Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Memoirs of Paul Henry Kendricken
HE autumn leaves have fallen, Christmas is here and not any snow on the ground. This condition of things is unusual for the season. The Christmas Carols have been sung, the festivals are nearly over. Many are the hearts that are happy, and the poor liberally cared for with all the Christmas cheer and encouragement that could be given. The children are made happy also, by the many Simple gifts given them. The dimpled, rosy-cheeked children are enjoy ing everything to their hearts' content.
Now nearing new-year. A barn dance is planned for New Year's eve, to dance the Old year out and with open arms to welcome the new year. This New Year's eve, the night of all nights for promises of every kind, some are to be kept, but many of them Will be broken. The dance is on, the music in its softest strains, the dancers in full swing, the applause to same is heard; the merry laugh here and there Shows that all have enjoyed the dance to-night. The cheer, the happy New Year's eve, are over, the lights are lowered and the dance with its enjoyments Will long be remembered.
New Year's Day is a day of joy all over the world. So is this new year in Ireland, in all its fulness, for four or five days. The barn dance has been the talk of the village, on account of the many very pleasant reunions of old friends that took place, and the coming out into company of the younger set.
Great rejoicing and happiness were manifest in adjoining towns as well as our own. For the first five days there was considerable frost, which lasted until Saturday, January 5.
Sunday morning, January 6, 1839, found the sky over cast, the temperature warm for the season of the year, and a mild thaw set in. As the day advanced the sky put on a still more leaden hue, the darkness thickened, and an omi nous calm set ih. Shortly after three O'clock it became SO dark that lights had to be used, so as to be able to move around the house. An awe-inspiring stillness prevailed, so that people could talk to each other more than a mile away. This was the lull before the storm. Suddenly, about half - past five, there was a mysterious rumbling noise in the direction of the sea; at the same time a breeze sprang up from the west, which quickly increased in strength, and by Six O'clock had developed into a gale. After this fear and alarm were felt around every fireside. From Six O'clock onward through the entire night until four o'clock in the morning the great hurri cane swept the face of the country, with one continuous deafening roar. After four o'clock this roar began to lessen, and at last exhausted itself. The end, as in the beginning, came suddenly at five O'clock in the morning. The big wind was no more, and at six o'clock a complete calm prevailed once more over the land.
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