Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-18
No Superstitious Terror of the Comet

10 the Editor OF Staf.
In these hours when the public press
and the minds of the people are filed
with vague ina siningS as to what may
or may not occur when the earth passes
through the tail of Ha!ley's comet as
the astronomers assure us will take place
the night of May II. il is most appro-
pirate that one should recall the words
of the sturdy New England patriot. COL
Abraham Davenport of Connecticut on
the occasion Of the famous dark dav in
New England in May. ITSO. as set forth
in simple. earnest manner by the Quaker
poet, John Greeulcaf Whittier.
ABRAHAM DAVENPORT.
In days Of old IA custom set aside with brooches
and cooked hats
The people sent their wisest men TO make the
public laws.
drinks the. small tribute of the Misnus.
Waved over ny the woods Of Rppawams.
And hallowed by pure lives and tranquil deaf tbs,
Stamford sent up to the COUNCILS of the state,
Wisdom and gracc-in Abraham Davenport.
Twas in May dar-of thar far old year. seven
teen hundred eighty. that there fell
Over the bloom and sweet life Of the spring,
Over the fresh earth and the heaven of noon.
horror Of great darknrss. like the night in
day. OF which The Norland sagas tell:
The twilight Of the gods.
Inc low uuhg SIX! WAS -biacb with OminOus
Save where its rim was friuged with a dull gov
Like that which climbs the craters sides froui
Birds LEASED 10 sing and all the barnyard fowls
roasted:
The cattl, al the pasture bars lowed and
Bats lesthern wings fitted fabroad: the
sounds of labo. died.
Men prayed and women wept.
the trumpet SKATER the hack sky.
hat .tr.aI fnan ..f ahpi IA
from the rent clouds. II
Not as He Looked. loving guest al Bethany.
But stern as Justice and incxorahIe Law. =
Meanwhile within The old statehouse. dim us
Sat thr lawgivcrs Of Connecticut
Trembling brr-ath their Legislative ro..,s. !.
III is m. l"fds goat day. let us adjourn.
All eyes were turned Abraham Davenport.
He rose. slow clraving with his steady voice
TIM nt0ierable hush
This we'll may tc TIT. 1raX Of Judgment which
thu world awaits;
Eui. he il og not. / only know my present
duty
And my Lords command Ia occupy iii He come :;
- al the pest where He hath set me in HIS
! caioosr FOR one. Ia -meet Him fare To face
No No fai'hless servant frightened fr4m my task
But ready when the Lore! III the Harvest calls.
Therefore with all reverence I would say.
Let ':od do HIS work: We will see To ours.
Bring in the candies.' and they brought them in;
Whereby the speaker read. albeit with husky
voice and shaking hands.
An act I" amend an act 10 regulate the shad
and alewivc fisheries.
Wlerenpon wisely and we'll spakr Abraham
Davenport.
Straight 10 the question. with hgures OF
speech save the ten Arab signs.
Yet not without the shrewd. dry hHnlor natara
Ia tho man:
His awr-struck colleagues listening all The while
Between the Inrses of his argument
To bear ,hr 1bunt."? Of the wrath Of God
Break FROM The below trumpet of the cloud
And there be stands in memory II this day
Erect. sclf-potsed: rugged face. half scch
Against the background Of unnatural dark,
4 witness 10 the ages, they pass,
That simple duty bath no place for fes-
H. r., Jr.