The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-12
SOME VERY DARK DAYS.
Phenomena Which Have Frightened People
Throughout the Union.

Throughout the Union.
From the Boston Record.
On the 18th of May, 1880, occurred re-
markable phenomenon, which has come down
in history as the dark day. The sun rose
upon this historic morning with no forecast of
she strange appearance in the heavens which
was so soon to present itself.
A few minutes after 10 O'Clock cloud of
curious appearance became visible in the
southwest. This grew broader and darker un-
til it overspread the whole sky, and all the
world grew strangely dark. So dense became
this, darkness before the sun reached the
highest point in the heavens that candles were
lighted in the houses, and everywhere the
monday meal was eaten by candlelight. The
birds, deceived by the gathering darkness, and
wondering, perhaps, at the shortness of the
day, sang their evening songs, disappeared to
fheir resting place among the branches and be-
came silent.
The fowls retired to their roost and the cocks
Crowed as Justify as at daybreak.
Throughout the continuance of this strange
darkness the atmosphere and all objects were
tinged with weird, yellow appearance. The
clouds, which partook much of this strange
yellow hue, were also tinged with faint hues
of red and brown. The grass and trees and
other objects of a green color verged to a hue
OF blue. White objects were tinged with yell
low. In fact. yellow was the prevailing hue in
which all objects were shrouded.
During the day several light showers &C.
Cured The water which fell was thick and
II,
If it had passed through sulphurous fires.
Upon the surface of the rivers and ponds
Eested a thick scum, which also bore the smell
of fire.
Now and then floating clouds appeared
which were tinged with hues of red green,
blue and indigo, while some were almost white,
save for the prevailing faint tint of yellow In
some quarters the sky presented an appearance
not unlike that of the aurora borealis
These strange appearances created the ut
most CONSERVATION and terror throughout the
region over which they spread. They were
not few who really believed that the day of
Judgment had come. Others were persuaded
that these strange appearances presaged the
occurrence of some great events in the history
of the world. The war of the revolution was
then in progress, and the age was not one de-
void of superstition.
1t is related OF Rev. Mather Byles, the tory
pastor of the old Hollis street church-a great
wit, by the way-that one of his parishoners
an old lady, came to him in great trepidation
and begged Of him that he would unfold to her
the cause of the great and sudden darkness
which had overspread the earth.
Greatly, madam, said DIR. Byles II am as
much. in the dark about it as anyone Of my
parishioners."
This strange phenomenon extended all over
New England, as far east as Falmouth, now
called Portland and westward to the farthest
parts of Connecticut and including Albany n.
Y. Towards the south all New England sea-
coasts were affected, and northward the most
extreme settlements saw and wondered at the
strange appearance. From time soon after
ten o'clock in the forenoon until the middle Of
the succeeding night, this strange, weird dark
ness continued. Then, near midnight, the
donse darkness grew gradually less, the stars
came out, and nature resumed her normal APP
pearance.
For several days previous to the appearance
OF this strange phenomenon IL was afterwards
remarked, it had been presaged by a vapory
appearance Of the atmosphere. The air had
appeared to befuil of smoke, and the sun and
the moon had presented a strangely red APP
pearance.
There are few TO whose minds the foregoing
will not recall the so-called yellow day.
which occurred September G, 1881. On
that day the atmospheric appearances
Of those of the celebrated clark day.
Of 1850. There was tho same darkness over
shadowing all nature the lights in the stores,
dwellings, school houses and manufactures,