The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-08-01
ACLOUDOER THEEARTH.
AN UNEXPLAINED PHENOME-
NON OF LONO 400.
IL Has Always Becn Known ~ 1.-THE Dark
Day." and Though Many Have
Tried to Explain IL. Nobody
Has Succeeded In It.

/
actual experience the story OF the won
derful Dark Day that fell on the 10Th
OF May. 1880. She was a girl OF IS at
the time and lived on farm near Bos-
ton. For several days before the 10th
the air had been full Of vapors, as II
the woods were burning somewhere In
the neighborhood, but this did not ex-
cite much comment. Children went to
school as usual. but on the 10th the
darkness came on SO suddenly that
they cou not see the lessons in the
books and all looked frightened. The
teacher would go to the door and stand
there long time looking at the
strange state of things. My great
grandmother used TO, smile when she
told how eagerly the scholars watched
him, and how the childish faces
blanched when he would return to his
desk with IL puzzled countenance.
They could see that he was greatly
perplexed II not deeply troubled. He
was learned man for the times, and
had told his scholars much about the
earth they inhabited. but it was clear
to them all that the singular darkness
mystifed him. BY and by the chick
ems began to seek their roosts, and all
at once little girl, who had been
frightened from the first. burst out
crying. Then the master dismissed
the school.
You may imagine how frightened
everybody was. Neighbors came to-
gether and discussed the situation, but
not one was competent to offer an ex-
PLANTATION. Some thought 1t meant
disaster to the Americans, for you
know the war OF the revolution was
going on ut the time, and OF late King
Georges men had gained some victor
les. Then, it was the year famous for
Benedict Arnold's treason, and when
that deed had been done those that re-
membered the dark day were not slow
: to say that it portended the traitors
, work.
= My great-grandmother often said
that 1t looked more like night than
anything else. for no one went out
without u lantern, and the Lights could
be Seem fitting hither and thither as
we see them on the streets OF dark
night The vapor that had arisen was
, so unwholesome that birds affected by
/. it fell dead to the ground, or, flying
blindly through the air, would bring
up in the houses.
AS the darkness increased the peo-
pie focked to the churches and relig-
, ious services were held. Those that
, had been enemies made up and asked
each others forgiveness. Long sepa-
rated people came together, and some
men paid debts that they had owed for
years. The theme of the preachers
that stood in the pulpit that day and
discoursed to the pale congregations
was the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
and some told how for her sins God
, had almost destroyed Nineveh. The
churches were filed almost to over
flowing. and all came away silent and
cast down.
When the real night approached
people looked for relief. The moon
would rise at nine and they hoped that
her light would penetrate the gloom
and dispel the sadness that prevailed.
Little children were coaxed to sit up
and wait for the moon, but most of
, them crept away to bed and fell asleep,
trembling like frightened sparrows.
You may imagine how impatiently
everybody awaited the coming Of an
other day. They were fearful that
the morning would bring no clear sun
light, though all hoped 1t would, and
SO between hope and fear the people
watched and waited throughout the
darkened country. Some little ones
tried, to sit out the night with their
elders, but their eyes succumbed to
sleep, and frightened mothers carried
them to bed long before the night
waned.
} My great-grandmother said that she
, was awakened by some ones Jerking
her out Of the bed and running to the
window with her. 1t was her mother.
and she was shouting that the dark
ness had vanished and n new day come.
Sure enough. this was exactly what
had happened. Everywhere the birds
J were singing their songs of Joy and
the brilliant sunlight was over all.
, The cattle were returning to their pas
tures. and nature never looked so beau
tiful as then, after that night OF fear
and horror.
The children OF the time could hard
ly believe the evidence OF their own
eyes. They would run into the sun
light and cry and leap for Joy. The
Dark Day was recollection OF the
past. but what recollection 1t was!
! Scientific men OF the times failed to
account for 1t A very learned man,
named Tenny travelled to find out all
he could about the Dark Day. He
found that 1t bad extended as far north
rs the American settlements and west
ward to Albany. In some places the
gloom lasted fourteen hours and was
, very dense; In others 1t was not so
marked.
Such was the famous Dark Dark OF
our country. Among the many per-
sonal recollections Of my great-grand-
mother this one was the most interest
ing to me. and never grew tired Of
hearing it. When grew up read
accounts OF the 10Th Of May. 1880.
and found them to tally with her
craphic account of IL | discovered