The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-09-07
EFFECTS OF ECL1PsES.
carions Actions of Human neings,
Beasts and birds as the Phe-
nomenOn Approaches.

~---tA A~~A
nomenOn Approaches.
AS an eclipse approaches an unnat-
ural chill comes into the atmosphere,
and people become nervous and ex-
cited. Children cling to their mothers
in fright, while the young of all crea-
tuTes seek maternal protection, as If
from some unknown danger. Birds
flutter about in CONSERVATION aud
make for their nests, and chickens
go to roost as the darkness grows.
Cattle stop chewing the cud and go
home from pasture, shifting the air as
If fearing violent storm. Horses, too,
become greatly excited, those loose In
the fields running about distractedly,
while such us are in harness are scared
by the most familiar objects.
On beasts Of prey an eclipse has a re-
markable effect, making them unusual
ly ferocious, so that they will attack
human beings with the utmost bold
ness. 1t inspires all wild animals with
the dread Of attack from unknown foes.
for whom they keep on the alert.
TAB 4Oh8 do lAN OdlAACSb CO4Ilu utS3 u
brooding stiffness prevails amongst all
living things but wolves and dogs
Strangely enough, these set up a snap
pish yelping. which is entirely different
from their ordinary bark or night
howl. Between their spells Of yelping
domestic dogs whine and cover, as if
imploring protection of their human
companions.
Natural sounds, such as the whistling
of the wind or the noise of water fall
ing. seem unusually loud and disturb
ing. Even the trees lose their ordinary
look and color, the light sitting down
through them In fantastic round
blotches. AS the eclipse gradually be-
comes total the fading light OF the
sun appears as II divided into separate
beams that come down quivering and
slanting.
Upon the ignorant and superstitious
the phenomenon has tremendous eff
feet. They betray abject fear, while
dreading the advent of some dire ca
lamity they know not of.
During the total eclipse which hap
pened in July, 1878, negro in the Unit
ed States was seized with frenzy and
killed his wife and three children
AT the beginning of On eclipse in jan
uary, 1888, there were some strange
proceedings at Peking. The Chinese
mandarins gave orders for the drums
to be beaten to put to flight the celes-
tial dragon that they believed was
swallowing the sun.
A somewhat similar superstition ap-
pears to prevail amongst the Turks.
On May IS, 1877. there was an eclipse of
the sun visible IN Europe which created
not little CONSERVATION amongst the
subjects of the sultan. Indeed. they
were so much perturbed that they
raised riot and discharged all kinds
of guns and cannon at the sun, with
the object of delivering 1t from the
claws of the mythical dragon.
A French astronomer who went to
India to observe the eclipse of August
1B, 1868, describes a queer incident
which took place at the time. He had
engaged number of natives to attend
to his apparatus. but just when the
sun commenced to darken they ell
scampered away to the river to bathe.
On inquiring the reason for this ex-
traordinary conduct he was informed
that 1t was dome in conformance with
heather religious rite. Atsuch times
this required them to plunge into wa
ter as O means Of destroying the infiu-
ence Of the evil spirit which was sup
posed to be assailing the sun.
Even in this enlightened country su-
perstition Is associated with echpses
where ignorance in regard to them has
not vet been dispelled.