The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-03-10
STRANGE COLORS.
MEN FEAR SKIES YELLOW, RED.
GREEN AND BLACK.
The Red Terror OF the Fourteenth
Ccntury-Green Day of the Column
bian Year-Dark Day OF
the Revolution.

- VI were
crowded with kneeling sup
plants, while solemn chants and the
smoke of the censers arose uninter-
ruptedly. Thousands OF terrified peo-
PIE lay prone upon their faces in the
streets and squares. Women clutch
ing their infants to their breasts ran
shrieking along the highways. Cred.
ltors forgRve debts; usurers pressed
upon their ruined clients their ill-got-
ten gains; ch men distributed their
wealth in the name OF charity TO all
who would consent to accept Grim.
mails voluntarily confessed their mis-
deeds and besou9ht the extremity of
human Justice. Kings and princes
threw off their ermine, donnod the
rags of beggary, and vowed new cru
sHdes for the recovery of the Holy
Sepulchre from the Turk. Men went
mad. Anchorites and hermits issued
from their cells, wild-eyed, clad in
goat skins or sackcloth, and, stalking
through the streets, cried aloud:
"Woe woe! The hour of judgment
is at handl"
1t was The Day of the Red Terror.
described by the ancient chroniclers.
| The dawn broke clear and mild rs in
midsummer, we are told, aud "not n
| cloud of n handbreath's bigness was to
he seen in all the sky" But inst be-
fore the sun rose a strange red haze
or mist overspread the heavens, deep.
enng in hue and density, until at 9
| O'Clock tue armament was crimson
| pail which obscured the sun and cast n
| duh, omInons glare upon the earth
like the reflection from n tremendous
| contiagration At u distance. DESPITE
the unnatural illumination the gloom
was 50 profound, even at midday, chat
one man knew not another, though
he were his own brother Toward 3
! OF the afternoon there came great
splendor of crimson, like blood, and
some cried that now, indeed, the
heavens were departing MS n scroll
when 1T is rolled together others
that they beheld the angels battling
against the hosts of the Apollyon in
the upper air, and yet others that
blood rGined upon tho earth" At
about midnight the fiery pail disap-
! peared, seeming to be dissipated AS n
light mist is driven before Strong
wind; the stars came forth in their
tranquil beauty, and the panic stricken
world grew calm again.
In April of the year in which Col
umbus set ont upon his memorable
voyage to the Indies, incidentally dis.
covering America, occurred the won
deriul Green Day. During the fore
noon there had been succession of
light showers, but at II o'clock the
sky cleared, and the sun shone bright.
ly. At an hour past noon the sun
grew pale, and lost its brilliancy. as
II obscured by a winter fog, though
there was no trace of vapor in the at
mosphere. At the same time the azure
nue. OF the sky changed to livid green
deepening gradually to rich emer-
aid tint. The sun became wholly in
visible, AMI there was sort of pre-
ternatura twilight upon the earth.
The green hue was so intense that "all
objects took the color OF oak leaves
and men stared in alright Mt each
otners faces, for they, too, were of
the prevailing livid green. The pop
u!ace poured into the streets to gaze
IN terror at the emerald sky, and TO
ask each other what had become of
the sun, and if the end of the world
were at hand. Bells were tolled, ser
vices were held in all the churches. In
one French town several persons ex
PRED from fright. At about o'clock
IN the evening the sky resumed its
normal aspect.
There are several Yellow DAYS on
record, the most remarkable being
that which occurred in the reipu O T
Charles TX. of France. "All the pre.
ylous night such a tempest of wind
blew as not the oldest man bad seen
Steepies fell with horrible crash.
Strong houses and palaces fell down
fiat upon toe earth. Whole forests
were leyelled and thousands of deer
destroyed, 80 that there was no hunt
ing IN all the realm for the space of six
years" Atsunrise the storm died down
to breathless calm. It became so in.
tensely hotthat cattle died in the fields.
men fell down in the streets, steam
rose from standing pools, and hayricks
took fire. Yet there was no visible
sun. The sky was a brilliant yellow
like that sometimes seen in the west n
early twilight, deepiug toward noon
TO splendid orange, and later, to an
ugly muddy brown. SO frightful was
the omen that men, not daring to 90
forth for the dreadful heat. confessed
themselves to each other, forpave
debts and old feuds. Those that ven
tured out OF door drenched their
clothing with water, which turned to
vapor in hundred PAGES. Many died
IN their houses, whether OF the heat
OF fear, and half the world was over.
come"
The Dark Day of the Revolution
has been frequently described. to
many yet living, by ancient people
who were eyewitnesses. This account
was given by a Rhode Island LADY. n
cousin OF General Nathaniel Greene
''Ihe sky was clear until near noon.
when the sun began TO fade, as if its
light were withdrawn, until it needed
very keen eyes TO mark its positions
IN the heavens. At first there was n
sort Of greenish twilight, then every.
thing becaml as dark as midnight
The stars came out. The fowls went
to roost. People looked at their
clocks, sure that they must somehow