Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-25
ODD TNCInENrs IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
REMARKABLE ECLIPSE OF 1896

The most remarkable eclipse of the sun witnessed in the United States in the centuries since its discovery took place on June 16, 1906. There are eclipses previous and since then, bue that of 1906 is regarded by astronomers as the most memorable of all that of August T, 1869 being the next in gran deur and interest.
 The eclipse of 1906 was to be seen over all parts of North America. For tunately the day was a remarkably clear one, scarcely a cloud being visi- ble in any part of the sky. The sun's entire surface was covered at twenty seven minutes and tt irty seconds past Il o'clock.
 James Fennimore Cooper, the novel, ist, though but a youth at the time of the eclipse, was so enthusiastic an observer of the spectacle that twenty five years after the event he wrote a minute account of what he saw and how he felt during the wonderful oc- currence.
 MT. Cooper states that Rs he and other spectators in his coIhpany first | discerned through their glasses the ov- al form of the moon darIlening the suns light an exclamation of delight, almost triumphant, burst involuntarily from the lips of all. The people began gathering into the street, their usual | labors were abandoned and all faces were turned upward.
 The monday heat began to lessen and there was something of the cool | ness of early morning. NJ. Cooper fur | ther states that "all living creatures | seemed thrown into a state of agita- | tion. The birds were flutte-ir.5 to and | fro in great excitement; they seemed | to mistrust that this was not the grad ual approach of evening, and were un- | decided in their movements. Even the l dogs be came uneasy and drew nearer
 to their masters.
 ''Every- house now gave up its ten 1 ants. As the light failed more and more
 with every passing second, the chil- dren came Hooking about their moth- l CTS in terror. The sun appeared like l young moon of three or four days old. One after the other the stars come into view, which filled the spirit with | singular sensations"
 Never were more extensive prepa- rations made by Governments and men
 of science to have thorough observa- tions of a solar eclipse than at this
 time, and never was the weather more propitious for such an event to be not.
 ed in all it's phenomena.
 As is usual on the occurrence ot
 such a wonderful sight, some strange
 incident transpired. In his account O.
 the observation made by Prof. Watson
 at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Prof. Tylel
 narrates the case of a good man wht
 went around the town for days before
 hand and denounced the impiety of tn,
 proceedings going on-that the astron
 on CTS were profanely attempting |,
 pry into Gods secrets, and that h
 had yelled His sun in order to baffl them.
 The cloudy weather, which continues some support to his declarations, bu
 up to the last day, seemed to giv ]; notwithstanding his prophecy tha God would keep His rain agoing an prevent the use of the irreigious tele scopes, the day cleared off with th utmost splendor.
 } Another local prophet announce that the eclipse was a judgment tpo
 the world for its abominations, an l that the path of its shadow over th earth would be marked by utter bligh t But these deluded prophets of ev r were, indeed, rare exceptions; million
 of mankind watched with reverentis s and delighted satisfaction the obedi l, ence of the two great luminaries { e the external laws which govern thel , existance, and Science, the handmai