Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-28
A SUBLIME SIGHT.
Remarkable Scenes During "a Great
Meteoric Shower.

Hugh Hays is q remarkable old gentle.
man, says Louisville letter to the New
York sun He has Just celebrated his
cighty-sixth birthday and is fairly en-.
titled to be looked upon rs mn old settler.
He came here from Pittsburgh as boy
when Louisville was nothing more than
n village. lie is full of anecdotes of the
early days. One of his most interesting
"reminiscences is about the celebrated
star shower of 1888
II distinctly remember That remarkable
s enc on the night of No ember IS. two
generations ago. he said About
8 o'clock in the morning was walked by
the screams of frantic women and children
who were pushing through the streets.
My first impression was that the city was
on fire. but when got outside the house
such sight as no pen can describe was
presented. 1t was a bright. clear, and
beautiful night with sky that looked
as if prepared for the occasion. Not II
cloud was visible, but it seemed as IL
millions and millions of bright stars were
darting with lightning rapidity in all
directions above us. The city was az
brilliantly lighted as if MONDAY sun
shone above.
"What added to the terror was the
fact that the Mllerites had been pre-.
dieting though the country that the end
OF the world was at hand. Lorenzo
Dow had preached for a month in this
city, his subject always being The End
OF Time He told his hearers that the
day OF Judgment was close at hand, and
that they should be ready to say farewell
when the archangels trumpet sounded
for there was no telling when this might
be. No wonder that the people wero
frightened at the wonderful display
going on above their heads They were
sure the stars were falling, and they went
wild.
The starry exhibition lasted one hour
and twenty minutes then ceased ms sud
denly as If great black curtain had beer
thrown across the heavens. As quickly
as you could shut off gas light the me.
teors disappeared. All was sudden dark.
ness and the scene was over. In the mean.
time the doors of every house had beeh
thrown open, and the citizens felt that
they had been granted new lease OF
life. Nobody went back to bed quite
the contrary. All the saloons kept open,
and made no charge for drinks. There
were more men drunk that night, prob.
ably, than were ever seen in that condi-
tion in the streets of Louisville at any
time before or since Strange to say,
men were intoxicated who had never be
fore been known to touch drop of
Liquor The poor fellows thought it
would be their last night on earth, and
they would take long pull and a strong
pull before being ushcrcd into eternity.
! shalt never forget the death-ikc APP
pearance Of the faces Of the people that
night. Men, women, anu children wore
horror-stricken expressions, and the
bright light made by the shooting stars
caused their faces to look blue rs indigo.
1t was night of fear and sublime gran
dcur 10 the inhabitants Of the CITY. but
Il night Of frolicsome delight to those
wandering, flaming creatures of the mir.
who gided through the ballroom of
space as If guided by the hand of God.
Captain Blair Sammons, with his new
boat, the Ben Franklin, Of the Louisville
and Cincinnati mail line, was caught in
the mcteoric storm six miles below Madi
son. lie told me he had hard time in
making a safe landing with his boat The
stars were so plentiful and bright above
him and their reflections in the water
ground and IN front of the boat were SO
dazzling that the pilots were blinded.
He had a hard time to keep some Of his
passengers from jumping overheard and
drowning. Every one was frightened
nearly to lunacy or death, for they
thought the end Of time had come. In
deed, several deaths were caused by
fright in different parts Of the country,
and one Of these deaths occurred here
That was long time ago. aud such a
sight may never be witnessed again.