The Democratic advocate., 1896-01-04
beauty, and the panic-stricken world

grew calm again.
In April of the year in which Columbus
set out upon his memorable voyage to the
Indies, incidentally discovering America,
occurred the wonderful Green Day. Dur
ing the forenoon there had been success
sion of light showers, but at II clock
the sky cleared, and the sun shone bright
ly. At an hour past noon the sun grew
pale, and lost its brilliancy, as if obscured
by winter fog, though there was no trace
of vapor in the atmosphere. At the same
time the azure hue of the sky changed to
hvid green, deepening gradually to rich
emerald tint. The sun became wholly
invisible, and there was sort of prefer
natural twilight upon the earth. The
green hue was so intense that ''all objects
took the color of oak leaves, and men stared
in alright at each other faces, for they,
too, were of the prevailing hvid green.
The populace 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, services were held in all
the churches. In one French town
several persons expired from fright At
about 8 o clock in the evening the sky re-
sumed its normal aspect.
There are several Yellow Days on rec
ord, the most remarkable being that which
occurred in rhe reign of Charles TX. of
France, and was regarded by the Hugue
nots as a manifestation Of the Divine wrath
against the authors of the massacre Of St.
Bartholomew. "An the previous night
such tempest of wind blew as not the
Oldest man had seen. Steeples fell with
horrible crash. Strong houses and palaces
fell down fat upon the earth. Whole
forests were levelled, and thousands of deer
destroyed, so that there was no hunting in
all the realm for the space of six years.
Some heard loud and terrible voices crying
in the air, denOuncing punishment upon
the blood guilty. Some heard the shatter-
ing blasts of vast trumpets, so that the
soul tainted at the sound. -
At sunrise the storm died down to a
breathless calm. 1t became so intensely
hot that cattle died in the fields, men fell
down in the streets, steam rose from stand
ing pools, and hay ricks took fire. Yet
there was no visible sun. The sky was a
brilliant yellow, like that sometimes seen
in the west at early twilight, deepening to-
ward noon to splendid orange, and later,
to an ugly muddy brown. So frightful
was the omen ''that men, not daring to 60
forth for the dreadful heat, confessed
themselves to each other, forgave debts
and old feuds. Those that ventured out
of door drenched their clothing with water,
which turned to vapor in hundred PAGES
Many died in their houses, whether of the
heat or fear, and half the world was over
come.
Our own Yellow Day appears to have
been very similar to the one described
above, though it was not accompanied by
the preternatural rise of temperature. 1t
appears, also, to have been much more
circumscribed in area, at least the accounts
we have, strangely meagre for so startling
phenoemnon, embrace but three colonies.
The Dark Day of the Revolution has
been frequently described, to many yet
living, by ancient people who were eye
witnesses. This account was given by q
Rhode Island lady, cousin of Gen. Ma
thaniel Greene
1.-The 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 position in the heavens.
At first there was sort of greenish twi-
light, then everything became as dark as
midnight. The stars came out. The
fowls went to roost People looked at
their clocks, sure that they must somehow
have mistaken the time. The churches
and meeting houses were open. The bells
tolled mournfully. Some men stood upon
the corners preaching that this was the
Last Day foretold by the Evangelist.
Some people wrapped themselves in white
sheets and sat at open windows or on roofs,
singing hymns. But just before sunset
the sky cleared. | remember that my
mother and father embraced each other,
then kissed me, and seemed overjoyed, and
the street was full Of people running to and
fro and shouting that the world was safe. >
The Black Day of the thirteenth century
must have been yet more dire and terrify-
ing, according to two fragmentary accounts
which have come down. During the
whole day the sun was disc Of ebony in a
funereal armament, and the whole earth
was full of weeping. The beasts crept
into mems houses for comfort -