The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-27


my friend, 'and you shall taste some of
the famous blind fish of the Mammoth
cave and some of the blind catfish from
the underground Conestoga."
The Last Day of the Year 1000.
1t was believed in the middle ages that
the world would come to an end at the
expiration of one thousand years of the
Christian era. This expectation in Chris
tian countries was universal. The year
1000 was period of suspense. terror and
awe. The histories of this dark period
give vivid accounts and incidents of the
state of the people under the influence of
this awful apprehension. A writer in
Sunday at Home reproduces the picture
with much distinctness, and relates an
incident of the manner that the hours
were numbered on the supposed final
night of the year, which might APPLY sug-
gest dramatic subject for poet:
When the last day of the year 900
dawned the madness had attained its
height. All work Of whatever kind was
suspended. The market places were de-
serted. The shops were shut. The
tables were not spread for meals; the
very household fires remained unlighted.
Men when they met in the streets scarcely
saw or spoke to one another. Their ewes
had a wild stare in them, as though they
expected every moment some terrible
manifestation to take place.
Silence prevailed everywhere, except
in the churches, which were already
thronged with eager dcvotccs, who pros.
trated themselves before the shrines of
their favorite saints, imploring their pro
lection during the fearful scenes which
they supposed were about to be dis
played.
AS the day wore on, the number of
those who sought admission grew
greater and greater. until every corner
of the sacred editices, large as these
were was dersely crowded, and it be-
came impossible to find room for more.
But the multitude outside still strove
and clamored for admission, filling the
p0rches and doorways, and climbing up
the buttresses to find refuge on the
roofs which they could not obtain in
side.
a strange and solemn commentary on
the text which binds men to watch be-
cause "they know not whether the mas
or at midnight, or at the cock Growing,
or in the morning" was presented by
the multitudes which filled the churches
that night
Watch in very truth they did. Not
an eye was closed throughout that
heightened virgil; not a knee out was
bent in humblest supplication; not a
voice but joined the pcnitcntial chant,
or put up fervent entreaty for help and
pro ecton.
There were no clocks in those DAYS.
but the flight of the hours was marked
by great waXen tapers with metal balls
attached at intervals to them. These
fell, one after another, as the flame
reached the strings by which they were
secured, into brazen basin beneath
AT the recurrence of each of these
warning sounds the awe of the vast
assembly seemed to deepen and inten-
sify, as each in terrible suspense sup
posed that between him and the out
burst of divine wrath only the briefest
| interval now remained.
At last the night, long as it was, be-
gan to draw to an end. The chill
which precedes daylight pervaded the
! ar, anu III Inc eastern SKY inc Hrst paic
| CLEAN of morning began to show itself.
| The light grew stronger in the heavens,
and the flame of the candles paled be-
fore it, and at last the rays of the rising
sun streamed through windows
on the white and anxious faces OF
the watchers. The night had passed
away. A new day, new year, new
century, had begun. The text that says
that no man knoweth the day nor the
hour" had new meaning.