HOW A CAMBRIDGE SETTLER SAW THE ECLIPSE

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2057, 12 September 1885, Page 3

HOW A CAMBRIDGE SETTLER SAW THE ECLIPSE

A GOOD story la told <>r ,i Ca-ui'ii ul<e gentleman of an astrononuo tend, ucy who Aio-e on Wednesday morning Mioitly .vftir oiinrise to take ocular cognizance of the ich."-e. Hav ing imbibed his nntutinal appetiser, ho prepared hii Mnoked gla<--, and attind m hi* »lippeis and noctuinal linen he ,>d journal to the nearest vantage ground foi tho pmp>si» afoie^ud. Whilst thus en gaged, aftei tho mmnerof Mii.ill bo)-, who, following upon :i stieet accident flatttii their nosi'i ngainst tlie window of a doctor'i»iu>p to »co the patient who is in the bitk juiloui with the dour &lmt, thm am item .devotee of htience was sei/ed with .1 \ iolont (compound pain in the po-tenoi regions, (which was bucceeded l>y an instantaneous jjioist and soldieilike piostiation. An {exquisite transfoimnti»;i ensued. The colours of thf phenomenon weie inline diately changed, giving placets ;v k ileid.sscope of marvellous beauty and vaiiety. An impetus .seemed to be lmpaited to the earth's motion, which levohed on its a\i-. at the rate of certainly not less than once a minute. In the nnd-t of these highly interesting observations he was discovered by the l.vdy of Ins household, wlio, on freeing a black ttpot on the nose of her prolate spouse, at once concluded that the partner of her joys and sorrows had been struck by lightning. With a species of diigc peculiar to her sex she attracted the lemainder of tlie domestic cncle, who conveyed the eminent scientist to tho couch which a few minutes pievionsly he had quitted. On regaining Ins «en«.cs the worthy gentleman demonstrated to a few admuingneighbours that tho wonderful lights which he had seen were the effects of electricity. A flash of fire had danced btforc his eyes when he elevated the smoked glass to hia visual organs, the direct effect of a seveie concussion from behind. An incredulous farm labouier, however, working near by, has been known to ridicule the pretensions of this now etnin nt gentleman, alleging that at the tune in question ho was on the other side of tlie fence, and distinctly s-\w a, playful bullock bcai down, take tho HCienti-t in the rear, and eli-v ate bun with bullock like de\teutj. This mi> p'>s»il>ly account for the e\ti lordmaiy natme of the phenomena referred to.