Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-06-17
The AURORA BOREALIS.

Almost continual darkness lowered
over our winter camp on the desolate
shores of Norton Bay. The deep soli-
tude stirred strong feelings within our
breasts. Realizing that we were alone
with God, our thoughts confined by no
horizon, we, like the shepherds of old,
turned often to the heavens for our
entertainment and consolation. We
passed many hours in study and con-
temptation of the brilliant spheres
above us. Some of the consultations
seemed to have lost their identity and
many more seemed to have wandered
from their familiar places.
Most of all, we desired to see the
worlds greatest phenomenon, the Auro-
"a Borealis. The winter dragged its
weary length along, and still we had
seen no remarkable display of North
ern Lights" and we found we would
have to tell only a tale of frustrated
hopes. However, when early in Fep-
ruary, 1899, as if to reward us for our
vigilance, the dusky segment was out
lined with unusual brilliancy against
the northern sky. We were on the
Qui yive for a scene of great beauty.
Nor were we disappointed. The pic
ture increased in grandeur with each
succeeding night till on the evening of
the twelfth of February the sky gave
evidence of a display of marvellous
splendor. Feeling certain that we
would be amply repaid for the effort,
We dressed ourselves warmly in fur
garments and went out into the still
cold night with the temperature at 40
degrees below zero. A bright effulgent
light suffused the heavens, and looking
to the north we beheld what seemed to
be the very throne of God shedding
abroad its radiance upon the whols
world.
From a segment of dense darkness,
outlined by an arc of golden light,
rays magnificent in their colorins
leaped up to the zenith, then receded.
leaving behind them only a milky trail.
The colors rapidly changed from the
palest azure to the most brilliant red,
yet carried always an undertone of
delicate green. Great balls of light
shot out from the arch, hung suspended
a moment in mid air, then retreated to
their source as if to gather force for a
still greater effort.
To the north, east and west the heav-
ems became nebulous with light, and
yet the veil was Sc transparent that
many stars were visible through it.
Our eyes were strained to catch every
change, for we had CHANGED within the
charmed circle and were grasping the
privilege of a lifetime. Nature displays
her g%randest phenomenon far from the
| center of human habitation, then, are
they of great moment, TO the few who
do witness them in their sublimity.
We had scarcely breathed, the absolute
stiffness of the night, the magnifcence
of the panorama, awed US into silence.
We were unprepared for the next
| change in the Kaleidoscope and it wal
| beyond our fondest dreams. Dropping
from the zenith We beheld a great fan
shaped curtain of light. lacelike in its
| consistency, and with an edge that ri
| vailed the finest paint. This magnif-
cent scintillating fan swung and swayed
by the apex, back and forth across the
sky, waved and rolled its brilliant
sparkling surface in billowy masses
against the midnight sky. Changing
its pattern and its coloring with every