Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-18
DRIzzLING TREES.
Rain Falls from the Branches When the
Sky Is Clear.

Chy Is SlSdrs
Post-Dispatch:
A rain storm within circumference of
forty feet is the peculiar phenomenon
that has been witnessed by amazed East
st. Louisians since o'clock Monday af-
ternoon.
In the north side of the yard of James
Bailey, 106 North Fifth street. there are
two Lombardy poplar trees standing
twelve feet apart.
Their leaves are dripping with mos-
ture. The ground that lies in the shadow
of their branches is soaked with water.
In the clear space beneath the foliage
and from the sky above within a circum-
ference that just touches the spread of
their outermoSt branches, is falling con-
tinually fine drizle of rain.
1t fell in the sunshine of Monday, all
through tie darkness of the night and at
sunrise Tuesday Mr.. Bailey looked from
his window and watched the steady drip
of the water from clear sky upon his
poplar trees.
There is no doubt of the genuineness of
the phenomenon. All East ST. Louis had
heard of it by nightfall and hundreds Wis.,
tied the place last evening.
By noon Tuesday Mr.. Bailey's lawn was
as worn and trampled as Major McKin-
ley's front yard at Canton.
There rs now constant stream of curl
Gus spectators going to and from the
place.
The phenomenon was first noticed Mon
day afternoon. Mrs. Bailey went out into
the yard to enjoy the bright sunshine.
AS her eyes fell on the big tall Lom-
hardy poplars, she was amazed to see wa
ter pouring from the leaves in torrents.
She called in her neig to be con-
WINGED that what she saw was reality.
They came and wondered, and the news
spread like wildfire through the town.
The wiseacres called and puzzled their
heads to account for the mysterious rain
fall Some thought that the roots of the
trees reached down into water, and that
they had become converted into dripping
springs.
Others figured it that the leaves of the
poplar trees had the virtue of producing
peculiar atmospherical conditions that
might induce a small rain storm.
Many were fearful that the thing pre-
saged another cyclone or some worse mis-
fortune to the city. M
The superstitious had no end of expla-
nations to account for what they deemed
a supernatural manifestation. sss
At 1890 o'clock Tuesday Post-Dis-
patch reporter protected by a mackin-
tosh made thorough investigation, and
only succeeded in heightening the mys-
terry.
Up to that time it was thought that the
rainfall was only underneath the leaves.
high up near the top of the trees and
found that the rain was falling from the
clear sky above. taa :.
The SUNSHINE rainfall" was in full
operation up to noon Tuesday. All about
the Bailey yard the sunshine flooded the
crowds of mystified spectators. and all
the while, above and beneath the branch
es of the poplar trees, fell the steady driz-
zle of rain.
The leaves si1one green and CLASSY and
their edges were beaded with moisture.
Beneath the trees the ground is soaked
with slime, and the water that comes
from nowhere fills the hollows made by
footprints in the soft earth.
Ar East st. Louis druggist has collect
ed a bottle full of the water and is maxi
ing an analysis of 1t.
Pious worn n are bringing pals to col
lect the water, supposing that it may
have healing properties.
Mr.. Bailey is figuring with carpenter
to board off his yard and charge an ad-
mission fee to his big phenomenon.
He Is q shrewd fellow, though, and
wants the work done on the percentage
plan, as he fears his wonder may wind
| up operations as Unexpectedly as 1t COM
menced.