The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-01-28
A KENTUCKY "REMINISCENCES.
Remarkable Scenes in Louisville During the
Great Meteoric Shower Of 1888.


LOUISVILLE, Dec. 10.-Hugh Hays IS
remarkable old gentleman. He has just
celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday, and
is fairly entitled to be looked upon as an
old settler. He came here from Pitts
burgh as boy when Louisville was moth
ing more than village. He 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
scene on the night of Nov %, two gener-
ations ago." he said yesterday. "About
3 o'clock in the morning | was walked by
the screams of frantic 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 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 cloud
was visible, but it seemed as if millions
and millions of bright stars were darting
with lightning 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 Millerites had been predicting
through the country that the end of the
world was at hand. Lorenzo Dow had
preached for month in this city, his sub
ject 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 archangel's
trumpet sounded for there was no telling
when this might be- No wonder that the
people were 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 as sud
denly as if great black curtain had been
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
been 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, probably, than
were ever seen in that condition in the
streets of Louisville at any time before or
since. Strange to say, men were intoxi-
Gated 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 long pull and
strong pull before being ushered into
eternity. | shall never forget the death
like appearance of the faces of the people
that night. Men, women, and children
wore horror-stricken expressions, and the
bright light made by the shooting stars
caused their faces to look as blue as indigo.
1t was a night of fear and sublime gran
deur to the inhabitants of the city, but
night of frolicsome delight to these wan
dering, flaming creatures of the air, who
glided through the the ballroom of space
as if guided by the hand of God.
Capt Alair Summons, with his new
boat. the Ben Franklin, of the Louisville
and Cincinnati mail line, was caught in
the meteoric storm six miles below Madi-
son. He 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
around and in front of the boat were so
dazzling that the pilots were blinded He
had hard time to keep some of his pas
sengers from jumping overheard and
drowning. Every one was frightened nearly
to lunaey or death, for they thought the
end of time had come. Indeed, several
deaths were caused by fright in different
parts of the country, and one of these
deaths occurred here That was long
time ago, and such sight may never be
witnessed again"
Mr.. Hays, in addition to his other
claims of distinction, is the father of Will
S. Hays, the steamboat poet who wrote
eEvangeline" and "Mollie Darling, which
he claims had the largest circulation of any