The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-06-01
The Eclipse.

We'll, We have seen the eclipse, So have
you. Not having Il very familiar acQuain-
tance with the Heavenly bodies ana their
various antics, we will not attempt TO go
iutO any scientific explanation of The
why's and wher:fOreS, but will ust talk
Il little as to how the thing appeared t.
us: We arose early Monday morning, az
we suppose did everybody else, and we
felt lad all tie balance Of the day
don't know il it was from the effects Of
our early rising OF our moon or sun giZ-
ing. Glasses were prepared for lie whJ.e
family, and at 10 the household f,.rnj-
ture, ut least Il PORTION OF the Chairs,
were moved out into thn yard AMI wn all
took our seats and began to patiently
gaze at the bright o!b Of day, then hisn
above the horizon. Qultc Il number OF
people passed along, and our little crowd
seemed TO attract considerably more
attention than did tic sun, they would
rubber-neck at u as long aS they could
see us. Some Of them would look around
aId seemingly wonder what we were
looking at, seeing nothing UNUSUAL they
would smile and pass OH, possibly draw
ing mental conclusions not very favorable
TO our mental caliOre. But we had made
all these arrangements to see that eclipse,
and we were not going to be deferred 10y IL
lot of unavprcCiative people. Some one
was mean enough TO ask us if we were
sitting for picture. But we were finally
rewarded, and when things began to
darken, we had the laugh on those WHO
were unprepared. We held paper IN
our hand giving complete schedule of
the eclipse, and We had our watch to
hold it down to schedule time. and this
is how it came. At7:3T and Is seconds
the first contact was made the contact
was made on the upper right rim OF the
sun. Right here we will state that we
will use inches, rather than million miles,
in our description. Not that we done
know better, but the inch bu5int SIS will
be more readily understood by the gener-
Ill reader. in about 10 minutes the
moon seemed TO have bt off Il two inch
Scallop from the sun. The moon seemed
TO travel slower after the first ID Or -
minutes following the contact. The
atmosphere WAS dry and hot not a bres Za
was stirring to rustic the leaves. and not
Il single cloud was in sight: at S O'Clock,
the sun was about half covered aud IA
slight breeze sprang up, and in 20 minutes
more the atmosphere began u cool very
perceptibly and Il soft mellow light was
shed round about, this light rapidly
changed into 4 strange, weird and
somDer hue, that almost gave one the
shiveIs, and inspired 4 certain feeling of
awe; the darkness began to hover thicker
and fast aud things began to get III
intensely interesting. CASTING oar eyes
off to the hills in the distance, ,Ye noticed
the approaching shadow Oh the hills and
it had the appearance Of a dark and fore
D)ding cloud driven OH by the fearful
impetus of a terrible storm, calculated to
inspire Il feeling OF terror in the minds
of those not looking for it. AS the time
OF totality was rapidly approaching we
noticed that all the chickens hal col
lected under the house, the rooster had
been growing when the darkness first
began. We endeavOred to coax them
out by throwing food in the ,ard but
they remained huddled together under
the house. We spread white Sheet in
the yard to catch IA sight of the shadow
waves, the narrow rim of the sun became
smaller and smaller, a very narrow rim
of the sun could be seen on the northern
side OF the moon, and the shadows began
to play upon the sheets, they ilickered,
waved and tlimbled aS might the shadow
OF u hundred wires in motion, and we
began to congratulate ourselves that we
were within the line of totaity, only a
minute or two more would settle the
question. 1t was with feversh interest
that we gazed during these two minutes,
nothing but heavy pencil mark of the
SUMS rim could be seen about q inches
long on tho northern edge, then it was that
tho wonderful corona burst forth at
S:444 i'll all its splendor, shooting out in
every direction, one OF tie most beauti-
full sights wo nave ever seen. No need
for smoked glass now, but we obtained
an excellent view of it through the opera
glasses. This glorious sight was OF
short duration, lasting not more than
twenty to twenty-five seconds when it
disappeared, as the moon sank away and
the narrow rim OF the sun began TO
rapidly broaden, the somber shadows
began to recede and the light came on
us the breaking of day. The last moment
OF contact was az 10 O'Clock and 3j
seconds, and one OF the most wonderful
Of natare's phenomena that many OF us
lave ever seen and one that we may
never witness again had past and rolled
on into eternity.
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