Russian Superstition.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 238, 21 January 1888, Page 2

Russian Superstition.

A notable illustration ,<?f the mental condition of the Russian' rural population is furnished by the >Novoe Yremya in connection with the recent total eclipse. When ' Professor Menclelaiff was- descending in his military balloon near Moscow, several peasants ran out of the village of Olerkoff with .guns to shoot, as they desoribed it,; " fcli e evil beast that had 1 darkened the face "of the sun." 'They were evidently tumble ' to see that there was. any human being in . the car of the balloon,- , and, .liickilyjf or the ' professor the balloon passed them, and, ' finally came down some considerable dig* tance off; < Here four men, including "jbwb - merchants, were locked up for 'showing a ' violent inclination to tear,jbhe balloon t to pieces: The local policeman, who 'tried' to ; reason with them; waspulled from his horse and dragged along the-, ground. An : astro* nomer, who was stationed (at/ t one >f of 4 the *; observation points on the "Volga, writes that - s; the terror caused among the common people " by the eclipse was very groat: ''-There was k t general •feai* among, them 1 that t the worla I'"*1 '"* 'was coming to an^ end.,,,, ' This idea« t was"> •strengthened, by' ]bhe curio.us coincidencej that on the previous Sun'day;the part'bf the Gbspe'l appointed to beVem c m 'the churcKes' ' ; Happenedjto be.tlte g4thjchap^ter Of Matthew^' i; 9 in .wt^'occura'tlg) « pAedicjilftijrtUa^^iSumos shall; He darkened' arid tl\e itax-s, shall froia the heaVehs. The f fdrce* J p'f this passage^ "was further intensified among'bhei peasantry by|a remai'kableTfall of aerolites within ten days after the eclipse; inj several cplacis>in?fj the provincWol^erm. 'One piecej"o£-me,teprig t^ .stqiie-isre{l6b'tBd tb'Veigli abo.tifc k ,quwtejf;« "of a ton, and {to have"^ caused* aiiJear%h : 'spck J f in the.neighbourhoo^ofeits^ll likguWkatJctf-iO 'aniedi'thquake.' hl \,\ f »t|7r mtih 0* ttsi :