A COMET SCARE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 23089, 5 March 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

A COMET SCARE.

IWISIONARY PEARS. PA^RIS, : .January 6. Oamjlle Elammarion, the celebrated French astronomer, now and Mien indulges in prophectcs. . His latest repented effort in this line has played hob generally with the peasantry of Europe and has caused excitement even among the more enlightened citizens. It lias got abroad that he says Halley's comet will probably come into collision with tho earth in March, in which event it will destroy this mundane spheie. In Germany ,a J town, councillor ot Cologne a man of wealth and position, refused'to vote' for a proposed improvement in tlie city's water supply, became ho ' Baj'4', sipce |;l}e' worlcl 'S'tp ho c{c, sti'oyed Ui'' a month <>r two, wmve w no uso- In- spending, money foolishly. T'jji superstitious peasants' of Silesia drew all their savings out of the banks and sv=ent "tho money prodigally, determined to havo a good time while they could in the few months left. In Baden tlie farmers refused to sow their fields be cause the comet would bring destruction with it before. the crops could ripen. ' J^est the fear should spread among thi* poa-santry and become a papic.^ caf ef p|l f written, popular 'articles aipe beipg priited' and circulated broadcast in all the oHicjal and local papers showing the fjJ{W3 about the comet tt» he illusianavv.