. 1t WAS along about the time
II hen we were getting ready TO go home
fhat il began TO snow gently, and l saw
81 flash OF lightning. l spoke to the
:spther boys about it, but they didn't see
,fit and laughed at me. felt sure of il,
'ahough and when we reached home
Mold my folks of il. My stars, what
'eeT'hey couldn't make enough jokes, and
&sver. and seemed To enjoy them just as
4 much A. il they were new. When
finally went To bed felt heartily asham-
4 ed of myself for having seen so oimpossi-
! BILE and ridiculous thing rs flash of
lightning in midwintcr. and was half
convinced that had been mistaken.
Not long after midnight we were
awakened by a terrific crash which set
the whole house trembling. Starting
\ ont Of bed the room was suddenly
4 lighted by vivid flash Of lightning.
which lasted. it seemed. several Sec
a onds, and was followed by a fearful
laundering Boo! IL makes my blood
run cold even now To think of it. got
downstairs As best ! could, and there
found the whole family-gals. women
u folks all. all huddlcd together. their
u teeth chattcring with fear and their eyes
Z bulging out of their heads. Dad, !
has the world come TO an
nd?' 'N.n-no.' he stammered. but
Its "A coming fast, and we rc all
#burnin2 up. just then there was an
a other flash. and when II was over
X booked out Of the winder and saw at
pncc what dad meant: the snow was
Ill on fire! II was falling fast. and as
II struck the ground il became red like
flame, and glowed away as II il would
\ burn up everything. Then IL gradually
faded until another flash came, when
Il IL all burst out again. Where the snow
L Law ON dead level this was not notice
able. but on the fences, the pig-pcn,
4 tn. house. the tip-cart. dropping from
q the branches of the trees, wherever
A there wa, u protection of any sort II
n glowcd and shonc like living flame.
a The old inhabiian, leaned back in his
fschair. cls-pcd his hands together. and
hooked away through the distance Of
Nycars. and his face became solemn as
he thought Of the fear the curious
\ spectacle created.
~ Were you much frightcsedP" ques-
toned one Of his listeners.
Frightened, That amt no word for
il. | was scared. sir; scared so much
that | nigh shivered myself into the
hereafter on that night. Why. that
binding lightning would fash into my
ewes, and the thunder came sim
ultnncuosly. and the old house would
go br-r-r-r-r-ugb, trembling in every
beam and rsitcr. That continued for
several hours and we Staid up. never
daring TO 20 Ia slcep-huh! we could
MT n gone to sleep in that racket, and
that fearful glow and burning kept up
on the snow I cant describe II: you d
ought to have seen it yourself Red
fire that lii up the yard and road so that
You could sec the objects and distin-
guish them. and see the snow come
falling steadily down like as If il would
bury us under n mantle OF flame. As
we learned aftcrward. all our neighbors
! round in that part of the county were
\ just as much disturbed rs we We're.
Morcy Jinks. n friend Of our family.
who lived in those parts. was riding on
horseback that night from Savoy hol-
low up to the Center. and I've heard
him tell many time how shook up he
twas with fright. for his horses name
4 and ears were flaming red, and the
bride reins were just two strings of
flame reaching from his hand TO the
bits.
There WAS another man out riding
that night. too; they re both dead years
and years ago. This man was DIR.
Gushing. very famous physician of
that time, known and respected all over
the northern part of Berkshire. He
h was riding home from n visit Toto
A well, never mind; the name has slipped
from me. He was out through all the
storm, and noticed the same things that
Morcy Jinks told of, but he wasn't so
scared rs the rest of us. He acknowl-
edged that IL made his heart beat n lit
Al 4. b: L.. To-. 4.