The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-05-18
PESILENCE
EARTHQUAKES AND DEATH FOLLOW AP-
PEARANCE OF HALLEYSCOMET.

more LuduS BOOu aS fHc HdTDlIlgeT vi
evils. The eye of superstition has
gazed upon the blazing tramp of the
heavens and as baleful influence
that brings woe and sorrow to-the
world. For ages the observation of
man has connected these Grant stars
with the great disasters that visit the
earth. Famine, pestilence, earth
quakes, foods, deaths and devastation
have followed in the wake of coming
of comets until the earth and the
people on it have been filed with
superstitious fear of the blazing omen
in the sky. To those of US who do
not bow to the superstitions that the
reocccrrence of natural phenomena
in conjunction with woes and trouble,
has awakened the coming of the
comet is merely the the happening
of prognisticated natural event, and
the fact that disasters have come
with its each return we put down to
the influence of mere coincidence,
but to those who gaze upon the
phenomenon ofnaturew with wondering
eye, to those to whom the night wind
sings songs of witches and hobgoblins,
to those who fear influence of Friday,
to those who look for signs and trust
in omens, the coming of the comet
is sign of evil things to be, and
not only is it sign but it is the
direct cause of the great troubles that
come to the earth.
The present return of Halley's
comet will do much to confirm the
superstitions in their belief in the
evil influence ofthe mysterious visit
or. The coming of the comet this
year has been accompanied by trouble
and great disaster. The earth has
seemingly paid tribute to the great
power of the potent omen. Volcanoes
have belched forth their molten vomrt
and have devastated fair fields and
driven fear and despair in to the
hearts of human people.
Earthquakes have shaken cities to
the ground and made homeless thou
sands af people. Great explosions
have shaken the earth and bodies of
explosive gases in mines have burst
forth in fury and snuffed out the lives
of poor workeres who labored in the
bowels of the earth. Kings have
died. Great princes of literature
have passed away, and the blazing
star in the heavens is coming closer
and closer. There are closer and
smaller signs that have been looked
upon by the people who are prone to
feel that the comet is cause of evil.
In all this country, the wild animals
that are held in captivity, have been
restless and have turned upon their
keepers and DESTROYED them. Ac-
cidents are common and danger is
abroad. There certainly seems to be
some malign influence on the earth.
The people who are wise. who study
the ways of the world and the heay-
ems and the planets and the science
of astronomy say that the comet has
nothing to do with the trouble, but
those who feel the fear or the
supernatural, they declare the
baleful star is influence that has made
the woe.
Is this blazing star the cross of
Constantine: Did this same blazing
visitant lead the wise from the East.
Was it the comet that lead the peo-
pie of Israel from the desert: Does
the star with the blazing tail pro-
nosticate evil? We, who pried
ourselves upon our erudition, we do
not think that it does, but how little
We know Our knowledge is gained
by the reasoning that requires ba-
SIS of experience, and then, when
We have the promises, how prone to
error We area For ages the world
was called fat and men believed this
fallacy with the same blind adherence