the other room, and as it
was getting late they all resolved to stroll once more through the town,
in order to take a parting look at the bonfires, to wish the people
good-night, and to thank them for the kindness and alacrity with which
they got them up, and manifested their good feeling upon so short a
notice. The large fire was again blazing, having been recruited with
a fresh supply of materials. The crowd were looking on; many were
staggering about, uttering a feeble huzza, in a state of complete
intoxication, and the fool of the parish was attempting to dance a
hornpipe, when large, blob-like drops began to fall, as happens at the
commencement of a heavy shower. Lindsay put his hand to his face, on
which some few of them had fallen, and, on looking at his fingers,
perceived that they were spotted as if with blood!

"Good God!" he exclaimed, "what is this? Am I bleeding?"

They all stared at him, and then at each other, with dismay and horror;
for there, unquestionably, was the hideous and terrible fact before
them, and legible on every! face around them--it was raining blood!

An awe, which we cannot describe, and a silence, deep as that of the
grave, followed this terrible prodigy. The silence did not last long,
however, for in a few minutes, during which the blood fell very thickly,
making their hands and visages appear as if they had been steeped
in gore--in a few moments, we say, the heavens, which had become one
black and dismal mass, opened, and from the chasm issued a red flash of
lightning, which was followed almost immediately by a roar of thunder,
so loud and terrific that the whole people became fearfully agitated
as they stood round the blaze. It was extremely difficult, indeed, for
ignorant persons to account for, or speculate upon, this strange and
frightful phenomenon. As they stood in fear and terror, with their faces
apparently bathed in blood, they seemed rather to resemble a group of
hideous murderers, standing as if about to be driven into the! flames of
perdition itself. To compare them to a tribe of red Indians surrounding
their war fires, would be but a faint and feeble simile when contrasted
with the terror which, notwithstanding the gory hue with which they
were covered from top to toe, might be read in their terrified eyes and
visages. After a few minutes, however, the alarm became more intense,
and put itself forth into words. The fearful intelligence now spread.
"It is raining blood!