Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-12-14
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huSn nays Is Il fcmafkaD!c Olu gen
tlcman Of Louisville, Ky. He has Just
celebrated his SGth birthday, and is fair
ly entitled to be looked upon as an old
settler. He went there from Pittsburgh
as boy when Louisville was nothing
more than village lie is full of an
ccdotes of the early days. One Of his
most interesting "reminiscences is about
the celebrated star shower of 1888.
Il distinctly remember that remarka
bic scene on the night of Nov. 2S, two
generations age" he said the other day.
about o'clock in the morning | was
walked by the screams offrantic women
and children who were rushing through
the streets. My first impression was
that the city was ON fire, but when [
got outside the house such a sight as no
pen can describe was presented. Il was
Il bright, clear, and beautiful night with
a sky that looked as if prepared for the
occasion. Not cloud was visible, but
it seemed as if millions and millions of
bright stars were darting with light
ming rapidity in all directions above Us.
The city was as brilliantly lighted as if
MONDAY sun shone above.
What added to the terror was the
fact that the 1Iilleritcs had been pre-
dieting through the country that the
end of the world was at hand Loren
70 Dow had preached for month in
Louisville, his subject always being
The End of Time He told his hear
crs that the day ofiudgmcnt was close
at hand, and that they should be ready
to say farewell when the archangel.s 5
trumpet sounded, for there was no tell
ing when this might be- No wonder
that the people were frightened at the
wonderful display going on above their
heads. They We're sure the stars were
falling, and they went wild.
''The starry exhibition lasted one
hour and twenty minutes, then ceased
as suddenly as if q great black curtain
had been thrown across the heavens.
As quickly as YOU could shut oil a gas
light the meteors disappeared. All
was sudden darkness and the scene was
over. In the meantime the doors Of
every house had been thrown open,
and the citizens felt that they had been
granted Il new lease Of life. Nobody
went back 10 bed quite the contrary.
All the saloons kept open and made no
charge for drinks. There were more
men drunk that night, probably, than
were ever seen in that condition in the
streets Of Louisville at any time before
or since. Strange to say, men were
intoxicated who had never before been
known to touch drop of liquor.
The poor fellows thought it would
be their last night on earth and
they would take q long pull and a
strong pull before being ushered
into eternity. shall never forget the
dcath-lille appearance Of the faces Of
the people that night. Men, women.
and children wore horror-stricken ex-
pressions. and the bright light made by
the shooting stars caused their faces to
look as blue as indigo. 1t was night
of fear and sublime grandeur to the in-
habitants of the city, but night Of
frolicsome delight to those wandering
flaming creatures of the air, who glided
through the ballroom of space as if
guided by the hand Of God.
Capt. Blair Sammons, with his new
boat, the Ben Franklin, of the Louis
vile and Cincinnati mail line, was
caught in the meteoric storm six miles
below Madison. He told me he had q
hard time in making safe landing
with his boat The stars were so plent-
tiful and bright above him and their re-
Elections in the water around and in
front of The boat were so dazzling that
the pilots were blinded. He had hard
time to keep some of his passengers
from jumping overheard and drowning.
Every one was frightened nearly to lu
macy or death, for they thought the end
Of time had come. Indeed, several
deaths were caused by fright in differ
ent parts of the country, and one OF
these deaths occurred in Louisville.
That was a long time ago, and such a
sight may never be witnessed again"
Mr.. Hays, in addition to his other
claims CT distinction, is the father of
VIII Hays, the steamboat poet who
wrote '.Evangeline' and 'Mollie Dar
ling" which he claims had the largest
circulation OF any songs ever written.
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