Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-26

THE GREAT MEftokfC DISPLAY.
That which Took Place In Sovcme,r. isss-
Description Of an Eyewitness.
A. spropos 10 the shooting stars that caused
% much comment THURSDAY. the Rev. DIR. VIM
NJ. Osborne gives the following account Of the
great meseeric a,sply that took place Sovsn-
Der Is. lsSs:
The season fer surorsl scintiila,ions ana
meteoric showers is now passing. Why Sovem-
Der reveals 10 the beholdor the more magnia-
ceat array Of astronomical phenomeas d lefs
for toe novice TO conjecture and philosopher 10
divine. No doubt the position of our earth on
her axis, together with her annual revolution,
may give TO the student % nature . faint cine
toward unrsreling a mystery unsol,ed By
Newton and enthusiastically explained by Her
scheu and Werreu. Occasional meteors ere
discerned BY the most casual observer. but for
the whole heavens 90 be Aglow with these
strange corruscations bcgets n subject for the
most learned dIsQuisitors aud meteorolo-
gicai Investigations. such was the remarkable
aspect OF the frIaamsnt November Is, 1883,
an epoch IN the observation of starcszers with
out parallel since the Ptolemic period. The
event was SO strange that ID called forth no.
merous sketches; vet how tame ard puerilo The
most highly wrought picture OF the imagine
non placed alongside Ca one OF the grandest
world history. Though but lad the occur
renee LETT impressions uPon the writer's mind
neyer 10 be efisoed from the tablet Of memory
November 81 that wear had opened with clear
SKIES and autunnal frosts. changing the luxu-
rant foliage OF garden and fores, into crimson
and gold and giving clcarness 10 en-. stc,s,s-
phere aud brilliancy 90 myFiads OF stars. twink
ling IN the heavens NJ evcntide. For month";
the public mind had been deeply sgitss~d Over
the threa'enins attitude Of comet, which hsd
thrown lite heightened tail far over the northern
skies, but TO the Joy OF all was now receding
from the earth and gradually finding frou, hu-
man vision. Old men had moralized aud timil
women had PRAYED and wept over the threat
eued catastrophe OF q world swept from its
providential moorings by the mad freaks Of Q
comet, until the pubic mind was fully pre-
pared to gaze at any moment in frenzied hor-
ror upon falling stars and on a world wrapped
in the glare OF lite own ruin. The evening pre-
ceding the strange phenomena the heavens
were bright and beautiful as Italian skies
Orion, Arcturus and rleiades hung suspended
in their wonted positions. like jewels in the
crown Of natures morning.
The stars Of diminutve orders mingled In
the immaculate vision Of the milky wny."
shining with transparency enhancing the be-
holder with the grandeur and glory OF tho
Divine works. Worlds and consultations
hidden from mortal gaze during the early
watches OF the night, now rolled in all their
splendor through the midhesvens, while nature,
like a silent spectator. spread her mantle OF
mst aaa hosr frost over river and landscape,
whitening them into n strange kind Of weird
ness like some uncreated counterpart: OF thoss
beautifully wrought images so graphicallv por-
t-nyed in the vision 81 81. John. But wonder
in the remotest corner OF the bespanglsd
heavens shoots forth a star brighter than
Venus whcn full orbed. And look. others
follow in rapid succession while the silent be-
holder stands awcstrnck. one brighter vet
darts across the sky and IN Its rapid flight
illImes the entire horizon with a sunlight elul-
gence. The vision brigh,ens az the meteors
multiply until from east TO west, from north TO
south, the upper regions are aglow with CLINT
of unearthly radiance, reminding the beholder
of the divinely portrayed vision Of the coming
Judgment.
With the approach Of morning the startling
phenomena approximate their greatest mag
nificence The multitude OF fixed stars with
all their lesser orbs their distant and constant
attendants. become lost TO human gaze. The
divergent meteors now blend in one vast sheet
of light. obscuring for a season every stellar
torch, which seemed ashamed 90 cnst its OUT
rivaled brightness on the bewildering scene.
Men, women. children. awakened as BY some
strange reverie. and in disheveled garments
crowd 10 open doors or look through lifted wia-
dows. Each Chances at the other with bated
breath TO read II possible the language Of hor-
ror written rs in black lines of despair every
brow. As the intelligence spreads the sxciss-
ment becomes more intense, for each i'm
AGNES that he can zee In the axi-
tated heavens q SURF aud ominous pre-
cursor OF the fires which are 10 kindle
natures fabric on the last great day." Under
q sense Of awakened fear, prayer ascends iron
cottage and cabin. Children, a. II bsreet Of
. mother, fy in dismsy from the anticipstsd
conhagration, ANXIOUS only 70 read In the
countenances Of the more considerAss and hope
full the encouraging omen that falling meteor
nrc not the divinely appointed aeency for the
worlds final ruin. IL flying stsn seem Lost IN
eccentric bewilderment. how much more the
denizens OF earth aroused for once from apathy
and indifference TO witness the visions q
centuries. q grand panoramic outline sf
wondering stars" and celestial confagratieua
when wrspt In flames the realm. Of ~ther glo~
And heaven 9 last trumpet shakes the world below"
As the gray tints Of Aurora shot acroo ~
armament the efulgence OF stars and metsors
gradually fades with the advancing morn, until
with the sudden uplifting OF the king Of day"
the vision disappears, leaving only now aud
then . silver line-across the horizon The
luminous track Of expiring meteor. Since
that memorable event over half q century has
been the attendant witness of rising and settiux
luminaries. but that evenings impressions OF
the ''loug ago" are more WILDLY outlined on the
tablet of memory thGn are ancient hieroglypb-
ice chiseled with angels hand on monu-
ments of marble and gold. Worlds and stars
are ultimately TO fade away amid the brighter
glory Of the Prince Of Peace.