Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1879 — The Meteoric Shower in November, 1833. [ARTICLE]

The Meteoric Shower in November, 1833.

The meteoric display of November 13, 1883, was by very far the most remarkable natural phenomenon I have ever witnessed. The event came unheralded, and took us all by surprise. I was residing at the time in McDonough, Henry County. Suffering at the time from an inflamed eye, and being unable to sleep, I rose about one o’clock on the night in question and went out to my kitchen for the purpose of lighting a lamp (lucifer matches had not then been invented, or had not at least come into use in that section); In passing into the kitchen I did not happen to look up. But as soon as our cook (old Aunt Mary) opened the door she drew back in alarm, exclaiming, “Lord, master, the world is coming to an end! Just look at the stars; they are all falling!” My faith in the Scriptures (such as Matthew xxiv., 14, and others of the same import) precluded the idea bf its being the end of the world, and I was not alarmed. Returning to my room, I prepared my wife for viewing the phenomenon, which she did without undue excite ment. I then sallied forth to arouse some of my neighbors, that they also might enjoy the wonderful display. The two nearest were a lawyer and a preacher, both of whom were terribly alarmed, and, despite my expostulations, greatly alarmed their wives. Without going further, I had my hands full endeavoring to restore tnem to some degree of composure. From one o’clock until daylight I witnessed the grand display. Looking upward, it seemed as if the meteors all started from a common center and fell in curving lines to the very earth, and there were thousands, if not millions, of them in sight at the same moment, and every moment, until daylight put an end to the scene. It literally rained fire. Sometimes the shower would slacken for a moment or so, and then it would be renewed until the very heavens seemed to be ablaze. Some were brighter, some of paler hue, but they were all fire (or seemed so), and all were pouring down toward the earth. But I ana attempting to do what I promised myself I would not undertake—to describe a scene which no imagination can conceive, nor tongue or Fm portray. It was as clear a night as ever saw. I would fix my eyes on a given star, and in a few moments it would seem to fall, owing, I suppose, to the fact that it was obscured by a passing meteor. The illusion was perfect. For two or three days after the occurrence the atmosphere was so smoky as to prevent the stars from being seen at night, and to cause the sun to look like a ball of fire in the daytime, upon which one might gaze with the naked eye without pain. A few occurrences connected with the event may interest your readers. In Covington, Newton County, at three o’clock, the church bell was rung, and the whole population was aroused, who repaired to the meeting-house and spent the remainder of the night in devotional exercises.

The gold mines in Paulding and adjacent counties had drawn together many adventurers—miners and gamblers. A gentleman direct from that section informed me that soon after midnight guns were fired, horns blown, and the sleepers for miles were aroused. The gamblers threw their cards in the fire, enemies made friends, and was such praying as was never heard in that section before, and, perhaps, has never been heard since. Only a few days after the phenomenon I was passing from McDonough to Zebulon, and stopped to spend the night with a friend. He had two Northern men employed erecting a mill on a small stream near his residence, the elder one of whom had been a seafaring man. As soon as I arrived the “falling of the stars” became the subject of conversation. Seeing the Northern men coming over the hill, my friend said: “Engage those men—especially the elder one—in conversation on the subject.” Supper over, I managed to draw them out. The older one said: “ I have spent most of my life on the sea, and have passed thrtfugh many dangers. But I never had to look death and eternity so squarely in the face before. You know, parson, that sailors believe in the North star. Well, I saw that the other stars were falling, but I thought that as long as the North star kept its place all was safe, So I went out there and sat on the ground, with my back against the chimney (it was a rock chimney), and then I watched that star, trying not even to wink. In a few minutes it cut loose, and here it came. And then, parson, I fell on my knees and did some of the tallest praying you ever heard, and I have not sworn an oath since.” He had been dreadfully profane. I have seen many people since who have waited for the North star to fall before thev would pray.—J’. H. Campbell, in Columbia (Go.) Enquirer.