The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1891-06-13
A MAGNIFICENT SIGHT,
STARS CT HEAVEN FELL AS IF
SHAKEN OF A MIGHTY VINO,

The Wonderful Mrteoric shaver VI 1888
Theories ~ to the Cause aud EneCt 4
Chud's woudcrmcnt q, the Scene super
sttIous Ave at Cnlorcd People
one of the earliest aud most vivid Of
my personal rccolectiuns is OF the grand
metcoric shower ot Nov 10, 1888 A
similar occurrence is recorded rs happen
ing in northern Europe near the close of
the last century But no meteorological
display has eQualed that OF 1888 in eX-
tent and duration from tho beginning of
the historic period,
\ vENEp QUESTIONS
With reference to the origin of these
meteors there have been divers conlcc.
lures, most of which are at best hap,
hazard speculations, \ number Of astron-
omers have regarded them aaGragments
of an exploded planet small ~ size, but
of a like sort with the hundred and odd
asteroids that have been discovered be-
tween the orbits OF Mars and Jupiter
Kepler himself thought that n large
planet was needed in this vast intcrplane-
tary space To perfect the rhythm of the
skies and the fADled music of the spheres
The subsequent discoveries of Piazai and
Oilers and their SUCCESSORS have fully
justified tAis opinion. This old astro-
nomical fancy of lost Pleiad likewise
finds its viudication, it may be in these
asteroids and in the far more numerous
meteoroids which have since been seen in
all parts of the world, Whether they be,
as suggested, the disiccta membra of
some errant and wrecked orb doomed
and damned for some earlier Adamic
transgression, they certainly occupy a
definite place in our system
Their periodical occurrence with great
er or lesser brilliancy in May and Novem.
Der and likewise in August and Decem-
Der, establish the facts that at these dates
our earth in its annual travel comes in
! frequent contact with meteoric zone.
1t may require another century of inves-
tigation with the aid of mightier instru-
ments than that of the Link observatory
to determine whether, as is probable,
these meteoric exhibitions result from
vast volume of nehulous matter revolv.
ing around the sun, and itself the nur-
sery of embryonic planets.
| Whatever our conclusion on these
veXed questions, it was certainly not
only the privilege Of a lifetime, but a
| millennium. to bean eve witness of such n
stupendous and resplendent spectacle. |
/ distinctly remember being aroused about
| O'Clock in the morning by the weird
| outcries of the domestic servants. They
seemed possessed with the idea that the
day of judgment was at hand, and read
| ily recall the efforts of my father to quiet
| the uproar by assuring them that there
/ was no cause of alarm.
OF course. knew nothing of scientific
import My impressions were those of
elation rather than fright To me the
whole scene was about what | have
since conceived of the pyrotechnic dis
plays of the VauxhaIl g3rden or a full
hedged Chinese feast of lanterns. A boy
reader will best understand the aspect of
things when add that aside from the
fizz and the pop it was like a thousand
| Christmases condensed into one.
Scientific observers have since told us
that these meteoroids all seemed to pro-
ceed from a point in the constellation
/ Leo. For this reason they have been
since called Leonids My boyish remem-
brance accords with this statement Of
the scientists. Usually they issued singly,
but at times they had the appearance Of
stream of fire. a few that observed
were very large, one or more not unlike
the nucleus of Halleys comet in 1885,
when it was receding from the sun.
READY FOR "A WORD OF PRAYER"
They nearly all seemed falling directly
to the earth, and it was matter of child
ish wonderment to me that they did not
cover the ground as | had seen falling
snow fakes do at other times. The spen-
dor of these celestial fireworks gradually
waned as the dawn approached, very
much to my personal regret
great many stories are still current
in regard to the general CONSERVATION
produced by this marvellous phenomenon.
In some instances persons were fright
ened into convulsions, and several deaths
were reported from different parts of the
country.
In my boyhood there was a story cur
rent of wealthy STAKEHOLDER in western
Georgia, who was besides something OF
a philosopher He resided in the center
of large negro quarter, and being
awakened by the shrieks and yells Of
nearly one hundred slaves, he hurredly
equipped himself in pants and slippers
and stepped out on his front piazza He
was soon surrounded with large mum
| Der of slaves who were frantic with ter,
ror For time he surveyed the heavens
with decree of painful apprehension
Noticing in ,the crowd an old negro
preacher, in whose piety he had much
confidence, he addressed him in this wise
"Uncle Joe, do you watch the seven
stars and the ell and yard, and when
you see them start come into the big
house and we will have a word Of
prayer"
| 0f coIIrca tho Pleiades yvare immova.