Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-01-28
THE DARK DAY
New England's Black Friday.

dict Arnold attempted to betray his |
country to its enemies. For several
days before the 10Th tile air was full of
Vapors, as we often see il when the
mes are raging in the woods near us,
ana the sun and moon appeared red,
ana their usual clear light did not
reach us, especially when rising and
setting. The wind blew chiefly from
the southwest and northeast, and the
weather was cool and clear. The
morning of the 10Th was dusky and
IN many places slight showers fell,
sometimes. accompanied by thunder
and lightning, but as the sun arose it
did not increase the light, and the
darkness deepened, until the chill.
dren standing before the tall
clocks could not see to tell the
time, and the older people peering
over the Almanac were unable to
distinguish the letters. The birds sang
their evening songs and flew TO their
nests in the woods, the poultry hur-
Iied to their roosts, while the cattlei in
the fields uttered strange cries, and
leaped the stone fences to gain their
stalls,a and the sheep all huddled togeth-
er bleating piteously.
Color, which you know depends upon
the light Of the sun, filled many with
astonishment by its unusual appear
ance, for the clouds were in some
places Of light red, yellow and brown;
the leaves of the trees and the grass
IN the meadows were of the deepest
green, yerging on indigo, the brightest
silver seemed furnished, and every
thing that is whitein the sunlight bore
a deep yellow hue The shadows,
which before noon fell TO the west
ward and afternoon to the eastward,
were observed in the increasing dark
ness TO fall in every direction. The
rain also, was unlike any other rain,
and it set all the people to won
dering as they dipped ii from tubs and
barrels, for scum formed on it, re.
sembling burnt leaves, emitting scoty
smell, and this same substance was
seen on rivers, especially on the Mer'
rimac, where it lay four or five inches
thick for many miles along the shore
Another peculiarity was the yapor; ~
many localities it descended TO the
earth from high iE the atmosphere
but at one point a gentleman saw the
vapors at o'clock rising from this
spring, and low lands; one column ht
particularly noticed rapidly ascend
ing far above the higher hills, then i
spread into a large white cloud, anc
sailed of to the westward. a second
cloud formed in the spring, but die
not rise as high as the first, and 1
third formed fifteen minutes after
ward. At a quarter of 10 O'Clock tn
uppermost cloud was ofareddish hue
the second was green indigo and blue
and the third was almost white, -
unwholesome was this yapor tina
small birds were suffocated in II, ant
many Of them were so frightened am
stupiiied that they few into tn
houses. adding 10 the fears Of the i
moran. people, who consider u ba'
sign for bird to enter dwelling.
The commencement of the darkness
was between 10 and IL O'Clock in tn
forenoon, when the men we're busy !
the fields, Offices and workshops, til
women spinning, weaving and prepal
Ing dinner, and the children at,schoo
or helping their parents at home, an
il continued until the middle of tn
following night; but the degree ofdarl
ness varied; in some places the disk
the sun WAS seen when the darknes
was most dense. Lights were seen
all the houses. and the people in pas
ing ont OF doors carried lanterns an
torches. which were curiously retiecte
on the oyerhanging clouds.
Thousands OF people were sure tina
the end OF the world had come; man
. dropped their work and Tell on the
knees to pray: Others confessed to the
fellows the wrongs they had don
, and endeavorcd TO make restitution
, The meeting houses were crowded, an
nejghborhood prayer meetings wcl
formed. and the ministers and oI
4 church members prayed long prayer
mentioning the nations and indlvI
/, mails of Bible times who had been d
stroyed on account of their sins, an
a berripr that rs God spared the gret
, CITY OF Ninevah when il repented, so I
/ would forgive them, cheer them aga
i by the light OF the sun, and give wet
: ~ to their armies.
|. II is said that the Connecticut lIe
4 islature being in session, the memoe
3 became terrified, and when they con
!. not see each others faces n motic
4 was made to adjourn, when Mr.. Da
a export arose and said:
!. MIR Speaker, II Is either the day
/, Judgment. or it is not. II 1t Is nc
there il no need of adjournment.
h i. | desire to be found dong n
~ dnty. Imove that candles be brougl
and that we proceed to business.
4 An the shivering frightened peoI
Is began now to look forward toeNenill
honinp thas. ms the moon rose at M
- O'Clock her light would penetrate I
i gloom: but all the children who coax
4 To sit IN and see her, grew very sleel
y their strained eyes were not reward
- bv her beautiful beams, for at
q o'clock in the evening the darkness W
n total. they could not distinguish
:. tween the earth and heavens, and
"a was impossible to see hand beis
y = .nne's face. Then all the weary cl
y dren were sent to bed, after the me
earnest prayers that they had eN
prayed, and the older peoplesa up
watch for the light that never befc
had appeared so glorious,
And never dawned fairer mornl
than the goth of May, for the sun IN
ea opened the flowers, and mirrorea
c. self in the dewdrops, brought the 9
nc or again to the children. $ faces !,
~ filled every heart withconiidence,. !
birds sang joyously, the cattle
Id turned to their pastures, and eve
o, one went about his work more gen