The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-07
A Remarkable New England Snow.
Storm.


was correct. l lived there with INV
father in the south part of Adams, Just
about half mile north of the Cheshire
line. Soon after supper I and two or
three other boys took our sleds and went
out for coast. We had great time.
l tell We; we'd start on little hill. side
Of pond, go down with a rush and a
buzz, away on the ice to the other end
Of the pond. Oh, it was grand SPORT
But that hasn't anything to do with nv
story, not mite or a grain. 1t was along
about the time when we we're getting
ready to SO home that it began to snow
gently, and | saw flash of lightning. I
spoke to the other boys ahoutit, but they
didn't see 1t and laughed at me. felt
sure of it though. and when we reached
home | told my folks of it. NV stars.
what fun they did mako of me. He, ha!
They couldn't make enough jokes, and
as they repeated the same ones over and
over, and seemed to enjoy them just as
much as if they were new. When |
finally went to bed | felt heartily
ashamed of myself for having seen 50
ridiculous and impossible thing as a
flash OF lightning in midwinter, and was
half convinced that I had been
mistaken
Not long after midnight we were
awakened by terrific crash which set
the whole house trembling. Starting
out of bed the room was suddenly
lighted by vivid flash of lightning,
which lasted, it seemed, several seconds,
and was followed by fearful thunder
ing. Boo! it makes my blood run cold
even now to think OF it. l got down.
stairs as best | could, and there found
the whole family-gals and women
folks and all, all huddled together, their
teeth chattering with fear and their
eyes bullying out of their heads Dad
I whined, has the world come to an
SneH 'N-n-no, he stammerad, but it's
9 coming fast, an we're all burning up
Just then there was another flash, and
when it was over I looked out of the
11nder and saw at Cnce what dad meant:
the snow was all on frel 1t was falling
fast, and as it struck the ground it be-
came red like flame, and glowed away
as if it would burn up everything. Then
it gradually faded until smother flash
came, when it all burst out again.
Where the snow lay on dead level this
was not noticeable, bat on the fences,
the pig-pen, the house, the tip-cart.
dropping from the branches Of tho
trees, wherever there was projection
Of any sort, it glowed and shone like
living fame
The old inhabitant leaned back in his
chair. elasped his hands together, and
looked away through the distance of
years, and his face became solemn as he
thought of the fear the curions spectacle
created.
Were you much frightened?" quss-
toned one of his listeners.
Frightened! That amt no word
for it, l was scared, sir; scared so much
that l nigh shivered myself into the
hereafter on that night. Why, that
binding lightning would flash into our
eyes, and the thunder came simulta-
neously, and the old house would go
br-r-r-r-r-ugh! trembling in every beam
and rafter. That continued for several
hours, and We staid up, never daring TO
20 to sleep--huh! We couldn't a gone to
sleep in that racket, and that fearful
glow and burning kept on the snow. |
| can't describe it; you'd ought to
have seen it yourself. Red fire that
Lit up the yard and road so that
you could see the objects and
distinguish them, and see the snow fall
ing down like as if it would bury Us
under mantle Of fame. As we learned
afterward, all our neighbors round in
| that part Of the country were Just as
much disturbed as we were Morey
Jinks, friend Of our family who lived
in those parts, was riding on horseback
that night from Savoy hollow up to the
Center; and I've heard him tell many q
time how shook up be was with fright, for
his horses name and ears were flaming
red, and the bride rains 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 DR..
Gushing, q very famous physician Of
that time, known and respected all
over the northern part Of Berkshire.
He was riding home from visit to-to
we'll, never mind; the name has slipped
from me. He was out through all the
storm, and noticed the same things that
Morsy Jinks told us Of, but he WASH I
80 scared as the rest of US. He &C
knowledged that it made his heart beat
a little faster, and that his hair was
inclined to rise, but he was determined
to find out what it all meant, so he rode
up to the most convenient object that
showed the fame This happened to
be blacksmith shop, the caves and sides
of which seemed to be burning up.
His horss was dreadful skittish, and
saw the fire as well as he did, and hated
to 90 near to it. But the doctor refined
him right close up to the shop, and
when he got there the horse was SC
frightened that she dropped down Oh
her knees. trembling like leaf in the
wind DIR. Cushidg poked off the
blazing snow with the butt of his riding
whip, and he used to tell how it fell to
the ground like drops of fame, still
! glowing. He kept his senses about him
but / guess cousid able moren half the
people in that part of the country
thought the world was surely coming
to an end. What would you think,
now, with all your modern eddication
your science and philosophy, and what
not, if you should see the falling snow
and the cold earth all in one granG
blaze Of flaming fire? Hey? Come
now, don't YOU think you'd be Ieetlt
disturbed? Do think you'd be calm
and Indifferent Not a mite. nor &
grain"
| Aud the oldest inhabitent settled
back as if he had finished an important
dispute. and you could not induce hin
to say another word on the subject. -
Boston Globe