The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-28

ken off from the insects and then they
were served In various ways; soup was
made which was declared to be as good
as any beef soup: some thought the
fl'ltters were still better. and others
preferred the locustS IL Ia John the Bap-
fist style, /. O.. with honey. except that
the locuStS were Drowned crisp like
coffee kernals before being served.
The newspapers, l3ast as well as West,
dressed up the facts here given in al
most unrecogn!zably exaggerated form.
~ famous weekly paper had n picture
and article on its front page. But 1t is
not known that any starving Kansas or
Nebraska family, or any family any
where ever initiated the example set
by the would-be benefactor Entomoio-
gist Riley.
PRAYERS FOR HELP
The excitement and fun caused by
this episode soon passed by and the
weight of the plague settled down more
heavily than ever. The pastors OF the
different churches In Warrcnsburg met
together for prayer and conference and
the outcome was the appointment OF Il
DAY OF Fasting prayer to petition AL
mighty God to remove from our midst
the devastating plague. The notice was
published In the papers like n Thanks
giving day proclamation, changing
thanks 10 petition for mercy OF course
The Governor of the State gave his
written sanction and this was printed
with the notice. Other towns besides
NaITensburg appointed Il similar day
FOR the most part it was received by
the public with revcrcntial seriousness
Some OF the daily papers OF ST. Louis
anu ka!isas city, however. waNed NOR
~ over the modern miracle seekers"
On the day appointed. all places Of busl-
ness We're closed after S o'clock in the
morning, and services We're held all day
In the three largest churches, which
were filled TO Overlooking.
Men and women who had never pray
cd in public before poured out uircon-
SchouSiy eloquent petitions for divine
mercy. The essentials of true prayer
are sometimes given in four words,
whose initials spell ''acts'-a doration
confession, Thanksgiving and suppllca-
ton These conditions were fully real
lied on that day. The people plea ded
with tears to bc shown their sins for
which this punishment was sent. that
they might put them away. The sense
OF the nearnesS of God. and of utter
dependence upon His mercy was
enough to impress even child with the
most rcvcrential solemnity. The times
oil penitence and appeal to God for help
or the children OF Israel have always
Deen much more vivid to me because of
he experience OF that day. When the
churches were closed At sunset a Sc, Sc
OF peace and resignation, If not of hope,
filled all hearts. The next day there
was family worship in homes long in
different to any Christian service ex-
cept formal church attendance. There
were gatherings of neighbors in the aft
ternoon in one another'S homes for
united prayer.
And the hordcs Of insects.-what of
them in the meanwhile? They contin-
ued steadily OH their devastating way.
And the next morning after the day of
prayer, the disheamcninE word went
round that more Swarms OF them were
to be seen In the sky: they had not he
gun to light yet, but probably they
would by afternoon or evening They
were more and more to be plainly seen,
seeming TO fly lower all the time.
THE DEPARTURE OF THE LO
GUSTS.
But the direful looking clouds did not
descend. They swept over the town;
more clouds passed over Then tho
truth was seen. The grI shoppers were
leaving! Soon they We're rising every
where in great swarms and joining the
clouds which we had seen passing over
by the evening of the next day there
was scarcely grasshoppcr left
The joy of the people and the i'm
pressiveneSs of the next sundays ser
vices cannot be described II can ONLY
be imagined or remembered with n
thrill of emotion. In some towns the
church bells were rung and bonfres
made for general jubilee
me papers which had made fun of
the day of prayer for the most pam prc-
served decent silence. Some said sim
ply that 1t was remarkable coinci-
dence. Some said II was the regular
time for the fight OF tie. insects any
way. Others stood their ground and
said. Jus, wait till next spring when
the millions OF eggs hatch out and then
see how much good the day of prayer
did,"
Next spring the grasshoppcr eggs did
hatch and prospects looked dark: faith
met hard trial. The ground seemed
filled with the egg sacks. Various plans
We're proposed by scientists for dcs-
troying them. but the past experience
with the nine-lved parents Of the en-
bryo pests had been so dishearteninr
that there seemed to be little cause for
hope that the combat with the second,
generation even before they had come
full hedged hoppers would be encour
aged.
Well do I remember pan OF earth
that had been placed behind the stove
to warm ready to be used for tomato
plants and It's appearance in the morn