The Coconino sun., 1909-10-08
PRIEST AND ASTRONOMER 0f
 NOTE IN fLAGSTAFF
Continued from Fvsf PGge.


 the Sacramento valley. to observe the total eclipse of the sun, and there we were joined by Professor Valle, of Mexico. After we had arranged our instruments three telescopes-on the day previous to the eclipse. the sky began to get murky. A heavy mist settled in the valley, and we began to feel anxious for the morrow. All day the clouds gathered and feverishly we waited for the weather reports to know what might be expected on the next day. At last they came with a prediction of rain. Of course. we were disheartened. but our feelings then did not compare with those experienced the next day, when, on awakening, we saw one of those pals of clouds. indica- tive of long wet spell, hanging in the sky, from horizon to horizon.
 Appealed to God for Clear Sky.
 "Pritchett came to me and said: Well, suppose we must give up. There was tragedy in his voice. It was then 1 thought of making an appeal to God for justltwo minutes clear sky at the moment of total eclipse, which would occur at l2:l5. At once 1 replied to Pritchett in the presence of Professors Nipher and valle. We will have clear sky at the moment of totality--I will pray to the Blessed Virgin to inter cede for us. l was in earnest and if there was aught of scorn on the part of my associates they did not make it visible. think they, too, had faith.
 ''I then went to the several Cath ollie institutions in the vicinity and asked the sisters and school child ren to join in my intercession. They did.
 A Miracle in the Skies.
 "All morning the clouds re- mained heavy. Not glimmer of the sun could be seen. Neverthe- less, at the proper time, we stood by our instruments imbued with hope. As the time approached not a man spoke. We looked closely to our watches, and then advanced to my instrument and prepared to take a photograph of the sun. As the hand of my watch pointed to the proper second for the right ex. posture, suddenly the blanket of clouds parted. with circular open ing, the sun in the center in total eclipse. The time of exposure was exactly two minutes, all we had prayed for. The sun was again hidden and did not reappear during the rest of the day.
 Then Pritchett, Protestant, turned to Professor Nipher, also a Protestant, and exclaimed, Truly this should make Catholics of us.
 But they did not follow this out" added the priest regretfully.
 "At the same time that we were making observation. all unknown, Professor w. ". Payne. director of the Goodsell Observatory at North field, Minn.. was similarly engaged some forty miles distant. absolute ly ignorant of our doing at Nor man.
 Professor Payne on the day fol- lowing the eclipse, in his report of his work, which was published in the San Francisco papers, said {: All morning the sky was thickly clouded until the most desirable moment for observations. Then the clouds miraculously parted and remained so for two minutes. the time required to make good ob- servation. am convinced that some one must have prayed for clear skies. v
 Widely Known By Astronomers.
 Among the astronomers who are strong friends of Father Charrop. pin. who have worked with him and exchanged theories and accepted his criticisms. are Professors Der nard, Frost and Burnham, of the ierkes Observatory; Campbell, of the Lick Observatory and Holden formerly at Lick: William and Ed Pickering. of Harvard. and Hough at Evanston. H.. which observa' tory, like Yerkes, is department of Chicago University. All these .a.... nun Arnorina,r haaf .nffarins ir