Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-11-12
Trees Dazzle in Sunshine.

Trees Dazzle in Sunshine.
st. Louis, October ga rain-storm
within a circumference Of forty feet
is the peculiar phenomenon that has
been witnessed by amazed East ST.
Louisans since three o'clock Monday
afternoon.
In the north side of the yard of
James Bailey, 1O6 North Fifth street.
there are two Lombardy poplar trees
standing twelve feet apart. Their
leaves are dripping with moisture.
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 cir
conference thatjust touches the spread
Of their outermost branches, Is falling
continually a fine drizzle Of rain. 1t
fell in the sunshine Of Monday, all
through the darkness Of the night, and
at sunrise Tuesday Mr.. Bailey looked
from his window and watched the
steady drip of the water from a clear
sky upon his poplar trees. There IS
no doubt of the genuiueness Of the
phenomenon. All East St. Louis had
heard Of it Ly nishtfall, AMI hundreds
visited tn place next evening. BY
noon Tuesday Mr.. 1aileys lawn was
as worn and trampled as Major Nc
Kinley's front yard at Canton.
There is now a constant stream Of
curious spectators going to and from
the place. The phenomenon was first
noticed Monday afternoon. Mrs. Bail
ev went out into the yard to enjoy the.
bright warm sunshine. As her eyes
fell on the big Lombardy poplars she
was amazed to see water pouring from
leaves in torrents. She called in her
neighbors to be convinced that what
she saw was reality. They came and
wondered, and the rews spread like
wildfre through the town.
The wiseacres called and puzzled
their heads to account for the mystic
rious rainfall. Some thought that the
roots Of the trees had reached down
into the water, and that they had be-
come converted into dripping springs.
Others figured it that the leaves Of the
poplar trees had the virtue Of produc-
ing peculiar atmospherical conditions
that might induce a small rain storm.
Many were fearful that the thing pre-
saged another cyclone or some worse
misfortune to the city. The super
stitious had 10 end of explanations to
account for what they deemed super
natural manifestation.
At1o8O o'clock Tuesday reporter,
protected by a macintosh, made a
thorough investigation, and only sue
ceeded in frightening the mystery.
Up to that time it was thought that
the rainfall was only underneath the
leaves. BY means Of tall ladders he
mounted high up near the top Of the
trees, and found that the rain was
falling from the clear sky above.
The sunshine RAINFALL was in full
operation up to noon Tuesday. All
about the Bailey's yard the sunshine
flooded the crowd Of mystifed specta-
tors, and all the while, above and be-
meath the branches Of the poplar trees,
fell the steady drizzle of rain.
The leaves shone green and glossy,
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 hol-
lows male by footprints in The soft
earth. An East st. Louis druggist
has collected bo.tlelul Of the water
and is making an analysis Of it.
Pious women are bringing pals to
collect the water supposing that it
may have healing properties. Mr..
Bailey is figuring with carpenter to
board off his yard and charge an adj
mission fee to his bigphenomenon. He
is a shrewd fellow, though, and wants
the work done on the percentage plan,
as he fears his wonder may wind up
operations as unexpectedly as it com
menced.
First Use OF the Razor.
The confessor Of Francis II refused